We were at my best friend's house, helping her and her family build an art studio, when a turning point arrived for me. Normally her household is pretty FA friendly, consisting of strong, empathetic, straightforward sort of people. Some of their near relations, however? Not so much. Her husband's brother showed up to help with the art studio wearing a tee shirt that said:
"I eat pussy like a fat kid eats cake"
Now this being a guy who hung a giant pink neoprene ball sack from his pickup truck's trailer hitch, I'm pretty used to his wearing shirts with sexual jokes on them. Since he prides himself on not caring what anyone else thinks, I doubt he even paused to consider whether he should wear this particular shirt on a day when he could expect to be surrounded by up to five fat women wielding hammers and power tools.
It wasn't my house or brother, but despite the handicap of a strong personal hospitality ethic, I spoke up. I told him his shirt was "fucking rude and obnoxious." I called it nasty. It took him a minute into the conversation to figure out that I wasn't talking about the sexual reference. I said it bluntly, but without anger. He took it well (meaning he didn't get all pissy and defensive, but then he's pretty easygoing as far as I can tell). I didn't get into FA 101 with him because I think it would be too much a challenge to his paradigm, but hopefully something got through.
The point is not whether he got it, but that I spoke up. I am too often willing to let things go rather than risk a confrontation; especially when I don't know the person very well. There's many a times when I've walked away from a situation with the "I should've said...." lines running through my head. I've often regretted being passive when I had an opportunity to speak up.
I can't promise myself that I will absolutely never shy away from a confrontation concerning prejudice (of any kind), but right now, in this case, I'm pretty proud of speaking up.
Oh, and rough framing a building in the sun when it's 95 degrees celsius and close to 100% humidity is my new definition of hell.
A blog about fat, body acceptance, social justice, science, and occasionally politics. Please read the comments policy before leaving comments.
Monday, August 10, 2009
6 comments:
All comments may be moderated. If you think you're entitled to free speech, you are, on your own blog. This is my blog. I have opinions that are often subjective, and as I'm not running a documentary or research organization, there's nothing wrong with a little subjectivity. I also have the right to not approve or delete comments I find mean-spirited, idiotic or encouraging what I consider objectional, dangerous, or plain stupid practices (such as weight loss or cosmetic surgery, changing your body to please others (i.e. "dieting"), spreading hate, etc.). If you voice disagreement with anything I say, and you do it in an intelligent matter with clear research citations to your claims and conclusions (popular media articles don't count) I will probably allow the comment. I will also probably debate you and try to refute your claims. If at any time that devolves into stupidity or attack, I will start deleting your comments. If you disagree with what I say by spouting pseudoscientific popular opinion, displaying prejudice or hate, or otherwise acting like an ass-hat, I will delete your comment. That's pretty much the policy, subject to change without notice :-)
You're awesome! I hope whatever brain cell he has that might be able to experience shame, fires a few times.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYes, anonymous, that would have been a hoot and a half.
ReplyDeletePhysically attacking someone is just so funny I LOL'ed.
And you're just such an amazing person to point that out and suggest violence against a woman. Clearly you're a great and important man, and so incredibly sexy that we all want to sleep with you.
I assume that your comment will eventually be deleted, but in the meantime please go read this.
http://unapologeticallyfat.blogspot.com/2009/05/theory-of-trolls.html
I would have been tempted to say, "You eat pussy like a fat kid eats cake? You mean almost never--because you're not allowed? With great guilt when you finally do? Maybe even with vomiting afterward? With people laughing at you should they catch a glimpse, or hey, laughing at the THOUGHT of you doing it? Wow. Might want to work on that issue."
ReplyDelete@Elizabeth
ReplyDeleteLMAO! now I get to wish I'd thought of that :-)
Go JoGeek Go. I would have ripped that shirt right off him. I just love your style, sistah.
ReplyDelete@ Elizabeth... your comment made me wet my pants.