What is Paganism: Wicca

First Vlog!

I have made my first vlog!

"What is Paganism" done entirely in American Sign Language! I am super excited. Here is the translation for the video. I realize now that I made a few mistakes and could have explained some things a little better, but it's great for my first time. I am hoping to make more videos in the future. Well, maybe!

Translation:

Hello! Welcome to the Fat Pagan (Signed "Thick Witch). My name is Kit, meaning baby fox. I have been a pagan for the past 10 years. About two or three years ago, I started studying American Sign Language. I love and cherish the language so much! In fact, I prefer signing.

Recently, I was searching on Youtube for "ASL + Pagan". I found VERY FEW videos, none of which were about the Pagan religion itsel. Now, I would like to discuss it; what's it about and what does it mean?

First, maybe you think that paganism is evil or Devil worship. Maybe your mental images are evil witches, Harry Potter, Charmed, etc. No, these are not part of Paganism.
If not, then what’s paganism?

A label!

Whoa, a label? I just said religion!

Yes! It is a label.

Here is an example.

You know about the Christian religion? Christianity encompasses a variety of different sects; for example, Catholicism, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist, Amish, etc.

Paganism and Christianity are kind of similar. Paganism is just as diverse as Christianity. BUT, all Christian sects have common beliefs: the Bible is true; there is ONE God; Jesus; Jesus himself was sinless and holy; Heaven and Hell; the Final Judgment; and so-on.

Paganism has only one common belief. All Pagan people themselves identify as pagan. That’s it!

Now, some paganism examples are:
• Wicca. Wicca has a long list of different sects but I won't be discussing them. Maybe I will discuss them later, on another video. But, a few examples are: Eclectic, Dianic, Faery, British Traditional
•   Reconstruction/Revivalism (R/R). R/R has many different parts as well, and maybe there will be a video too. Few examples: Egyptian, Greek, Romanian, Irish.
• Gothic, list: Celtic, Deborean, Hereditary, Pictish
• Witchcraft
• Sometimes Heathenry
Et cetera.

Now, Heathenry is included only sometimes. Many religions NOT included in paganism. Examples: Hinduism, Buddhism, Native religions, Shinto, really religions themselves label Pagan NOT. Depending on who you ask, Heathens sometimes call themselves Pagan and sometimes do not.

I think I'm finished. I described a little about what paganism means. I briefly talked about the different beliefs, but didn't really go in depth. Maybe a future video will describe some of the different beliefs individually and really describe in depth.

Any questions? Comments? Go ahead and type them below.

Now for a typical pagan goodbye: merry meet, merry part, merry meet again! Bye!

Thoughts on Justice

What is justice? 

"Morally right and fair behaviors or treatment."

Justice? 

It is a lie, plain and simple. "Justice" does not exist in the real world; it is only present in our minds, never carried out through actions. 

Where is the justice for the people who were literally blown to nothingness when the US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki? 

Where is the justice for the woman raped by her father, her brother, her lover, her friend? 

Where is the justice for the parents who have to bury their newborn child?

Where is the justice for the antelope killed by the lion? 

Where is justice? 

"TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME...SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED." 

- The Hogfather, Terry Pratchett

Today I heard a sermon in which the pastor talked about a story in the Bible where a man asked God why bad things happened. The pastor basically said good Christians should not question their god and instead trust Him and his "Plan." 

Why should we tolerate the bad things that people do? It is not any divine power's responsibility to help us or protect us from negative experiences, whether you are a Christian or a Pagan. It is not the Goddess's job to forever hold us up, away from harm. A child does not learn by being forever protected. Do we really want to make this world just? Do we really want mercy and peace? Then we need to step up and make these things ourselves! 

Justice. It does not exist elsewhere in the world, but we humans can make it, and help it flourish. 

The world is unjust and unfair because we make it so. We can make the change. 

Coming of Age

Who here has heard about the Klein and Frost deal in the pagan community and also about the essays written about racism in Heathenism? If not, I recommend reading up about it before we continue.

Basically, Kenny Klein was arrested for child pornography and happened to be a prominent pagan figure. This lead to a huge backlash in the community over child abuse and how we deal with it (or rather, how we don't deal with it). Out of that backlash the Frosts were targeted (and rightfully so) for their inflammatory section in their book describing in detail how to "sexually initiate" children.

I have heard from several people that ask why Klein is a "pagan" issue. Uh, what? Philadelphia Pagan has said it better than me (with much less cussing):

A Pagan author who wrote several books about Paganism and was an elder in a Pagan tradition was arrested for and confessed to possession and distribution of child pornography. Several people came forward about the abuse and inappropriate behavior they suffered at the hands of this Pagan man, sometimes at Pagan or Pagan-dominated events. Some of those people were silenced when they first tried to talk about the inappropriate behavior by Pagans who wanted to protect their local Pagan community. 

But it’s not an issue for the Pagan community, because he also was a photographer. [sarcasm]

If you care more about the perception of Paganism by outsiders, who generally don’t give a shit about conversations we have with one another, than you do about cleaning up rape culture within Paganism and working to help victims… 

you’ve got your priorities all wrong.

Guys, this is a problem within our community. We cannot ignore abuse and the prevalence of rape culture within our own and then turn around and say we worship Goddesses and give women an equal footing with men. It's completely hypocritical! We all have known about predators in the pagan community for at least a decade, when I entered the pagan path. It seriously pisses me off when I meet pagans who feel as if it is somehow okay for people to silence the victims of abuse, or try to justify it.

