Excellent, clear, straight-forward primer on fat acceptance from Elizabeth Sutherland of the Spilt Milk blog. I know I’m a little late to this party, but why are there so many kick-ass fat chicks in Australia? What awesomeness is in the water over there? 

Isn’t this just perfectly clear (and sensible)? 

Much of the hatred directed towards fat people is seen as justified on the grounds that being larger is bad for your health. But this is a very simplistic and almost entirely untrue assumption. The link between weight and health is far more complex than the media would have us believe, and medical studies have never unequivocally proven that being fat is an independent health risk… .  What is very clear from the scientific research, however, is that there is no sure-fire way to make a fat person thin. We know that diets don’t work for the vast majority of people – but neither do ‘lifestyle changes’, drugs or even surgery. In fact, weight loss usually isn’t good for your health and could be associated with higher mortality rates – but we don’t read much about that in magazines.

In conclusion: If we are to combat the sheer force of destructive body-shaming in our culture, we must all be self esteem warriors. Accepting everyone you meet, regardless of their size and shape, is a good place to start.  [Emphasis mine mine mine.]