Let's start with the idea of "love your body", shall we? Like so many modern day self-love statements, on the surface this seems pretty innocuous and very much a good thing; a motivating statement. But is it? I happen to love tha fact that I have a body and that it functions and allows me to be alive, however, I don't love my body being less than what it could be. If your body is morbidly obese and therefore quite unhealthy, is it the right thing to love it? If you had a cancerous lesion on your arm, would you love it? Why should you love your body if it's contributing to your ill health? Let me be clear here - the majority of the people in this video appear to be not just a few pounds overweight, but morbidly obese. The list of health problems that accompany that level of "fat" ranges from coronary heart disease to osteoarthritis and everything over, above, and in between. So you want me to believe I should love the body that causes all of that? Nonsense!
This dance party takes place at "Every Body Gym" which touts itself as a supposedly "unique fitness environment that makes health and wellness accessible to everyone". Last time I checked, damn near any gym has that same premise in mind. So, I hate to break it to you, but you're hardly unique in that regard. Now, an overweight individual may feel uncomfortable and intimidated in a gym setting, but that's completely a personal issue (with a few rare exceptions) that needs to be addressed by having the courage to keep going and working out. The leader of the party said she felt many times like the odd man out in the traditional gym setting. I get that, and I would venture to guess that's a normal feeling to have. I felt like an ass the first few times I went and worked out with people; it was terrifying. But you have to realize that the majority of the people either don't care if you're there, or are going to applaud you for showing up and putting in the effort. Quite a few will even lend a hand or an encouraging word when they can. It takes backbone to admit that you have failed in the health category and that you need to make a concerted effort to change. I think your backbone is the first thing to get stronger. You have to be willing and able to push yourself beyond your current level of comfort to make change. Surrounding yourself with enablers and people who refuse to kick you in the ass when you need it most isn't going to help a damn bit. The more I train, the more I think that old saying "no pain, no gain" was referring more to mental pain than physical.
Just when I thought I couldn't be any more filled with nauseating love, they hit me with the "cheering for self-care" horseshit. Every time someone stops to take a break or get water, they cheer. Seriously? Cheering for someone taking a drink? I'm pretty sure I've seen preschool teachers doing this to 4 year olds. And wait just a dog gone minute here, they claim to encourage self-care, but turn a blind eye to obesity. It's the logic of the Social Justice Warrior and I can't handle it.
My problem with this isn't in having a group of supportive people helping you reach your goals. Support is hugely important and motivating! I also think it's great that they're moving at all, because truly, they're a couple steps ahead of the guy on the couch. My problem is the fact that this is being pushed under the SJW ideology that we're all perfect the way we are. They're spewing their PC bullshit to the unknowing masses and I wish it would stop. There's absolutely no distinction being made between self image and body image and that right there is the BIGGEST ISSUE I see lately. People need to learn that they can love themselves for being an awesome human with a kind heart, and intelligent mind and an uplifting soul, and at the same time understand that their body needs improvement. It's totally possible for a person to understand that they have intrinsic value as a human being and at the very same time understand that their body is unhealthy and that their eating/exercise habits are at best, lackluster. There isn't one person on this planet that shouldn't be striving every damn day to better themselves because we all need to be better in some way, shape or form. Sometimes in a lot of ways, shapes and forms! Telling people that it's perfectly fine to be obese is harmful to them and their families in the long run. Instead of cheering for self-care and advertising self-love how about we start pushing for self-discipline and advocating for self-motivation? those qualities will get you a hell of a lot further than loving your fat.
This isn't just a simple, clear-cut issue of fat vs. skinny. It's about health and strength and functional ability. It shouldn't be about creating a safe space of false empowerment where everyone gets a pat on the back and a gold star just for being them. it should be about creating a space of challenge and structure that will aid people in setting habits that will affect every other aspect of their life. It's so very easy to sit back and accept yourself as you are, isn't it? It gives you freedom from responsibility - you can eat whatever you want, move when you want, or not at all - it's all good, man. You love yourself.....riiiiight. It's not all good. It's lazy and nihilistic. I will never accept those two qualities in my life and I don't want you to, either.
I'm glad the "fat kids" are dancing. But I want them dancing, running, jumping, lifting, swimming and eating right. I want them holding themselves accountable for where they're at and I want them strong enough to change! I want them not weak enough to stay as they are, but courageous enough to break down every damn barrier in their way and become better than they ever imagined they could be. Screw your acceptance of weakness. Let's accept strength instead!
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