In fact, on the Wildhunt's facebook page, this one guy... oh man. He was talking about how some children are more "sexually mature" than their age and how that's why it's somehow okay to ritualistically assault a child. THAT VERY ATTITUDE CONTRIBUTES TO RAPE CULTURE. STOP IT. A child is a person who is under the age of 18, period end of discussion full stop. When I was starting out, I could not find a coven or a mentor who would have dared take me under their wing because I wasn't 21! I had a very difficult time finding a coven who would take me when I was 18. Honestly, I feel that unless that coven is an open coven specifically meant for families, no one should be accepted or initiated into the coven until that person is 18 years old.

We as a community need to grow into the fact that, now we are become a bigger religion, there will be predators and we need to ostrisize them from us. We also need to be there for the newbies! However, that's for a different post.

Bulimia, Non-Purging Type

I've said this before, but I will say it again; I have an eating disorder. Now, after many years of not knowing, I finally found a name for what I do: bulimia, non-purging type.

It's a small subgroup of bulimia, with most people falling into the purging type and what most people think of when they hear the word bulimia. With non-purging, we don't vomit or use laxatives or diuretics. Instead we excessively exercise and/or fast. I do both of those things, but tend more towards fasting.

When I exercise, I will regularly go for two, three, or even four hours at a time, until I can no longer do anymore because I am shaking. One time I went to the point of complete exhaustion and couldn't lift myself from the floor. For me it always feels... good, actually, which is why I keep doing it. It's some kind of sick satisfaction in damaging my body. I know that it's wrong and yet I don't care. I must force myself to leave after an hour. I have now started "padding" my time by enjoying the sauna and Jacuzzi so I don't hurt myself so much.

Not quite, but I wish.

When I fast, however, that's when the wrench is thrown in. It starts off sometimes by me being late one day and then going the rest of the day without food. Of course, when I get home, I am exhausted and so go to bed. Then when I wake up again I am late. Who cares if I don't eat, I think. It's not like going hungry for a bit will kill me... and then I become angry with my body for constantly bugging me with its requests for substance. I think, why can't you wait? Why can't you take from the vast sources of energy you have stored? Why do you keep bothering me?? My anger piques and it bleeds into my interactions with others; I become short and intolerant to stupidity and irritable. I get angry with my roommates for asking me to cook dinner. I get pissed when told to eat. All I want to do is anything else but eat. I become so sick of food. There is a kind of disturbing happiness at the pang of hunger going unfed. As it were, I sit here feeling the pangs and I know that my thoughts are wrong and disordered, but I think that I am happy to feel it because it means I'm a "good girl."

After a while of not eating, something breaks my fast and then the floods happen. I binge and binge and binge, spending most of my money on food until my stomach screams both in agony and ravenous hunger. I can feel the pain of my stomach stretching to try and fit the plates upon plates but nothing quells the raging hunger. Truly and honestly, it's as if a thousand people were screaming, crying, begging to be fed and nothing you can ever give them will be enough.

 And then comes the guilt and shame. It is devastating and all consuming. It's as if someone threw me into a dark hole and it has crippled me, suffocating me. I can't breathe, I can't eat, I can't sleep. All I do is beat myself up for "losing control." How can I do that to myself? What a slob! If you just had better self control.... and so the fasting starts again.

Other times it starts because of triggering. Someone, like my doctor or a peer or TV or anything, will say something and my dark thoughts grip me. For instance, when I went to the doctor recently, I was telling her that I have this eating disorder, but then the doctor turns around and talks about how "counting calories" are sooooo important and if I just didn't eat so much I wouldn't be fat. So, I don't eat at all. Or it might be that I have so naively weighed myself and found that I have gained (a lot) of weight. Or it might be that I need new cloths and I try to go buy some but I can't fit into something I want or don't have the money for it and so I think "if only..." Sometimes it's just by touching my body, feeling my belly or my legs or my arms. It doesn't sicken me anymore, but I do still have the longings.

Many times I think, "I wish I had a healthy relationship with food and my body." It's just a very, very long road...

Holidays

Hey Pagans, how many of you are from exclusively Pagan families? Anyone...?

I am from a Catholic background, and now my immediate family is pretty solidly atheist (my mother is even an atheist priest). I am just starting out on my "own" (with roommates) and have little decorations for my apartment, but it's growing... however, my parents --specifically my mother-- has a crap ton of Christmas decorations that she has re-purposed into Hogswatch decorations. That's right, we now celebrate Hogswatch. For our purposes, Hogswatch can be on any day towards the end of the December month, and will probably be sometime after the 28th due to divorce and custody shit. 

So it's pretty awesome for my family to have Yule and Hogswatch -- like having three birthdays! 

Anyway, I think I will be making some of my Yule decorations this year by hand instead of buying something. Wanna see?  

Aren't they adorable??? I would also like to make some Yule suncatchers, in honor of the Horned God coming back. Something like this...

Source

COOL. I particularly like the silver leaflets inside. Perhaps some silver leaflets (aluminum foil?) in blues and purples for the Goddess and some gold leaflets (aluminum foil spray painted?) in reds and oranges for the God. I think I will also take some of the wire I have left over to make a mobile. Hmm....

