fat folks gathering in August

[firecat]

I just signed up for Big Summer Fun, a convention for big folks sponsored by the NAAFA organization, which is dedicated to improving quality of life for fat people. They are specifically hoping to attract people who are not NAAFA members as well as those of us who are.

The convention is taking place at the San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Hotel near the San Francisco airport on August 10 through August 14 (with some early bird activities, including a sightseeing tour by bus, on August 9). There are workshops, pool parties, dances, an auction, a fashion show, vendors, a hospitality suite, and so on.

Hotel rooms are available for $75 per night and up.

Convention events can be purchased as a package (super early bird rate until May 22, discount rate until July 15) or individually. Details at Big Summer Fun.

I hope to see some of you there!

Comments

[firecat]

My understanding is that fat people don't as a group have different eating habits than non-fat people.

Which means, since people who aren't fat sometimes have strange eating patterns, fat people sometimes have them too. In other words, some people sometimes eat a lot of sweets at one sitting, and those people might be either fat or thin.

Granted, since women's eating, and especially fat women's eating, is scrutinized and judged, it's rare to find a fat woman eating a lot of sweets at one sitting in public. So I guess I can understand its seeming shocking to you, to the point where might have overshadowed what the other women might have been doing or the purpose of the group.

[cha.livejournal.com]

That's very true...and there were many more things about the group that I found quite disheartening -b ut - I know that all groups have problems like that - especially when they're minorities themselves. In the end I did work with one woman and go to do a public presentation to the Human Rights Commission :)

[firecat]

I'm sorry the group had problems. I'm glad you found someone to work with and did some activism! You rock.

[cha.livejournal.com]

I hope it's ok - to keep having this conversation here :) I was thinking about this mini-convo we had while I was at the gym this morning...and part of my problem with the women at the group might have been something I should have owned. When I showed up there - my impression would be that their goal was to break stereotypes...and I guess - ie. eating an entire cake - seemed very much like re-inforcing a stereotype to me. But, I guess that was the stereotype that I had in my own head. I don't know...ya made me think heh

[firecat]

my impression would be that their goal was to break stereotypes...and I guess - ie. eating an entire cake - seemed very much like re-inforcing a stereotype to me. But, I guess that was the stereotype that I had in my own head.

A lot of people have that stereotype.

A local fat activist sometimes puts on events that attract the media, and she asks people who are participating not to eat anything while they are there, because she fears the media will focus on that and not on the purpose of the event.

...and I see her point, and think she's a wonderful asset to the fat community. But I won't go to her events (at least the ones that are several hours long) because I'm not interested in going hungry just so the media don't have an opportunity to stereotype me.