Untitled

We have been conditioned to feel ashamed for not looking 'perfect,' even though 'looking perfect' holds an utterly subjective meaning.

Random Thoughts LXXII

It’s not a coincidence how many movements and ideologies that benefit humanity (feminism, veganism, ethical consumerism, body positivity etc.) are presented as one-dimensional and catholic. Nor is it a coincidence how activists of any kind are generalised, presented through exaggerated caricatures.

It’s because positive change is feared -and more than often doesn’t benefit the ones in power- and thus, mocked or presented through a prism of malicious intentions.

Έλα στη θέση μου

Ακολουθεί εκτενής σχολιασμός πάνω σε Ελληνική σειρά:

Αυτό το Μίμη τον απεχθάνομαι!
Είναι ο κάθε κάγκουρας μισογύνης Ελληναράς.
Όχι μόνο παρενοχλεί σεξουαλικά την Ισμήνη, αλλά είναι και παιδεραστής το καθίκι μιας κι η Ισμήνη είναι ανήλικη ενώ εκείνος κοντεύει 30.

Ελπίζω να μην τολμήσουν να τους βάλουν να τα φτιάξουν στο τέλος στη σειρά, γιατί τι μήνυμα θα δώσει αυτό στο κοινό; Ότι η σεξουαλική παρενόχληση 'αποδίδει';

Γενικά απογοητεύομαι. 2017 κι ακόμα οι Ελληνικές σειρές δεν καταλαβαίνουν ότι έχουν ευθύνη προς το κοινό τους.

Πχ. στην εν λόγω σειρά ο τρόπος που επέλεξαν να δείξουν τη γυναίκα με τα ψυχικά νοσήματα ήταν απαράδεκτος. Αναμαλλιασμένη, και γενικά ακολουθώντας απαράδεκτα στερεότυπα.

Επιπρόσθετα, ενώ υπάρχει αναφορά σε body issues -όλ@ έχουν κόμπλεξ επειδή δεν έχουν σώμα μοντέλου- δεν υπάρχει ούτε μία αναφορά σε body positivity. Πέραν του ότι σχεδόν όλ@ είναι πανέμορφ@ και αδύνατ@ σύμφωνα με τα 'πρότυπα ομορφιάς,' το οποίο φυσικά δεν είναι ρεαλιστικό. Το μόνο άτομο που είναι plus size προσπαθεί κι αυτό να μπει στα καλούπια της κοινωνίας. Θα μπορούσαν να τον κάνουν άτομο με αυτοπεποίθηση και να δώσουν και ένα θετικό μήνυμα στους plus size άντρες.

Και ο τρόπος που αποφάσισαν να δείξουν την ιστορία του Μίμη και της Ισμήνης είναι απαράδεκτος, εκτός αν στο τέλος επιτέλους μπει στη φυλακή και αποδωθεί δικαιοσύνη.
Είναι κλέφτης, παιδεραστής, και εν δυνάμει βιαστής (εφόσον τη στριμώχνει και την αγγίζει χωρίς τη συναίνεσή της συνεχώς) και φυσικά είναι και bully.
Κι ακόμα δεν έχει τιμωρηθεί ούτε μια φορά στη σειρά για τη συμπεριφορά του κι είμαι στο επεισόδιο 27.

Θα μου πεις, γιατί συνεχίζω να βλέπω τη σειρά; Ε, γιατί όταν είσαι ξενιτεμένη θες που και που να ακούς τη γλώσσα σου.
Είναι ο λόγος που ξαναξεκίνησα να βλέπω Ελληνικές σειρές.

Και ίσως κάποι@ να ρωτήσει γιατί το παίρνω τόσο σοβαρά.
Η απάντηση είναι γιατί ο κόσμος που βλέπει μια σειρά, θέλοντας και μη επηρεάζεται. Ειδικά τα νεαρά άτομα. Γι'αυτό.

Ουφ, τα είπα και ησύχασα!

Plus size stereotypes

There are so many stereotypes surrounding plus size people, it's infuriating.

More specifically, we're portrayed as lazy, stupid, boring etc.

Plus size women get mistreated by strangers who shout insults about our weight on the street, public servants who have an attitude towards us because they consider us lower beings; we get catcalled and harassed by men who think we should be happy to be violated because we won't be able to 'do better' due to our weight, we are discriminated against during interviews because employers think we may lead an unhealthy lifestyle or because they may think we're 'slow' or lazy. We're always seen as the 'fat friend' in our friend groups and social circles.

And don't even get me started on how society views and treats plus size men, how people treat them as disgusting creatures and how other men make fun of them pretending these are harmless 'man jokes.'

As a plus size woman I have a few things to say:

We're not your punching bags. Stop taking your problems out on us.
Plus size people don't exist for your aesthetic pleasure and we do not need to adhere to any of your stereotypical expectations. We also do not need to apologise for who we are and we do not owe you an explanation about our weight and lifestyle.

You have no right to make assumptions about our life and you aren't entitled to insult us and belittle us.

Plus size people come in all shapes and sizes and they can be:
Sexy, smart, professional, active, athletic, seductive, strong, beautiful, talented...

And if you can't accept that, well, that's your problem, not ours.

Dear medical professionals...

It seems free healthcare comes at the price of psychological trauma and bullying.

You may be scratching your head right now, thinking 'What is she on about?'

Well, there are many incidents I could refer to: from being prescribed medication that almost killed me, to receiving racism for being Greek, to being judged for my appearance, to not being taken seriously as a patient, etc. etc. etc.

Today, however, I'm going to refer to one specific issue that has been coming up over and over again.

Fatshaming.

So...

Dear medical professionals,
This is an open letter to all of you, to stop. Stop immediately. Stop fatshaming your patients.
Your job is to help people, not to judge them and be rude to them.
You're -supposedly- educated people, who try to help people be healthy, yet you attack their mental health ferociously, by fatshaming them.
Yes, being fat can be unhealthy. We know. So stop.
Nevertheless, there are many people who are fat and are healthy. And live long happy lives.
You have no way of knowing if someone is healthy just by looking at their weight.
There are many thin people who are extremely unhealthy.
But you should already know that.
You are not allowed to have biases. You are not allowed to be discriminatory. You are not allowed to fatshame.
Do you hear me?
Due to the nature of your job, you have to be aware of your wording and demeanor at all times.
Because your rudeness and assumptions can affect someone's life for ever.
So you don't get to be mean. You simply do not have that right.
You are in a position of power and you know it. But with power, comes great responsibility.
Patients are vulnerable, and they are in your hands. So you do not get to crush them whilst in there.
You ought to be polite and professional at all times.
And if you can't, change professions. For you exploiting your patients' vulnerability consists malpractice. And that makes you a criminal.

Kind Regards,
A patient who won't tolerate your ignorance anymore