Musings on Suicide

I thought about suicide. For many years, I contemplated whether it was worth it to leave the life I hated for something else. I didn't just hate my life either; I hated my body and resented my self. Every time I looked in the mirror, I loathed the thing looking back at me. Then, for years, I couldn't even look myself in the eye -- I didn't even turn on the lights to get dressed or use the restroom, because I didn't want to see my body. I hated every morning, because every night I wished I would die in my dreams. I was in a bad place mentally for a very long time, and I felt pain every day by just existing.

Now, I watch a law show about suicide. A woman was suicidal after the man in her life broke up with her, and the woman turned to another who supported the decision for people to commit suicide. The difference, though, is that the advocate was terminally ill and was slowly dying a painful death.

So I sit here and think about my beliefs on suicide, both assisted and self inflicted.

I've attended to a man who had Huntington's Disease, a neurological wasting disease. I couldn't imagine the kind of life I would have if I was suffering as he was. I would seriously consider ending my life while I could. Even in my family, I have seen certain cancers cause endless amounts of suffering -- the kind of cancers that you cannot recover from.

On the flip side, there are many diseases that are treatable and even curable if you have the help you need. Diabetes, for example, is treatable and manageable with a good support system and insulin. Some STIs and STDs are curable now, and many people can now improve their quality of life with medication. Celiac disease is treatable with a change in diet.

So I think the physical illness side should be looked at as, can you have the quality of life that you want? Can your condition be improved with medicines, therapy, holistic healing, or a combination of things? What kind of death will you be looking forward to; a silent, painless death or a death proceeded by excruciating pain and anguish?

On the other hand, we have mental illnesses. As someone who suffers with depression, it can be a struggle day to day. As I have talked about, I seriously thought about suicide. The only reason I pulled away from that end was due to events in my life. What about others who aren't so lucky?

As someone who has been there before, I lean more towards trying to resolve issues with help. But also someone who has been desperately poor, I understand that the kind of help people need isn't cheap or easy to come by; even medication can be expensive. Perhaps we need to change, as a society, the way we view and treat mental illness and physical disabilities. Actually, there is no "perhaps" about it. There should be no reason why seeking help should be expensive or hard to find and keep. This too should be the government's job since we the People aren't doing it.

Anyway, back to the point.

It's not just depression that impacts people's lives, and help can vary for people. I understand that sometimes, for some people, things just won't get better. Sometimes Life just gave you a shitty hand and it's time to quit until the next go around. And if anyone chose to end their life, I would be sad and upset, but ultimately it's that person's choice.

Still, I ask that if you or someone you know is considering suicide, try reaching out to someone first. When you are at the bottom of the pit, take a step to the side and look up. Many times, when you finally reach out, there will be someone there. For myself, I was surprised to finally find that I wasn't actually alone and that there were people who did really care about me. Sometimes it was a teacher, other times it was kind-hearted students who embraced me. Sometimes it was my dog who looked up to me and was there for me when I cried. Now, it's my brother who depends on me for everything.

I can't say that I regret not taking my life; I am glad I didn't. However, I cannot also say that I can condemn those who do, did, or will because ultimately it is a choice that someone should make themselves.

Again though, there are more nuances in life than just black and white. There are some mental illnesses that cannot be treated currently, like being a rapist or child molester or a serial killer. Some things like narcissism aren't effectively treatable, and even depression and bipolarism are difficult to treat and manage.

So I guess I end my ramblings with this: I think suicide is someone's choice to make, but that every other option should be pursued before committing. Suicide is an extreme and final last resort. Regardless though, you can email me and talk if no one else seems to listen. And if you want to talk about it anonymously (or even help people through their problems) try this site called BlahTherapy.

May you find everything you want.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Tumblr

I LOVE MY TUMBLR.

YOU WILL LOVE IT TOO.

SOMETIMES NSFW.

Why I Do Not Like PETA

(REBLOG FOR UPDATES)

Seems like everyone is talking about PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) lately. As a Pagan, I dislike them a lot. As a feminist, I really dislike them. Why? For several reason, actually.

They straight up kill the animals that they "rescue" for one. In 2011, PETA euthanized a record percentage of animals (95.9%), surpassed only by their numbers in 2009 (97.3%) and 2006 (97.4%). They rescued 2,026 animals, adopted out only 24 of them and euthanized 1,911. They are NOT animal lovers, for animal lovers would not kill as many as PETA has. Of course, this has been a trend for a long, long time. If you want a document of the most recent data (2010), here it is (pdf). Just this makes me gag.

Here is a cute puppy to make you feel better.

Next, we have the degradation of women. From suggesting Ben and Jerry's switch from cow milk to human milk, to fat shaming, to the objectification and torture of women, over and over and over and over again.

WTF?

How about PETA's racists protests and anti-Semitic ads? Or how about their use of the murder of Tillman to promote their views? How about PETA making light of a cannibalistic attack where the murderer stabbed and decapitated his 22 year old victim on a bus? Again, another murder comparison? They also bought a grave site near Col. Sanders and put up a grave marker that mnemonically read "KFC Tortures Birds". From what I can gather, it has since been taken down. Here are some of PETA’s worst ad idea, including “Feeding Kids Meat is Child Abuse” and a picture of a half cut up woman hanging from meat hooks.

These women were left in the plastic wrap for one hour in 80 degree weather. PETA would never do this to cows.

