- Title: USA: OVERWEIGHT AMERICANS RALLY TO KICK START A "FAT LIBERATION" MOVEMENT
- Date: 6th August 2004
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA (AUGUST 6, 2004) (REUTERS) CROWD DANCING DURING THE NAAFA (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TO ADVANCE FAT ACCEPTANCE) CONVENTION EVENT IN THE PARK; WIDE SHOT ACTIVISM CHAIR OF NAAFA, MARILYN WANN, TALKING TO CROWD (3 SHOTS)
- Embargoed: 21st August 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Quirky,Politics,People
- Reuters ID: LVA8DEMAFAREM2CSN7P6S7GU4Q6I
- Story Text: Overweight Americans rally in New York to kick start a "fat liberation" movement.
Fed up of being the butt of nasty jokes and ready to celebrate their bodies, overweight Americans rallied at a park in Manhattan to kick start a "fat liberation"
movement.
The protesters are part of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), a 30-year-old non profit organisation that aims to combat discrimination against fat people.
The rally included a dance, some exercises and a musical performance with a punchy message.
Marilyn Wann, a militant activist and member of NAAFA, explained the idea behind the rally.
Wann says: "We are inviting everybody to come out, fat or thin, come out of the closet where you keep hoping that your body is gonna be some magically different body tomorrow, and instead, live your life now. Eat your veggies, exercise, be healthy, and stop worrying about numbers on the scale. You know, we don't all need to be like Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt. They are doing a good job with it."
The rally is part of NAAFA's annual convention, which aims to bring together activists to promote their cause, and workshops to work on improving overweight American's self- image.
One of the organisation's members, Carla Denhartog, says the entire event is to show overweight people should not be ostracised by others.
"Well, we are having an event just to show that fat people have a place in this world, too. I think a lot of times fat people feel like they have to hide away because society tells them that they don't wanna see anybody who doesn't look like, you know, the thin ideal that Hollywood portrays. And, you know, of course we have to wear all black because it's all slimming, you know, that sort of thing. So, this is just a chance get out, and be public, and be colourful, and celebrate that people come in all sizes," said Denhartog.
The rally in the park took place against a politically charged backdrop, where last month, in the United States, members of Congress introduced more than 50 bills to address the obesity issue facing the country. And the World Health Assembly earlier in Spring adopted its first global diet, exercise and health strategy.
Most activists at the rally feel that diet promoters, drug companies, plastic surgeons and Hollywood have contributed to a panic and subsequent backlash against fat people. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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