Obesity Thunder Bay- People Not Pounds TM

Hi Paul! Thanks for this privilege.
~~Paul has asked me to talk about Stigma and the Obese:
I weep for those of us, obese, in a society that venerates thinness. In the best of all worlds, it would be clear that we ALL, no matter what size - would be honored and respected for WHO we are, and the richness of our kindness, our wisdom, our sense of lovingkindness, our willingness to heal the world.
That said, it seems (from where I sit), that many of the messages we get are internalized, and we often hate ourselves - but for the fact that we weigh more than society has said we ought to.
What a travesty! What a terrible message to give to all of us - to our beloved children, especially, that there is 'something wrong' with our Essential Selves, because of our size.
I do not have the answer. But I know that I hurt for myself, for all of us, targets of Obesity Stigma.
I grieve that my obesity is the result of years of binging and overeating. I grieve that I have hurt my body, and my soul, so much.
...I grieve that for my own journey, I have been locked for decades into massive overeating....I still have hope. We are not alone.
Perhaps, in the end, with our understanding of Fat Stigma, we will be able to spread a most wonder-full
message, a most wonder-full legacy: We Are Okay Just The Way We Are.......

Please find time to share.