NAAFA Community Voices Blog
Sharing thoughts and ideas from fat community.
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Anti-Racism Resources in Celebration of Latinx Heritage Month
September 15th through October 15th, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. As an organization, NAAFA recognizes this period as Latinx Heritage Month. These anti-racism resources look at the history of racism against Latinx people in the U.S., fighting racism in the Latinx community, and allyship in supporting Latinx people.
NAAFA Recognizes Latinx Heritage Month
Latinx Heritage Month runs from September 15 through October 15 and it’s a time of celebration for Americans to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of US residents whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. As it has in the past, this month NAAFA will shine a spotlight on some Latinx folks who have been working in Fat Liberation.
Anti-Racism Resources - Back to School
Summer leads to preparation for the upcoming school year: buying books and helping students focus on education and learning. The anti-racism resources we share this month are aimed at BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students and white allies who want to help. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.
Anti-Racism Resources
Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.
Anti-Fatness and Police Violence
The protests of 2020 have made an impact, focusing the world's attention on police violence throughout the U.S., and possibly even reducing police violence in areas with the most active movements. But unfortunately, police are still using violent tactics that result in harm and death throughout the country.
This problem hit home for NAAFA Board Member Amanda Cooper this spring, when local police in her Alameda, CA community responded to a call about a mile from her. A young man, Mario Gonzalez, was sitting in a park on a warm Monday afternoon. Some neighbors called the police non-emergency line and said they were afraid of him, even though they admitted he was not threatening them or doing anything remotely violent. The police came to the scene, attempted to arrest him even though he posed no harm, and he died with his face in the dirt as they held him down.
Anti-Racism Resources for LGBTQIA+ People of Color
June is Pride Month! While the LGBTQIA+ community and allies celebrate the month with parades and activism events, gay, trans and queer folx deal with biases and discrimination on a daily basis. Compound that with being a person of color and you add a layer of racism to that. This month's anti-racism resources look specifically at that intersection.
Pride and Pronouns Part II: Gender privilege and gender respect in NAAFA Community
The first time I heard the term “cisgender” was at a diversity training for educators in the early 2000s. A well-known speaker used the word in a way that assumed everyone in the room knew what it meant. We should have, but the obvious discomfort in the room showed that many of us didn't. I raised my hand. “You used a word I don't know there,” I said. “What does it mean?”
I don’t remember the exact words the speaker used, but he basically explained that someone cisgender is a person whose gender “matches” their sex. I knew the concept, just not the word. A lot of people are raised with the idea that the words ”gender” and “sex” mean the same thing. I learned it that way, and I have no doubt many of you did, too, whether you are cisgender, transgender and/or nonbinary. But, those words don’t actually mean the same thing. Sex relates to bodies and physiology; gender relates to identity and expression.
Pride and Pronouns Part 1: Introduction to pronouns and gender identity
Pride is an important part of June, and pronouns are an important part of pride. And -- spoiler alert -- using the correct pronouns for people is important all year. Many transgender people and allies in the NAAFA community have experience with this, and we’d love it if you could like, comment on and share this post. For those of you who are newer, here are some pointers.
Anti-Racism Resources
Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.
What Freedom Ain't: Fat Liberation for Folks Who Mean It
As fat activists and our accomplices continue to imagine a world free from fat antagonism and shaming, discrimination, and inaccessibility through NAAFA’s first ever Fat Liberation Month and beyond, let us also be reminded of the things that can hold us back. We can keep each other accountable, build more effectively, and perhaps move more expeditiously toward liberation. This is what freedom ain’t.
6 AAPI Influencers and Activists You’ll Love To Follow
Of the many plus-size identities out there, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are some of the least represented larger bodies in plus size media. Writer Laurel Dickman has put together a list of 6 AAPI influencers and activists that you will love to follow!
Reflections on Growing Up Fat and Chinese-American
In Chinese culture, women are supposed to be small. Not just in stature, but in how we exist in the world. There is this old school idea that Chinese girls should be quiet, small, slender, take up as little space as possible. There is no being loud, there is no taking up space, there is absolutely no being fat. Well. I’m fat. And I always have been. I grew up culturally Chinese American.
ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES - AAPI
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In this edition of NAAFA’s anti-racism resources, we want to focus on Asian American and Pacific Islanders and what each of us can do to break the cycle of racism and violence against our AAPI family, friends and neighbors.
Anti-Racism Resources
Racism is a systemic issue in America. It takes education and introspection to dismantle racism in ourselves and others. Each month, NAAFA is featuring educational resources in the NAAFA Newsletter. March was Women’s History Month. In the theme of National Women's History Month, we are sharing resources that specifically feature women and discuss inequality based on race and gender.
Making a Difference
Women and non binary persons act as advocates and activists in innumerable ways and they need to be recognized for their work and dedication. I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a few of those leaders with you who are fat, activists and influencers who continue the charge to change our society. If you haven’t done so, check them out!
Anti-Racism Resources
Racism is a systemic issue in America. It takes education and introspection to dismantle racism in ourselves and others. Each month, NAAFA is featuring educational resources in the NAAFA Newsletter. February was Black History Month. While most of us were "educated" in U.S. history, much of the history of racism in America was whitewashed from that education. This month's antiracism resources give us links to historical facts that were so often covered up.