I wasn't 100% sure which forum to post this under but since it's such a wonderful thing I'll try here and the moderators can move it if they must, ok?

http://fatshionpeepshow.blogspot.ca/...ini-babes.html

101 body positive photos of women at the beach/pool having FUN instead of worrying about what other people are thinking about their swimwear/body. I loved this so much.

I think so many people wait for life to start once they reach a weight or size, but there is no sense in that! Life is now, eh?

This is great for the women featured in the article. They are comfortable and proud of their own bodies and aren't afraid to show them off. That is awesome. But all people are not as comfortable with their own bodies. The reason why many people, myself included, do not reveal their bodies at the beach is because WE are not comfortable with them. Its not just that we're embarrassed by what others would think. There is an aspect of that too. I've been known to say "nobody should have to look at my flabby stomach" at the beach.

I know there is a a fat acceptance movement and people are rightfully concerned about self-loathing. I know that many people are very depressed about the look of their bodies. I have a lot of self-confidence, but when it comes to my body, I do not feel comfortable showing it off. I wish all the power in the world to people who do have that confidence. But I don't think I ever will.... even when I do finish losing all my weight because I will still have hanging skin.

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand I am all for people being comfortable in their own skin but on the other hand quite a few of those ladies are going to have major health problems soon if they don't already.

One simply cannot be obese and expect to live a long healthy life.

I didn't scroll through many pictures but it looks like these ladies are all in their 20s or early 30s. It's all fun and games at that age ... but when you're 50 and morbidly obese it's a different story.

"Concern trolling" is unnecessary. The point is that they aren't ashamed of themselves, and they aren't allowing body image to hold them back from living where they are at "now" and doing things they want to do. No one should have to be ashamed to exist, regardless of form. If they choose to lose weight, or not, that is only their business. I read the other posts and some of them are indeed working on their weight, others not so much. But again, that is not the point.

I hate the fat acceptance movement. It is so misunderstood and so contrary to what I believe that I do not support it at all. However, this link is NOT about tr fat acceptance movement at all. Self love does not need you to condone it. You said it yourself, you didn't really look through the thread or read the captions and if you did you would know that.

It's so freakig demoralizing for a woman to put on an article of clothing and be told she's not healthy. There are literally millions of ailments all of which cannot be identified by plain sight that you wouldn't dream of commenting on. Would you look at a picture of someone drinking a beer and things "that guy has pserosis of the liver"? Just because fat is visible doesn't mean you get to make a diagnosis of their health and future. The fact that a woman wears a bikini has nothing to do with how she views her health or size or even have anything to do with what she eats. This really angers me because as a man you have no clue how difficult it is for a woman to wade through a minefield of beauty standards and expectations.

I've been 200lbs for many years. I'm tired of needing permission to dress in clothes I like. I'm tired of apologizing with oversized clothing. I'm allowed to take up space. Regardless of my physical health, which most women do care about, I also care about my metal health and my mental health needs require that I love myself for who I am and not deprive myself of the self love and dignity I deserve now for some future self who may it may not be skinny enough.

Thanks for the link OP!

WBS, yes the FAM is a little questionable in some ways, but in the end the real purpose is to help people realize they are loveable, valuable people regardless of size so I am mostly ok with it.

Any how, you are exactly correct, there is no need to hide or hate yourself based on body size! I love this blog post because those women are refusing to be treated as second class citizens because they aren't society's "ideal" beauty.

From a health point of view someone needs to talk to them and help them. From a beauty point of view then good for them.

Why is that? Why would their weight be anyone's concern but their own? I'm certain they will manage their health privately with their physicians at their own discretion.

the FA movement is tricky for me. I absolutely think everyone has the right to be comfortable and feel beautiful in their bodies, whatever that body looks like. I also think that people should do what they can to be healthy.... so FA gets complicated because it specifically glorifies unhealthy bodies (in that being obese is less healthy than not being obese). To me, FA is no different from pro-ana "thinspiration" when it crosses that line into advocation of an unhealthy lifestyle. YMMV.

I prefer "Body Positive" to "Fat Acceptance"...everyone has things about their bodies they don't like. Everyone. That beautiful woman at the coffee shop, the one you would kill to look like? She hates her (insert perfectly normal body part). We could all be more positive about the way we view and care for our bodies, be they thin, fat, short, or tall.

I say good-on those women for feeling comfortable and looking beautiful in their chosen swimwear. Even if they have unhealthy bodies, that has zero bearing on whether or not they should feel adorable and enjoy the beach.

What I mean about the FAM is that it focuses on idealizing fat beauty. Possibly even attaining it. I'm not on board with idealizing any kind of beauty other than the beauty that makes us all individual. The FAM is just as exploitative as the mainstream media. I don't want to look at my body and idolize my fat. I want to look at my body and accept it for what it is, work to make it healthier, but not withold my own self love until I reach some future standard of beauty.

I very much agree with the bolded parts. However I have not looked into the FAM very much, but what I have seen has never said "get fatter, it's awesome!" If that is the case I certainly don't agree with that particular sentiment.

My personal emotional baggage comes from my obese parents, one of which just died less than a month ago at 77 and the other is in very bad shape at 72. Both are (were) around 100 lbs overweight and carrying that weight has caused both major health problems.

You may be able to look at pictures of morbidly obese people and celebrate their body acceptance without thinking of their health but I am not capable of it. This has nothing to do with them being female. I am looking at this matter pragmatically.

I'm sorry for your loss. But what are you implying? That women do not wear bikinis unless they are under a certain weight point? That they should not enjoy the same rights and privileges of feeling happy and beautiful that their thinner counterparts enjoy?

Maybe you can get out of your own head for a second and instead of thinking I am implying something you can just read the words and accept there is no sinister agenda underhand to withhold rights or happiness.

What I am saying is this:

Wear a bikinni. Wear it to the bank. I don't care. I'm not capable of celebrating the fact that they are happy with their bodies without also being very concerned about their future health for the reasons already mentioned.

John, this is not about their health. That is a private matter that they have to manage on their own. The whole point is about confidence, having self-worth and self-esteem. Not one of them said "I can't wait to get fatter! Yes! MORE FAT!" Pretty much all of them said they are learning to love themselves regardless of their weight.