Last but certainly not least, their funds:

"PETA’s 2010 donations totaled $33 million ($35 million if you add on merchandise sales and other revenue). So where did your money go last year? According to PETA’s 2010 annual report:

• “A vegans make better lovers” campaign where PETA campaigners publicly made out on a bed on the streets of Nashville, TN.
• Disruption of the Westminster dog show (Because animal lovers deserve to be targeted?)
• A campaign comparing pregnant women to fattened sows to protest farmed meat
• Dressing as a giant vanilla condom promote animal birth control in Beirut (Because Beirut has few other controversies to deal with currently)
• PETA also says it has given over $843 thousand in grants to researchers looking at animal alternatives. Sounds good right? But one should do the math here. The amount is 2 percent of the money PETA spent last year. In comparison, they spent 17 percent of their money (your money) on fundraising to raise more money. In addition, research is expensive (sad but true)… An $800,000 split among several researchers as PETA has done…will not go far at all."

I do not support PETA. I do not recommend my friends and family support them either. Maybe they have done good work, but their bad overshadows their good by at least three times. Please do not endorse PETA nor donate to them. Here is another cute puppy to make you feel better.

Dawwwwwww <3

Update 9/1/2012 --- When Shelby County, KY threatened to become a kill shelter after being a No Kill Shelter for four years, PETA "graciously" sent a gift basket, "with a note thanking them [Shelby County Shelter] for their decision to start killing again after four years. “Thank you for doing the right thing” wrote PETA in its gift offering from Allison’s Gourmet which included vegan cookies,* baked without eggs or dairy, because—you know—harming animals is wrong."

UPDATE 12/3/13 --- DAMN IT PETA, WHY WON'T YOU DIE??? UGH, the awful organization has again decided to turn their malicious gaze back on fat women. Do you know about Plan B not working for women over a certain weight? Well PETA has decided that they will help by initiating the "Plan V";

"If extra pounds are thwarting a woman's ability to use Plan B, PETA's 'Plan V' could be the prescription they need," says PETA Executive Vice President (and mother) Tracy Reiman. "Going vegan is a great way to lose weight and get healthy—and it could help women regain control over their reproductive lives."

/RAGE QUIT/

I'M STILL ALIVE!!!!

For now at least. BAH it has been too long, but I promise a new post sometime tomorrow where I talk about some of the political things I have been thinking about. Hints you ask? Well alright then!

Some talking points:

• Natural rights of the Earth
• Animal rights, specifically "animal feminism"
• Veganism
• The "cultural appropriation" of the phrase "coming out"
• Possibly the US Shutdown, maybe, perhaps. 

So things will get heated tomorrow, but I do have some other news:

I was seriously thinking about adding a vlog to here and discussing some things specifically in American Sign Language. I am hopeful that adding a pagan voice to all the Christian ones will help Deaf people learn more about alternate faiths. Are there any Deaf people out there who would like to give me some talking points? And for the hearing people, there will be subtitles.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

Calypso! Rights belong to the painter.

Destiny

I found this: Pagan Blog Prompts. Oh, I am totally going to participate! Today's prompt is destiny; "what comes around goes around" and "everything happens for a reason".

This is a hard prompt, especially posed right after all the tornadoes that stormed through Central America, the attack of a solider in London and murder in Birmingham, riots in Sweden, and much, much more. They seem like shallow and cruel answers to the question of "why did this happen?"

While I do think things happen for a reason, I am not naive enough to say that what comes around goes around and I am not cruel enough to say that things that happen are always good or that bad things happen as punishment for bad behavior. That would be exactly like sin, which I don't believe in, either as a Pagan or a liberal. Does the woman who was rape had it coming, because what goes around comes around? Does the parents of the children lost in the tornadoes care that things happen for a reason, and what reason could that possibly be anyway?

Sincerely, Loki.

Now I believe in the gods. All of them in fact; I am a hard polytheist (and also an omnist). However, I don't believe They are all good or all evil. They are complex and cannot be fully described by us. I do feel like we humans project our own feeling onto our specific deity (see Westboro and their hateful god). But the thing is, They are NOT like us at all. They do not think like us, They do not love like us, They do not live like us. We are toys to Them, objects of fascination that They spend Their attention on. Deities have and pick favorites, and Deities have and pick enemies and even frienemies. The kinfolk of Loki have a saying, "May Loki laugh with you more than He laughs at you."

What reasons can we possibly gather from Deities that may or may not look like us but don't share much else? Sometimes the reason is obvious, other times obscure, and sometimes there is no reason at all. It reminds me of a story from Farscape where Aeryn Sun tells of her species' god:

"Sebaceans once had a god called Djancaz-Bru. Six worlds prayed to her. They built her temples, conquered planets. And yet one day she still... rose up and destroyed all six worlds. And when the last warrior was dying, he... he said, 'We gave you everything, why did you destroy us?' And she looked down upon him and she whispered, 'Because I can.'" 

 So to get back around to destiny: I think that we have a purpose in life. I think that there is a loose plan for us, but it can change based on decisions we make. Sometimes our purpose in life is to die. It is an absolutely cruel but unavoidable truth. Sometimes your entire existence is only there as a lesson to others. Sometimes you carve out a purpose for yourself. Lots of times you follow the path that was laid out for you by society.

I think that life is fluid, like water. I think maybe there is some plan, and maybe there isn't. Perhaps this is just by-the-cuff and these beings are just winging it. Perhaps there is some overall order to this madness.

Maybe we are just a huge experiment. Maybe we are the control group, or maybe the experimental group. Who knows?

