Focusing on the Fabulousness

Folks, I am getting so excited about this zine.  I have had a few contributions submitted already, and I’ve written a couple of pieces myself, so it’s shaping up nicely.  Now don’t be shy, you can email me at fatheffalump at gmail dot com and for those of you who have already mailed me – send me your pieces!  I plan to put this all together while I am on leave (this coming Friday is my last day at work before holidays, woot!) and then have it ready to go out by the end of May/early June.

I am particularly looking for artwork (as I can’t even draw a stick figure!), and I particularly need a cover image.  Something that glorifies obesity all over the place!!  Send me your fatties!

Now I don’t know about you, but I’m suffering a bit of activist fatigue at the moment.  I’m writing a couple of pieces (I’m participating in the University of Queensland Women’s Collective Diversity Week event on Tuesday and have another commissioned piece) which I am finding I have to work a lot harder at than I usually do.  Mostly because I’m really quite over being expected to justify our existence as human beings, and to explain why we “deserve” the right to live our lives in dignity and respect, without fear of vilification or ridicule.  I think I just need to keep reiterating the following:

1. Fat people are human beings.
2. ALL human beings have the right to live their lives in dignity and respect, without the fear of vilification or ridicule because of their bodies, health or appearance.

It’s really that simple, and I simply don’t understand why we keep having to argue this shit!

I’d like to focus much more on celebrating fat people.  I want to focus much more on appreciating who we are.  The richness of our lives.  Our diversity, our style, our talent, our passions, our creativity.  I want to get us out there into the world and let us see each other.  Not for the benefit of the haters, the doubters, the excuse-makers, but for US.  I want to see fabulous fat people like me represented everywhere.  And because I don’t see that everywhere, I’m going to have to be it myself, and maybe others will follow.

So here’s to fat visibility.  Here’s to prodigious bellies, voluminous bosoms, generous butts, thick thighs, round faces, multiple chins, luscious arms, chunky calves and bountiful backs.  Here’s to getting out there and being seen and seeing each other.

Make it a goal to smile warmly at other fatties you encounter in the world.  Signal boost fab fatties that you find online.  Reblog, share, and collate all the fab fatties you find online.  Tell a fatty they’re fabulous.  Believe me, we all need it from time to time, and it’s so much better to focus on that than the shitty attitudes that force us to continually justify our existence.

Now… share a fab fatty or three (in whatever format) with us in the comments.  Let’s link us all up!

Eeeeee! A Zine!

Hey hey!  Guess what I’m going to do?  I’m gonna make a fab fatty zine!  Now, before you ask, a zine is a hand-made, self published, (usually) paper-copy publication.  I used to make one in my early 20’s when I owned a music store, that had all kinds of stuff in it – poetry, artwork, music, book and movie reviews, jokes, an agony aunt, whatever came to mind.  If you would like to get your hands on an already published fab fatty zine, check out Two By Four by Michaela and Chris Nowell.

So yeah, I want to make one chock-full of fat positivity.  And I’m looking for contributions!  Would you like to be in a zine?  Cos you totally can, if you want to contribute something.

What am I looking for?  Well, here are some guidelines:

1. It must be on the topic of fat/fatness and be fat positive.  This zine will be a celebration of all things fat.
2. It must be able to be reproduced in black and white on no bigger than A4 paper.  This helps me keep the cost down for the actual zine when it is published.
3. It must not marginalise, oppress, other or dismiss other under-privileged people.
4. It must be your own work.

Otherwise, it’s pretty much up to you!

Just some suggestions:

• Artwork
• Poetry
• Review (book, movie, tv show, music etc)
• Photographs
• Humour
• Advice
• Comic strips
• Use your imagination!

For example at the moment I’m working on a tongue-in-cheek piece about fat fashion “rules” which I hope to have an awesome piece of art to accompany it.

What I’d really like to see is some radical stuff.  Stuff that is overwhelmingly celebratory of fat people and fat bodies.  I want to “glorify obesity”.

Now, I’m not planning to make a profit on this zine, I will only be charging enough to cover printing and postage (where needed).  So all contributions will be voluntary and of course you will get FULL credit for your work.  And I will send you a free copy of the zine if your work is published.

The other thing I’m looking for is an awesome name for this zine.  Something that is empowering and bold and radical and that says “We are fat and we are awesome!”  And that is FUN.  So if you can think of anything, let me know.

If you would like to contribute or have any questions that you would like me to answer privately, please email me at fatheffalump at gmail dot com.

Closing date for contributions is Friday 25th of May as I have two weeks “staycation” booked off work from the 27th which will give me time to put it all together and prep it for distribution.

If there is something in particular you would like to see in a fab fatty zine, do let me know in the comments and I will see what I can do.

Introducing Aerodynamic by Katy Russell

Remember in my goals for 2013 I said I wanted to share more awesome fat positive stuff?  Well recently I was contacted by a lovely young woman named Katy Russell who had some stickers she wanted to send me.  I duly gave her my PO box and a bit later, these gorgeous beauties arrived!

Fab Fatties

Aren’t they brilliant?  Katy is a local artist who has decided to create this awesome range of fat positive artworks which she is selling on Redbubble and will have some products on Zazzle too.

What do I love about these?  I love that she has a variety of body shapes and sizes (the blonde one in the spotty swimsuit is most like my shape!) and she has represented women of colour as well.  I love the bright colours, the cute fatshion and the positive representations of fat women.  Best of all I love the name, Aerodynamic, which is a play on the idea that aerodynamic must equal thin, when it really equals rounded, smooth surfaces.

I’ve seen some of Katy’s artworks crop up on Tumblur (particularly the one on the top right there) but I really do hope to see her work shared far and wide.  Prints, stickers and cards are ultra affordable on Redbubble, so I think I’ll have to expand my collection.  I particularly want to introduce more fat positive art into my home this year, and I love Katy’s work.

So go support Katy’s work huh?  I think I might have to chat to her about commissioning some artwork for me!