“NAAFA is how we build the world we all want to live in”
Image description: The text “fund FAT” is displayed within turquoise shapes on a darker blue background.
By Amanda Cooper, NAAFA Board Chair
Marilyn Wann’s book Fat?So! changed my life. I have been fat since I was a kid, but as a professional advocate and a radical thinker, I always had a hunch that there was another way to think about how my body existed in the world. She gave that idea powerful words and analysis and a flip book! I read it in the 1990s and never looked back.
My fat liberation journey has come full circle, as now the person who helped me become the fat activist I am today supports the work we are doing at NAAFA. Marilyn is a former board member, and occasional NAAFA critic! But she continues to amplify and support NAAFA’s work as a donor.
I asked Marilyn why, on top of all she has already given to NAAFA and to the movement for fat liberation, she also supports NAAFA as one of our regular donors. “Donating to NAAFA is the fastest, most effective way to protect equal rights for fat people of all colors, genders, sexualities, ages, and abilities,” she said.
Marilyn is one of many longtime supporters. Carol Squires, also known for decades of fat visibility activism as a photographer, performer, and overall activist, has been a NAAFA donor for decades. “NAAFA helps me navigate the ups and downs of living in my fat body in this culture,” Carol told me. “When I first found NAAFA in the 1980s they were my social and fashion support. I loved going to events, meeting people, and buying great clothes that fit me,” she said. Carol also emphasized that NAAFA has deeply impacted her self-advocacy. “Over the years NAAFA has provided me with information to confront doctors. I remember the first time I left a doctor's appointment with a smile instead of tears because I felt confident enough to challenge their assumptions about my fat body.”
As NAAFA has evolved, Carol has come with us. “In the last decade, NAAFA has been a point organization in changing laws to protect the rights of fat people. And they are committed to making the future a better place for all fat people.”
Supporters who are newer to the NAAFA scene share sentiments with long-timers like Marilyn and Carol. Jessica Russel is a newer donor, but she is inspired by many of the same things. “I support NAAFA because they are making a tangible impact on the lives of fat people. With a mostly volunteer team, and the mighty leadership of Tigress Osborn, NAAFA has succeeded, just this year, in getting legislation passed in NYC to outlaw height and weight discrimination, partnered with Pinterest to ensure search results reflect all bodies, and is now working on getting a size discrimination bill passed in Massachusetts! But most importantly, they are outspoken, visible, intersectional, relentless advocates for the fat community and that is always something worth supporting.”
I love hearing from these donors about why they are inspired to give. Hopefully you have been reading our emails since Giving Tuesday and learning more from my fellow board members about the many good reasons to Fund Fat. NAAFA’s work is made possible by hundreds of donors– people like Marilyn, Carol, Jessica, and YOU!
As Marilyn says, “NAAFA is how we build the world we all want to live in.” Thank you for building that world with us.
Photo of Amanda Cooper
About the Author
Amanda Cooper (she/her) is the Chair of the Board and Communications Committee Chair for NAAFA. Amanda joined the Board of Directors in 2020. She is an activist, organizer and Senior Partner at the LightBox Collaborative, a communication consulting firm. Amanda has more than twenty years of experience working with organizations throughout our social justice movements, including organized labor, civil rights, and reproductive health and justice.