What is important is that we focus on ourselves, our community, and our society. What we do know is that nothing will be fixed without us and no change will happen unless we initiate it. The only endgame is the one we let happen.

And the only question I have is, why can't we just all get along already?

Peace or Death

Beltane!

May Day is almost upon us! Soon it will officially be Summer, days of beaches and watermelon and camping and air conditioning! This season Beltane will span from April 30th to May 5th.

Want some ideas for Beltane (Beltaine, Bealtaine, Bealltainn, Boaltinn, Boaldyn, or May Day, whatever you call it)? Here are some non-ceremonial spells, recipes, and craft ideas!

May Bush ideas! Click pic for source.

Decorate a May Bush! If you happen to have some leftover egg shells from Ostara, you can use these. Decorate with ribbon for the intentions you want for the next half of the year. Here is a link for color correspondence. Some suggestions would be colors for protection, fertility, and love.

Scatter plant some flowers! You can get some cheap seeds everywhere, but I highly recommend looking at the native flowers in your area and planting those. Here are sites for the US, the UK, and France (because I get a lot of views from there. Bonjour!). You can use them to "sow the seeds of desire" or whatever it is you want; just focus on what it is you would like to sow out into the Earth/Universe and either chant while you scatter, sing, dance, or whatever you feel like doing.

Go to the Renaissance Festival! The one here in Waxahachie, TX ends on May 27th this year. They might also have a May Pole you can attend!

Sunlight Jars!

Make crafts! Here are some great things to make from my favorite craft blog. Spiral Goddess salt dough plaque, Sea glass heart pendant (which you can also make hanging things with, and I am sure you can make any shape, like a Sun [another cool sun], Moon, or Star [an idea how]), Sea shell ornaments and chimes, fake deer antlers (really cool!), or this REALLY AMAZING Sunlight-In-A-Jar (here is an eBay account that sells the solar panel tops cheaper than anywhere else).


Here is a site that gives some pretty good protection spells and ideas for amulets. I don't really like giving ceremonial spells, especially links to other sites, because of ethical issues. If you choose to search for other ceremonial spells and rituals on the internet, know that they should only really be a template and that the most powerful spells you can do are the ones you make yourself. Perhaps soon I will post some spell bones/templates for y'all.

Host a party. Make crowns of flowers and have contests to see who wins the title of May Queen and May King. One of the games can be a throwing contest. Have music and dance! Have a bonfire if you have the room, or make a small fire in your cauldron using rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and A LID which is important if you need to snuff the flames. Make sure to practice safe fire habits!

Maypole. You can either make an actual Maypole or you can make a smaller one from a paper towel roll or small rod.

Poetry is always good.

How about some Beltane stories for those with children?

Do some divination! Now is a great time, since it is the second time of year that the Veil is at its thinnest.

Food! Here are some awesome recipes for you. Candied Violets with Lemon Poppyseed Cake, more recipes for the Sabbat, and some with pies! A list from A to Z, and more with variety.

Other things I found that are worth reading.

Last but not least, some chants for you!

Bring flowers of the rarest
bring blossoms the fairest,
from garden and woodland and hillside and dale;
our full hearts are swelling,
our glad voices telling
the praise of the loveliest flower of the vale!

O Goddess we crown thee with blossoms today!
Queen of the Witches and Queen of the May.
O Goddess we crown thee with blossoms today,
Queen of the Witches and Queen of the May

Do you have any suggestions yourself?

List of Studies Related to HAES

Here is a compilation of all (or almost all) the links used by the moderators and other supporters of HAES in various discussions on the sub-Reddit askHAES. This isn't meant to be comprehensive and will not have every study available. This is meant to be a backup in case it is needed but is buried.

All studies listed have been screened to make sure there are no duplicates. If you have a study that is not listed here, please post it in the comments!

