In my experience, children and teenagers who are ostracized tend to become readers, relying on books for succor and protection against the hostilities of the world. Unfortunately, those readers
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All the YA novels I read that had a fat female character, involved her finding self-confidence and starting a new life via losing weight. :| Which she usually loses in some part to "get the boy," and almost all of the overweight female protagonists had nagging, fitness-obsessed mothers (usually described in those words). It's like they all followed the same script.
At risk of derailing the discussion, what would you suggest people with pets do if their financial situation changes for the worse?
I imagine you would not be okay with me taking my cat to a shelter and rehoming isn't always an option.
Also, are poor people undeserving of the joy pets can bring? There are numerous studies citing animal companionship being good for your health. Should these benefits be reserved only for the rich and middle class?
I've gone without toilet paper so I could buy cat food, and I do what I can to minimize risks to my cat's health but if he got very sick tomorrow there may not be anything I could do because I'm fucking poor.
I remember reading How I Changed My Life by Todd Strasser when I was a kid, which I know understand is totally fatphobic and presents a terrible perspective on self-acceptance. I picked it up because the cover looked cool to my twelve year-old brain. Not only is the main character named Bolita Vine (or Bo Vine. Har har har.), the way she gets noticed by the football jock on crutches is to completely change her personality, her body (losing a good amount of weight) and her name. Self-acceptance be damned if you can become someone else, right? Argh.
Women who read the Sweet Valley High series as teens imprinted on Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield’s hallowed “perfect size six” figures. (In the subsequent series reissues, the twins have downsized to an even more perfect size four.)
That's stressful, especially when all of the girls reading those books have to do is pick up a fashion magazine and see that a size four isn't ideal, either. Size four models are considered "zaftig." I never read the SVH books. To be honest, I never really got into YA fiction when I was a YA and that was because of all of the fatphobia going on. I couldn't identify with any of the characters I came across so I just lost interest. I eascaped with scifi and fantasy novels.
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I imagine you would not be okay with me taking my cat to a shelter and rehoming isn't always an option.
Also, are poor people undeserving of the joy pets can bring? There are numerous studies citing animal companionship being good for your health. Should these benefits be reserved only for the rich and middle class?
I've gone without toilet paper so I could buy cat food, and I do what I can to minimize risks to my cat's health but if he got very sick tomorrow there may not be anything I could do because I'm fucking poor.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
I remember reading How I Changed My Life by Todd Strasser when I was a kid, which I know understand is totally fatphobic and presents a terrible perspective on self-acceptance. I picked it up because the cover looked cool to my twelve year-old brain. Not only is the main character named Bolita Vine (or Bo Vine. Har har har.), the way she gets noticed by the football jock on crutches is to completely change her personality, her body (losing a good amount of weight) and her name. Self-acceptance be damned if you can become someone else, right? Argh.
Reply
That's stressful, especially when all of the girls reading those books have to do is pick up a fashion magazine and see that a size four isn't ideal, either. Size four models are considered "zaftig." I never read the SVH books. To be honest, I never really got into YA fiction when I was a YA and that was because of all of the fatphobia going on. I couldn't identify with any of the characters I came across so I just lost interest. I eascaped with scifi and fantasy novels.
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