When I was a teen, way back in the early 1990s, when grunge was king and Bugle Boy clothes were popular, a time when t-shirts that changed color were popular, I was an overweight teen. Not just a little chubby, but about 260 pounds, on a 5 foot and 7 inches frame. That would be considered morbidly obese, I think.

High school is not an overly enjoyable experience when you are overweight. There is teasing, mocking, and the occasional punches to the back of your head in the hall while you hear someone call you a fatty. You are at an age that any difference from the norm seems to stick out even more to you, and kids have enough on their plate to create self-hate and poor esteem other than what their weight and body type is. So, it is can be a trying time, to say the least.

But, that is high school, right? People grow up, once you are an adult all that kind of bullshit goes away? People mature, right?

Wrong.

It just kind of changes or morphs from clear-cut mocking into a kind of concern trolling. Ah, yes, fat shaming That example of the concern trolling is based upon the silly notion that only veganism will bring you health, beauty, and the supposed perfect body!
But, it does not have to include veganism, there were these cruel billboards in Georgia. How lovely, posting large photos of children, and pointing out they are fat-fat-fatties. Thankfully they have been taken down. But, they were up

I do understand, by the way, that obesity is a problem in this country, and I would never suggest that being greatly overweight would be a wise choice to make. But, I am not really certain making overweight people feel like assholes is such a winning strategy. Actually, I am sure it is not. Personally, I tended to eat more when I felt bad about myself. Then, I would feel even worse about myself, including two (admittedly weak) attempts at suicide in my teen years.

Now that I am older, and I am more comfortable in my own skin. Yes. I lost most of that teenage weight, but my weight still can vary. I will always be a bit chubby, and I am okay with that.I am who I am, and so on. Now, the only time I am truly upset about my body, if my weight goes up or down, is simply because I will need to go and buy new pants. I hate pants shopping; pants shopping for me means trying to find pants short enough so that I do not look like I have drapery hiding my feet. But, that is a story for another time.

I am not some brilliant sage or wise person who can give great advice when it comes to how you should feel about your body. I do not even know if I would really want to, and I really do not know if why I lost or how I lost my weight originally would be a really good model. I am a boy, and I wanted a girlfriend, so I lost weight to be more attractive, or what is deemed attractive rather. That is hardly a great guide to lead anyone. I probably should have done it for myself, and I probably should not have starved myself or puked up what I ate to achieve that goal.

I still have moments when I have put on a few pounds where I have moments of self-doubt and disgust, and dark memories come flying back into my head. I do not think you can ever really get those kind of thoughts out of your head, completely.But, they are a rare occurrence.

I do not really know how I came to how I am today, how I take care of myself, or how I take care of myself for myself, and not because of what others may want or wish of me.Perhaps age, perhaps something else. But I think it is the proper way to be healthy. You choosing to be healthy, because you decided, for yourself, not others telling you to. Does that make sense? Again, I am not a master philosopher.

I just think fat shaming and mocking overweight people can lead those people you claim to care about to really unhealthy behavior, far worse than those extra pounds that person is carrying. We, as a people need to have a discussion over how we discuss weight and health, in a way that does not debase those with weight or health issues, but leads to good health, mentally, as well as physically.

As for the vegan fat shaming clique? Shush. I have grown tired of veganism being sold as the panacea of great health. Veganism can lead to as many unhealthy people as healthy people – just like omnivores.

Maybe, because I am an ethical vegan I am becoming bitter in seeing veganism being eroded and weakened by false cure-all claims proclaimed by health based vegans – from the all natural crowd to the all raw crowd, I dunno? Maybe. It is all just woo, and woo gets you nowhere.

Do not get me wrong, I do think health is important. I just keep health out of my veganism, and veganism out of my health.That may sound strange or perhaps contradictory, as a part of veganism is what you decide to eat, but not completely. Nor does veganism corner the market on being the only healthy way to eat, so lets keep them separated other than in the simple manner of eating healthier is probably a key to being healthy, and part of of a person’s choice. Does that make sense? Probably not.

There are people of all shapes and sizes in veganism. I like that, and I think you should, too. Besides, it makes veganism look less extreme or alternative in our society. There is way too much circulated cliche of the waif thin weak vegan. That stereotype needs to go.

Besides, if you are in it for the animals, why should it matter to you what size some other person’s waistline is. Not sure animal abuse is lessened by what size John Doe’s pant size is.

I have this novel idea, maybe you may think it is a good one, too. Instead of vegans concern trolling and mocking fat people they could maybe go out and do something for those whom they supposedly went vegan for in the first place, the animals? Perhaps volunteer in a shelter, adopt an animal, protest, etc.

Nah, lets just argue over pink slime and if that cupcake is too fattening.