LINKS DIRECTLY TO STUDIES

1) Naturalistic weight reduction efforts predicted weight gain and onset of obesity in adolescent girls
2) Intentional Weight Loss predicted accelerated weight gain and risk of overweight.
3) Dieters Gain More Weight During Pregnancy
4) Eating in response to hunger and satiety signals is related to BMI in a nationwide sample of 1601 mid-age New Zealand women.
5) List of intuitive eating related studies
6) This paper evaluates the evidence and rationale that justifies shifting the health care paradigm from a conventional weight focus to HAES.
7) Among people who have ever been overweight or obese, just 4.4% have lost 20% or more of their starting weight and kept it off for one year.
8) Face to face format finds people still gain weight anyway
9) Reviews the science of the failure of LTWLM (long term weight loss management) and how most weigh management programs essentially ignore the overwhelming body of research
10) This comment that lists various quotes from studies that shows the futility of LTWLM is well-accepted in the research community
11) Obese and Overweight individuals who eat 5+ fruits and veggies a day, exercise 3+ hours week, does not smoke nor drink has a lower mortality rate than people in the "normal" BMI range who do not do these habits.
12) Human plasma ghrelin levels increase during a one-year exercise program.
13) Weight loss increases circulating levels of ghrelin in human obesity
14) Leptin reverses weight loss–induced changes in regional neural activity responses to visual food stimuli
15) Energy expenditure and postprandial thermogenesis in obese women before and after weight loss.
16) Combined Impact of Health Behaviours and Mortality in Men and Women: The EPIC-Norfolk Prospective Population Study
17) Medicare's Search for Effective Obesity Treatment: Diets Are Not the Answer
18) The Relationship between Intuitive Eating and Health Indicators among College Women
19) Dieting Does Not Work, UCLA Researchers Report
20) Physical Activity, All-Cause Mortality, and Longevity of College Alumni
21) Weight Science: Evaluating the Evidence for a Paradigm Shift (ie fitness over weight loss)
22) All-Cause Mortality Risk of Metabolically Healthy Obese Individuals in NHANES III
23) Association of all-cause mortality with overweight and obesity using standard body mass index categories: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
24) Cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in men
25) High levels of energy expenditure in obese women.
26) Is Obesity Caused by Calorie Underestimation? A Psychophysical Model of Meal Size Estimation
27) Body mass index as a predictor of fracture risk: A meta-analysis
28) (Low) Weight and body mass index predict bone mineral density and fractures in women aged 40 to 59 years
29) Risk factors for low bone mass in healthy 40–60 year old women: A systematic review of the literature
30) Putting body weight and osteoporosis into perspective
31) Association between muscular strength and mortality in men: prospective cohort study
32) Poverty and Obesity
33) Childhood IQ in relation to obesity and weight gain in adult life
34) The role of ego-control, ego-resiliency, and IQ in delay of gratification in adolescence.
35) Physical activity attenuates the genetic predisposition to obesity in 20,000 men and women from EPIC-Norfolk prospective population study.
34) Physical activity attenuates the influence of FTO variants on obesity risk: a meta-analysis of 218,166 adults and 19,268 children.
35) Dietary factors impact on the association between CTSS variants and obesity related traits.
36) Obesity: lessons from evolution and the environment.
37) Epigenetic flexibility in metabolic regulation: disease cause and prevention?
38) Association of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity Using Standard Body Mass Index CategoriesA Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
39) Does Body Mass Index Adequately Convey a Patient's Mortality Risk?
40) Impact of smoking and preexisting illness on estimates of the fractions of deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity in the US population.
41) Healthy lifestyle habits and mortality in overweight and obese individuals.
42) 10-year follow-up of diabetes incidence and weight loss in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study.
43) Chart Showing Exact Rate of Weight Regain
44) Weight loss does not lower heart disease risk from type 2 diabetes
45) In U.S., Obesity Rate Stable in 2012
46) Age-adjusted Percentage distsributions of BMI among Persons 18 Years of Age and Over.
47) Association of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity using Standard BMI
48) A Whole-Genome Scan for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity
49) The effect of exercise training on obstructive sleep apnea and sleep quality: a randomized controlled trial
50) The Efficacy of Home Based Progressive Strength Training in Older Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
 

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LINKS TO ARTICLES, POSTS, ETC

1) Abstract Thinking: A Review of FCJ studies
2) Requiescat in Pace
3) What Is the Connection Between Ghrelin and Leptin?
4) Explaining the difference between the BRFSS Obesity tracking versus the NHANES Obesity Tracking
5) Obesity, Health, and Metabolic Fitness
6) Charging Fat People More for Health Care
7) Understanding Universal Healthcare
8) What is Health? What Does Good Health Mean?
9) What Is Healthy Eating? What Is A Good Diet?
10) Gut Bacteria Linked to Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome Identified
11) Gut Flora May Be Tied to Obesity
12) The Fat Trap: New York Times Report
13) Relationship Between Poverty and Obesity or Overweight
14) Overweight and Obesity in the US
15) Physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and adiposity: contributions to disease risk.
16) Commentary: Current perspectives on obesity and health: black and white, or shades of grey?
17) The Biologic Basis of Obesity: A Lecture by Jeffrey Friedman, MD, PhD
18) “The most dangerous issue (for overweight people) is not being heavy per se but being sedentary,” Bente Pedersen

What If

What if you are not actually good enough?
What if you don't realize the strengths that others strive to be like?
What if you are in denial about your size?
What if it is really just a small number of people who scream at the top of their lungs and convince others to follow their lead?
What if we win against the hate, bigotry and intolerance?
What if we don't?
What if that person who is looking at you while you eat thinks you are disgusting?
What if that person who seems to be looking at you is actually looking through you, entrenched in their own world, their own problems?
What if someone says something hurtful to you today and you go home and don't eat again for weeks?
What if you just punch them in the face, maybe mentally, maybe physically, and go on about your day?
What if  you are just looking for evidence to validate your own viewpoints for your own ends?
What if the real evidence is being buried by the billion dollar industries that rely on our fears to make their profits?
What if you are made fun of for doing something, like exercising or just shopping?
What if you are not?
What if it is you?
What if it is me?
What if it is us?
What if it is them?
What if you question yourself to death and never live?
What if you are never able to live up to your potential because you are so worried about what others think of you instead of what you think of yourself?
What if the hateful words turn to shame?
What if the shame turned to anger?
What if the anger turns to a sense of loss?
What if that sense of loss turns into acceptance?
What if that acceptance leads to internal peace?
What if that peace is what you always looked for but couldn't find outside of yourself?

What if you died tomorrow?
What if you lived today?

"In the seventeenth chapter of St. Luke it is written that the Kingdom of God is within man; not in one man or a group of men, but in all men, in you. You the people have the power, the power to create machines, to create happiness. You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of Democracy let us use that power; let us all unite! Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men the chance to work, that will give you the future and old age, security. ...Let's fight for a world of reason, where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness." 

