Talking about food, eating, body image, and weight
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Shopping for ice cream in a fatphobic world
Whether you're in recovery from an eating disorder, or just have your head on straight when it comes to food and eating, I hope you'll enjoy this piece in today's New York Times.
My favourite is the locally produced Chocolate Shoppe stuff! I won't even look at other ice cream anymore I'm so loyal! And now I'm regretting I don't have a pint in the freezer right now. It would hit the spot for breakfast. That was a lovely piece.
I work hard to keep all food "in play" for myself and my my kids. It can be a struggle, I admit. But real Ice Cream has Most Favoured Food status, always!
Oh, Harriet, that is so awesome, that you got the NYT to publish something like that! I suppose it helped that readers were already familiar with "Kitty," so you had an "in." I'm sure there are still lots of people who will read this and go, "Well, duh, of course the recovering anorexic should have her ice cream, but that doesn't mean any of you fatasses should have any." But anything that chips away at those attitudes rocks, far as I'm concerned. Keep it up!
Rachel, I've been lucky enough to do quite a few pieces for the Times, including one about my daughter's illness and recovery, which appeared in the magazine. I agree--they're the gold standard. More people see a piece in the Times than in any other venue, bar none.
Maggie, aw shucks. That's very sweet of you. :-)
Meowser, you are so right. That's the next step in my personal campaign to Eddicate John Q. Public. :-)
I'm having my bowl of ice cream to celebrate your article Harriet! Vanilla with a splash of almond extract...mmmmmmm It is wonderful that your girl is enjoying the absurd twist and can laugh at how silly it may seem to be searching for the highest calories. You've done well!
I love how you say in the article that there are no "good" or "bad" foods for anyone - including those who, unlike your daughter (kudos to her for successfully fighting the anorexia) would like to lose some weight. I am one of those, but I also love food and eat as I please (which means eating food that is pleasing to me for both nutritional and pleasurable reasons). I also love how you and your daughter laughed in the face of all those scowlers and whisperers. Judge Not. Such people should all make this their life's motto. It's a great bit of wisdom. You never know someone else's situation, only your own. Whether someone wants to lose or gain weight, is fat or thin or in-between, keep your judgements to yourself, people. I hate how women judge each other. And I must say: Fat Acceptance people can be just as judgemental as those who expressed scorn to you and your daughter, Harriet. The judgements come in reverse but they can cut just as deeply. -Mara
Working on the weight thing, and it was going up, but then finals happened, and the stress and everything caused it to go down...you know how that goes...but now I'm done for the semester, so I'll be working on it again!
Harriet, I love you. Congratulations and thank you so much for writing this and getting it in THE NYT. We need more stuff like this in major media outlets, and I am grateful for your contribution.
16 comments:
Loved it! Great work, Harriet!
Excellent!
My favourite is the locally produced Chocolate Shoppe stuff! I won't even look at other ice cream anymore I'm so loyal! And now I'm regretting I don't have a pint in the freezer right now. It would hit the spot for breakfast. That was a lovely piece.
I work hard to keep all food "in play" for myself and my my kids. It can be a struggle, I admit. But real Ice Cream has Most Favoured Food status, always!
Lavalady,
We must live in the same area--we've got Chocolate Shoppe too. It's good, but maybe not as good as the UW Ag School stuff. :-)
Congrats Harriet! Is this your first piece in the NY Times?
FANTASTIC, Harriet!! You are so famous (and therefore, by default, so am I for knowing you.) ;)
Wonderful piece, wonderful sentiment, and I just linked you like mad over in my blog.
Kudos!
Oh, Harriet, that is so awesome, that you got the NYT to publish something like that! I suppose it helped that readers were already familiar with "Kitty," so you had an "in." I'm sure there are still lots of people who will read this and go, "Well, duh, of course the recovering anorexic should have her ice cream, but that doesn't mean any of you fatasses should have any." But anything that chips away at those attitudes rocks, far as I'm concerned. Keep it up!
Rachel,
I've been lucky enough to do quite a few pieces for the Times, including one about my daughter's illness and recovery, which appeared in the magazine. I agree--they're the gold standard. More people see a piece in the Times than in any other venue, bar none.
Maggie, aw shucks. That's very sweet of you. :-)
Meowser, you are so right. That's the next step in my personal campaign to Eddicate John Q. Public. :-)
Your daughter is totally awesome, but that is a given with you for a mother. Keep on educating all of us, please.
I would *love* for someone to make a remark to me in the store ... ; ) (Fat woman buying ice cream, you know.) But nobody ever does...
I'm having my bowl of ice cream to celebrate your article Harriet! Vanilla with a splash of almond extract...mmmmmmm
It is wonderful that your girl is enjoying the absurd twist and can laugh at how silly it may seem to be searching for the highest calories. You've done well!
Hi Harriet,
I love how you say in the article that there are no "good" or "bad" foods for anyone - including those who, unlike your daughter (kudos to her for successfully fighting the anorexia) would like to lose some weight. I am one of those, but I also love food and eat as I please (which means eating food that is pleasing to me for both nutritional and pleasurable reasons). I also love how you and your daughter laughed in the face of all those scowlers and whisperers. Judge Not. Such people should all make this their life's motto. It's a great bit of wisdom. You never know someone else's situation, only your own. Whether someone wants to lose or gain weight, is fat or thin or in-between, keep your judgements to yourself, people. I hate how women judge each other. And I must say: Fat Acceptance people can be just as judgemental as those who expressed scorn to you and your daughter, Harriet. The judgements come in reverse but they can cut just as deeply.
-Mara
I hear you, Mara. Judgment stings no matter who it comes from.
Hi!
Working on the weight thing, and it was going up, but then finals happened, and the stress and everything caused it to go down...you know how that goes...but now I'm done for the semester, so I'll be working on it again!
Thanks! :-)
Tori
Harriet, I love you. Congratulations and thank you so much for writing this and getting it in THE NYT. We need more stuff like this in major media outlets, and I am grateful for your contribution.
Tori, I'll be rooting for you!
Withoutscene, thanks for the kind words. Tell the story, is my motto. We all need to keep telling it.
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