[Content Note: Healthcare anxiety; fat shaming. Previously: Selfies; On Visibility. The following shared with Aphra_Behn's consent.]
This morning, Aphra_Behn and I coincidentally had doctor's appointments at the same time. As both of us (and others) have written, doctor's appointments can be super fraught experiences for fat women. (Which is not to suggest they aren't fraught for other people as well!) Both of us have been fat-shamed by doctors, and so even a routine trip required to access meds we both need to stay alive can be a nightmare.
So, this morning, I decided the best way to combat our mutual anxiety was to send Aphra a selfie of myself while I waited in the examination room, making a funny face. To which Aphra responded with, naturally, a selfie of herself in the exam room, making a funny face.
Hundreds of miles apart, we both chuckled, and felt a little less alone and a little less anxious.
When, a few minutes later, a nurse asked me, as usual, about whether I was watching my diet (yes) and whether I was getting exercise (yes), then followed up by telling me, "It's all about portion control, then!"—because obviously I'm eating HUGE AMOUNTS of food if I'm eating "right" and taking exercise but am STILL FAT—I just thought of Aphra's grinning visage, and I laughed and said, "Okay! Will do!"
Because one of my grrls was with me, at least in spirit, and giving me strength. Care of selfies.
We are obviously the worst feminists ever the end.
#thanksalgore
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