Hashtag Love

I recently started to get onto Tumblr, and boy am I glad I did. If you follow the HAES and Fat Acceptance movements, you will hear a lot about tags called thinspo, fitspo, pro mia, and pro ana -- thin inspiration, fitness inspiration, pro-bulimia, and pro-anorexia, respectively. While there are other, more fat friendly tags like healthspo and fatspo (although they are not entirely safe) and that fitspo isn't completely asshole-ish, I was graciously notified that there is another one. I fell in LOVE, people!

It's HAESpo, and OMG what a wonderful idea. I have been tagging it for like a week now (but I have no idea why only three show up in that feeder box...).

Let's have SAMPLES YES!

BEACH BODY RECIPE - Step 1, go to beach. Step 2, done!

My Embrace Body Love submission.

If you have a Tumblr, tag away! Also, tell me about it and I will follow you.

YAY GO PEOPLE!!!!

I hope that this will catch on and not be taken over by trolls. Of course, I expect some people to do just that, but don't let them win.

Also, did I tell you just how much I LOVE haespo?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Fitness and Stuff, Maybe

Fit, fat, fuck yeah!

Before we start, let me say that fitness - or even health - is not mandatory for anyone. You don't owe it to anyone no matter what others say. If you don't want to exercise, or if you don't want to do whatever it is people tell you is healthy, that is entirely your decision. That is completely yours.

If you are interested in fitness and healthy eating habits, please continue.

Recently I became the moderator of a subReddit called askHAES. There came a pretty good post that talked about fitness goals that I would like to share and discuss a little:

Hello, HAES people.
I wanted to bring up a subject that I think some of you might find worthwhile. Here's the deal: I'm not telling anyone here they need to exercise or train at all. That's your call.
That said, if you choose to train, I'd recommend the following general rules. They're pretty simple.

1. Throw away the scale (unless you're trying to make weight for a tournament or something). This one's especially important for women. I've seen girls literally go the scale immediately following a tough workout to see what they've lost. Pointless. Weight is going to fluctuate from day to day, and upon initiating serious training many people will actually gain weight as their muscles begin retaining more water as they adapt to the increased workloads. Seriously, stop looking at the scale.
2. Pick a goal that you can measure. Here's the magic: you get to set these, not society, not your friends, not your family. You. They're your goals. When I ask people what their goals are, 9 times out of 10 they'll say, "I want to be in shape" or "I want to look better." Neither are really useful, but the former is better than the last one. Here's the deal: pick a few performance-based tasks which are quantifiable (e.g. run a 5k in X amount of time, or squat 275 lbs., whatever) and make sure they're reasonable for where you're at. If you've been away from exercising for 20 years, it's probably unreasonable to say you're going to run a marathon in 4 months. Stay away from, "I want to weigh X in Y amount of time." That's a white rabbit you'll chase forever. Pick good performance-based goals, and I promise you that your body will adapt as it should.
3. Now, take an initial (honest) assessment of where you're at with respect to your goals. Write it down. Don't bullshit the assessment. Don't say, "well, I ran this in 20 minutes, but I was under the weather; it was really 18 minutes." Nope. It was 20.
4. Develop a plan. If you're a novice, get smart or get some help. Make sure the plan aligns with your schedule. Guess what, if you work 60 hours a week and have three kids, you're not going to be able to stick with a program that calls for 4 hours of training 5 days a week. You're setting yourself up for failure.
5. Train hard. No bullshit. No excuses. Get it done. When it's time to train, that's all that's going on in your life. You're not reading. You're not thinking about work, or your significant other, or any of life's little dramas. You're not even worrying about where you'll be with respect to your goals next week, next month, or next year. You're only there to do the work. Anything less is a waste of time. I see people at the gym on the treadmill for half an hour walking, reading "Self" or whatever. I don't say a damn thing to them, because it's not my problem. But, guess what? They're wasting their own time. Why spend 30 minutes half-assing something, when you could be doing it for real? It's your time. My time is a precious resource; I have no intention of wasting it.
6. Re-assess regularly, but not all the time. I typically put together 8-week training programs and assess at the 4, 6, and 8 week marks. If you're starting off, you're going to need more time, especially if you've got a busy schedule and don't have as much time to dedicate it. For true novices, I build 16-week programs.

Finally, a note. Forget about what someone's definition of attractiveness is. Train to do something, not to look some specific way. This is another white rabbit. Here's a truth: you're never going to be pretty enough for everyone. That shit is subjective anyway. You know what's not subjective? Trashing someone in a 5k when six months ago you couldn't even finish one.
That's my take. Again, I stress that I couldn't care less whether anyone here trains or not. Not my problem or my business. I only want to give people here an honest look at how serious athletes think about training. It ought to put your mind at ease. They don't care about looks; they care about performance.
-Ragnar

 I like this as it really does reflect the thought process of a "serious athlete." For a lot of athletes, and even fathletes like myself, measurement in physical progress is more important than physical appearance. The guys I work out with talk about running marathons, jumping hurdles, climbing mountains, or snatching heavier, not about their weight. Their goals are performance based. Even if your goal isn't being able to run a 5k, you can make performance goals as well, like being able to walk up the stairs without almost dying halfway through (heh, this was my goal when I was starting out). Anyway, let's start at the top.

This is "bulk."

