This thread is for Black folks, particularly those who are complaining, worrying, and posting about gaining weight during this pandemic aka the #Quarantine15. Please STAHP!! This is fatphobia and harmful AF. Let me tell you why...

Starting with a similar situation that might help connect the dots.

Let's say you're talking to yourself or a child or family member, or friend you care about. If you said, "Ooh, you shouldn't spend too much time in the sun. You'll get too dark."

Do you see how harmful that comment is? What does that say about dark-skinned people? It implies that dark skin is wrong, undesirable, unattractive, etc. These thoughts, beliefs, or implicit bias have a huge impact on the way dark-skinned people are treated in the world.

Imagine a dark-skinned or brown-skinned person saying that comment. This person has internalized the bullshit that is anti-Black racism. Now imagine if a light-skinned person said this. This is INCREDIBLY harmful considering the extension of white supremacy that is colorism.

I hope we can all see how fucked up comments like these are. I hope that we refrain from saying them to ourselves and the people we care about or at least not post about them on the internet. I hope that we do the work to dismantle our colonized minds.

Now let's talk about the #Quarantine15.

When you say "I can't keep eating all these snacks. I'm gonna get fat" or some other negative comment, complaint, or joke about the weight that your body is holding on to so you, ya know, survive a global pandemic, what does that imply?

It implies that being fat or getting fatter is wrong. It implies that fat people are wrong, undesirable, unattractive, etc. These thoughts, beliefs, and implicit bias have a huge impact on the way that fat people are treated in this world.

Mind you the majority of Black women and men in this country are considered fat or ov*rw*ight or ob*se (based on the BMI which is bullshit that I will address at some point on another thread). So what are we saying about ourselves?

Also mind you fatphobia is deeply rooted in anti-Black racism and white supremacy. So when we talk negatively about gaining weight or larger bodies we are perpetuating incredibly harmful systems of oppression that ultimately hurt us, Black folks, the most.

I highly recommend folks read Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings. She lays out how fatness came to signify the racial inferiority of Black people, how the thin ideal is racist, and how fatphobia validates race, class & gender prejudice.

Anyway so back to what I was saying...

Are the dots connecting yet with my reference to colorism?

Anywho continue...

Imagine a fat person saying those silly comments about the #Quarantine15. They've internalized the fatphobia bullshittery. Now imagine a thin or straight-sized person saying that. That is INCREDIBLY hurtful given the history I mentioned. Also thin privilege.

I hope that before you think about making that next joke about gaining weight you pause and think about the harm that you would cause fat people. There are so many people who occupy the body that you fear having. There are so many people who look like what you fear looking like.

I repeat...I hope we can all see how fucked up comments like these are. I hope that we refrain from saying them to ourselves and the people we care about or at least not post about them on the internet. I hope that we do the work to dismantle our colonized minds.

Because I know someone will come on here and say, "But what about health? Being fat is bad!" Y'all know good and damn well those fatphobic comments are not about health. They are about achieving or maintaining a certain aesthetic. Plus weight and health are 2 separate things.

AND being "healthy" is not a prerequisite for respect and compassionate care. This pandemic should at least show us that. Folks of all sizes, races, ages, etc are literally intubated, on ventilators and are fighting for their lives...and we're worrying about a few pounds? C'mon!

AND if anyone comes on here saying "But what about health? Getting too dark in the sun IS bad!" Y'all know good and damn well those anti-Black comments are also about an aesthetic NOT health.

Also wear sunscreen. I personally LOVE and highly recommend Black Girl Sunscreen.

Lastly, as a registered dietitian, I recommend you eat what is available to you. Eat a variety of foods that taste good. WITHOUT JUDGEMENT. All foods provide some form or nourishment. Foods have no moral hierarchy, even if humans like to think in hierarchical ways.

Pay attention to your hunger cues and listen to what your body wants & needs, not what some diet, meal plan, or lifestyle change says you should.

If that's doughnuts, cool. If that's salad, also cool.

If that's fried chicken, macaroni & cheese, candied yams & collard greens, I hope you and I are quarantined together so I can get a plate. Cuz your girl is hangry after typing all this.

The end.