“Doesn’t anyone tell you that you’re beautiful just as you are?” Julia says this to Plum as she is applying lipstick and blush to Plum’s face and I’m sitting on the couch with my pooch, tears in my eyes shaking my head NO… And this has been my experience for many years. I was always the go to person for advice, or the girl to hook up with on the side, but never the girl to take home to mommy and daddy. I know exactly how Plum feels when she speaks with the detective in the waiting area of her employer and he’s basically schmoozing her, and says almost exactly that she knows men like him will sleep with women like her, but will marry women like Kitty. Kitty, her boss, of course is a tall super skinny flawless woman, who is cold as ice with very little going on upstairs. Plum’s job is to be the voice of Kitty, she answers letter’s to the editor and does most of her work from home. She is even offered to cover a plus size fashion show, but would not be allowed to attend the show watching it on Facebook Live instead, while one of the other magazine’s employees would go just to be a face.
Unlike Plum, I have not been heavy my entire life as you know if you’ve read past posts. I do not know what it’s like to be ostracized by your peers at least where issues of weight are concerned. I can empathize as I was teased and bullied regarding other things. If you watch the show the beginning episodes do let you know that Plum is trying to save money for and loose weight before having intended weight loss surgery. Her one friend and her mother seem to be very against it stated they hear things like it’s dangerous and “can’t you just be happy with what God gave you?” She also goes to meetings similar to Weight Watchers, except these are called “Waist Watcher” meetings and struggles with health insurance and debt issues due to her medical care.
The reason this show is excellent is that it doesn’t just have to do with fat women, it has to do with all women. There are a group of women in this show who are about empowerment. Who want to make those of us who feel oppressed by society and women like Kitty come into ourselves and blossom and have society see us as just as important as the size 2 models and superstar actresses of the world. This group wants those of us who see ourselves as nothing and nobodies to know that we are somebodies and we are important.
My recommendation is watch the show, read the book know that you are not alone in how you view the world and how the world views you, but do not let it change your decision or your attitude on whether or not surgery is the best option for you. However you decide to loose your weight, loose it for the sake of it making you healthier on the inside and out. Loose it for you, not because you mother, sister, brother, husband or best friend wants you to. Loose it because if you don’t it very well could kill you sooner rather than later. Loose it because in the long run whether it’s a loss of 5lbs or 500lbs I promise you, you feel all the better for it. Happy reading everyone until next time!!!