1) Throw away that scale and never look back. Don't use the scales at the gym or in the locker rooms either. First, you don't know if they have been calibrated at all ever and second, if you have had body image issues in the past it will be triggering. I know because I do it sometimes and the difference between what you used to know and what it shows can either crush you back into unhealthy eating habits or will excite you into continuing the "trend." Just don't; I promise you will feel better about it.  If you really, really need a scale, try a Yay! Scale.

By the way, while we are on the subject of muscles and retaining water, it is good to note now that women do not bulk like men do. Women don't have enough testosterone in their body to gain massive amounts of muscle quickly and are more likely to "tone" and build than bulk.

 And before you ask: yes, fat people can be toned as well.

 2) Goals are important, but they have to be attainable. It was a good year and a half before I was fit enough to run without joint pain, and about 8 months before I really noticed a difference in my stamina. Fitness is long term, but that doesn't mean you have to hate the journey. More on that later. For now, think about some good goals to set. I think you should probably take an assessment before you move into specifics, but again, more later.

3) Honesty here will be a boon later, and write. it. down. so you can see your progress. If your goal is "being able to walk up the stairs without keeling over", go climb the stairs and count the number you make and the time you did it in. Note your breath, as in whether you were gasping or not. While Ragnar might have been harsh, it really is important that you are very honest with this.

4) There is this great site that I will recommend forever. Bodybuilding.com is full of awesome resources for people of all fitness levels, from fitness articles to already made fitness plans to an awesome shop and more. With the fitness program, you can either try the ones listed or you can find a specific one for your age and fitness goal. I personally like LiveFit since it has a great progression built in along with specific exercises for specific days and all the information is already there. Yes, it does talk about weight loss but the muscle building results are amazing. Jamie Eason (the one who created the program) also has a great head on her shoulders and doesn't shy from speaking her mind.

Note: if you wander around the site, there is talk about weight loss. Ignore it, there is so much more than that.

Options: you haz them.

5) I would say just to do your best. I feel my best when I work out that day and I feel like crap if I don't, so try not to lapse. If you feel like it is such a chore to go, then something is wrong. If you don't look forward to it, then try something different. Try karate or dancing or kickboxing or boxing or Pilates or yoga or something. There is literally hundreds of options. I think that if you really enjoy something, you will give it 100% and "train hard" for it, even if it is peaceful yoga. And if you can, try EVERYTHING at least twice, even if you think you might look stupid. Why twice? Because if you had a terrible time the first time, you can confirm it or have a better time the next. As for others, you can shake your head at their silliness, but unless they will hurt you or themselves (as in doing an exercise move that will F them up), just go on about your business.

6) Yes, please re-assess. Go back to those stairs and do them again (write it down!). I suggest a 12 week program, or any of the ones on the Bodybuilding.com site linked earlier. Change your routine every 12 weeks too, or your body will adapt and you may not see any more improvement (depending on your goal, of course)

Ragnar sums up pretty well, so I just want to say that I understand that everyone has different commitments. I totally understand having your schedule packed so hard even particles would have difficulty getting through it. Your fitness is yours and no one can tell you what to do. I suggest 30 minutes a day, but hell, it is just a suggestion. This is also why I suggest doing something you love; you will be more inclined to go. Exercise is also a very good stress reliever, and it doesn't have to be in the gym either if that causes stress. My mother hates group exercise and hates the gym, but loves walking outside. One of my friends loves to run but prefers outdoors. Another friend absolutely hates exercise in every form. To each their own.

A nutrition post will be coming soon, but expect it over on Fierce, Freethinking Fatties.

Do you have any recommendations? What do you like to do?

Role Models?

I was reading submissions on This Is Thin Privilege Tumblr and a few posts have caught my attention and made me think of some issues we have discussed about the Deaf Community in my college classes. Specifically, the lack of adult role models. In the Deaf community (btw, that capital D is not a typo. Capital D Deaf refers to the community of deaf people who are linguistically connected by ASL), schools don't typically hire deaf teachers for their deaf students. In fact, it is difficult for deaf people to get hired anywhere, especially somewhere public and with high volumes of hearing people. There are really no deaf role models; besides Helen Keller, what other deaf person in history do you know?

Source is actually very interesting!

Taking this same thread and expanding it, what fat role models are there? Think back to all your teachers in your whole school career and count the number of fat teachers you had or saw. Include administration, security, and any other supporting members. Think about shows or actors/actresses that you either admire or admired when you grew up. What about in real life, when you go out to a restaurant and order food, what does your waiter or waitress typically looks like? In fact, what about when you enter sit-down restaurants and are put into the back where no one can see you; does this happen?

 What about on TV? How many fat actors or actresses get gigs that play the good guys? How many fat people do you see on regular TV shows that aren't being berated or made fun of?

And here I am looking at the commercials for American Idol (I swear I am watching Criminal Minds!) and what do I see? No one that looks like me, even in the audience. Then a judge says "you look like a million bucks!" to some contestant and it reminds me of the awe and surprise that this woman received because she wasn't conventionally pretty. Seriously, look at those people's faces before she sings and then directly afterwards, like it was a surprise or something that she could actually sing in a fucking singing contest.

Anyway, thin privilege is being able to walk into any store and see models that look like you (let alone clothes that will fit you, clothes that will be cheap, and employees who don't look at you or speak to you in disgust). It is seeing movie stars and politicians (especially the women) and lawyers and CEOs and managers and doctors and biologists and especially those who run studies and teachers and anyone else in power who look like you that you can aspire to.

Thin privilege is having role models that look just like you.