Fat Is a Feminist Issue
13 September 2012
Fat Is A Feminist Issue Overeating & Obesity
Obesity and overeating is a topic that is ongoing within the United States, and in many lives of woman today. Fifty percent of woman that live in this country alone are estimated to be overweight. Individuals of our society are always looking for new diets, dietary plans, supplements, and or advice. Every woman would love to be considered physically fit, and beautiful in the eyes of others, but this within itself is a challenge. Everyone perceives beauty in different ways, shapes, and forms. Obesity and overeating in women can be linked to sex/gender roles as well as societies expectations on what the ideal woman should be or look like. The essay entitled Fat is a Feminist Issue by author and therapist Susie Orbach; touches on an issue that many women have problems dealing with today that can be linked to a direct effect from society. Hence obesity and overeating, which is believed to be a social disease, according to Orbach. She believes that being overweight was indeed a feminist issue. Orbach states that “Fat is not about lack of self- control or lack of willpower. Fat is about protection, sex, nurturance, strength, boundaries, mothering, substance, assertion, and rage” (p.449). Orbach believes that all of these were legitimate reasons as to why some women are “fat”. Throughout the essay, specifically toward the end, Orbach states that there is a direct link between the way society looks at women in this day and age, and the reasoning for them being overweight, or overeating. It is found that individuals now and then try to keep up with societies latest trend/look. Orbach believes that this pressure and stress can drive woman to overeat. She believes that self – image and being self - conscious of oneself also contributes to this disease. She states this when saying “Emphasis on presentation as the central aspect of a woman’s existence, makes her extremely self-conscious. It demands that she
Fat Is A Feminist Issue Overeating & Obesity
Obesity and overeating is a topic that is ongoing within the United States, and in many lives of woman today. Fifty percent of woman that live in this country alone are estimated to be overweight. Individuals of our society are always looking for new diets, dietary plans, supplements, and or advice. Every woman would love to be considered physically fit, and beautiful in the eyes of others, but this within itself is a challenge. Everyone perceives beauty in different ways, shapes, and forms. Obesity and overeating in women can be linked to sex/gender roles as well as societies expectations on what the ideal woman should be or look like. The essay entitled Fat is a Feminist Issue by author and therapist Susie Orbach; touches on an issue that many women have problems dealing with today that can be linked to a direct effect from society. Hence obesity and overeating, which is believed to be a social disease, according to Orbach. She believes that being overweight was indeed a feminist issue. Orbach states that “Fat is not about lack of self- control or lack of willpower. Fat is about protection, sex, nurturance, strength, boundaries, mothering, substance, assertion, and rage” (p.449). Orbach believes that all of these were legitimate reasons as to why some women are “fat”. Throughout the essay, specifically toward the end, Orbach states that there is a direct link between the way society looks at women in this day and age, and the reasoning for them being overweight, or overeating. It is found that individuals now and then try to keep up with societies latest trend/look. Orbach believes that this pressure and stress can drive woman to overeat. She believes that self – image and being self - conscious of oneself also contributes to this disease. She states this when saying “Emphasis on presentation as the central aspect of a woman’s existence, makes her extremely self-conscious. It demands that she