WE live in a world where being thin is considered healthy but also in a narrow sense, beautiful; where photoshopped models have become the norm and that anything outside of the scope is considered taboo. That’s a view a new group, started by plus sized women is hoping to combat. The group called ‘Fat and Ugly’ say they are hoping to challenge the narrow image of beauty and healthy by redefining what it actually means.
The body positive group hopes to encourage women to adopt more forgiving and affirming attitudes towards their bodies, with the goal of improving overall health and well-being.
Noxolo Mchunu, who began the group, said most of the women who belong to the movement share similar stories of bullying and fat-shaming.
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“We’ve all grown up in environments where we were teased or shamed for being fat. While our stories may differ, that’s something we all have in common. I think in choosing the name ‘Fat and Ugly’ we wanted the word ‘fat’ to lose its status as a bad or insulting term. In a similar way we want to make a difference to women, young and old to accept their bodies.
“We’ve often been told being fat is unhealthy and that’s the benchmark for considering if someone is healthy or not which is ridiculous when you think of it,” Mchunu said.
The group was only started in July but already has garnered much support from local women.
If you would like to connect with the group, follow them on Instagram (@fatanduglygirls_sa) or like their Facebook Page, Fat and Ugly.
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