Wi ~ omyn’s Su, Quoy St Johns St. Port Moady Mon- ~ A3t-245! Sat. 4-43 e? NOO!R oa lement as being oppressed for being fat, what it’s like to be fat, and to confront all your fat phobias within yourselves. e We want you to remem- ber how big we really are and to stop making things so small, Narrow or unmoveable. Much like the fact that fast food restaurants often have booths that assume a fixed size, and tables with chairs that don’t move further apart to accommo- date a larger size. We don’t need for our breasts to be sitting on top of the table as if the table was there to hold them up. We like ourselves as we are and do not need non-fat people to tell us otherwise. We want you to examine your own internalised fat-hatred and to know that we might love you a lot, but that we are not your dumping grounds for size acceptance, fat intake, and anything else you don't like. We don't want to be stared at and we don’t want to hear that you'll die if you don't lose 6 lbs. e Fat womyn are sexual beings, we love to have sex with all kinds of people in all kinds of positions. We love being sexual, the sensuality of our bodies and the way our bodies flow, move, jiggle, wiggle, and flap. e Fat womyn appreciate that there are allies who actu- ally fight for fat liberation issues and don’t require educa- tion on being fat. We like that some of you even question the standards of beauty in the dyke community and work actively to dispel those stereotypes. ® Fat womyn want to be able to sit on all the allies who encourage us to sit on their laps and we're intimidated because we don’t want to squish them. We want our allies to either mind their own business or to ask us out on dates if allies are so interested in the bodies of fat womyn. e We want you to under- stand about thin privilege in the same way that allies need to understand about heterosexual, white, adult, middle or owning class privileges—we want you to realize what allies take for granted is a real pain for fat womyn. e We want to be able to find good femmy, non-matronly clothes in our sizes. e Don't be afraid to touch us—fat isn’t catching! e Being fat is not less healthy than being thin. e Most importantly, DON’T tiptoe around the fact that we're fat. We're not as sensitive as you might think about it. If you feel uncomfortable about inviting us to participate in what you might think is a strenuous activity or something that you think we might not enjoy, invite us anyway. Give us the opportunity to decide for ourselves. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT BEING FAT? e My size! Feeling power- ful, immovable, and comfortable with my body. e My power within. e I like the political education I get from being fat. Fatness caused me to get hip about feminism earlier than if I was skinny. An almost universal hatred forced me to be strong. I like how my fat acts as a filter and some womyn and men blow me off because of my size—their loss. I use being fat as a litmus test for bigots. Gotta love that. e I like big tits and ass, curvy hips and meaty thighs, round face and soft skin. I love cleavage. I love to jiggle. e More of me ELECTIONS FOR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TO COLLEGE BOARD Elections will take place to elect 1 male and 1 female representative to the Douglas College Board. The election will be on March 17th and 18th. Polling stations will be available at all 3 campuses. The polls will open at New Westminster, David Lam and Thomas Haney Centre from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on March 17th. On March 18th, polls will be open from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm. WHERE WILL STUDENTS VOTE? Students who are taking courses at more than one campus must vote at the campus where they are taking more than 50% of their courses. Students who are registered in courses evenly split between campuses and who take classes at New Westminster will vote at the New Westminster campus. Students who are registered in courses evenly split between campuses and take courses at David Lam but not at New Westminster will vote at David Lam. Student’s polling station is determined by the registration in courses as shown on the Douglas College Student Information System. to tattoo and pierce. e Softness, e My large and beautiful breasts. Round. : e I like being large, powerful, sensuous, heavy, sexy, intimidating, inviting, enfolding, warm, extremely soft, able to stare down big creeps, able to take up'a lot of room and annoy people, able to be a tender pillow for a sad friend, or soft playground for an exploring lover. I love being in bed with a lover, and being fat. As a fat womyn, I am agile, graceful, and very flexible! I have almost 300 lbs. on my side. I like 8 March 10 1999 the Other Press Fat womyn speak out2:"” annoying the health workers who think I should have high blood pressure, a dangerously fast heartbeat, diabetes, and high cholesterol—ha!. e I like posing for incred- ible photos, painting life-size full body portraits, and walking around my apartment topless with the shades up! I like being the fattest person on the beach, the only one who can go into the ocean without a wetsuit. e I don't get cold very easily—lots of insulation. My lap is very comfortable for children and cats to sit on. I feel that my size makes me less vulnerable. Best of all, I am totally buoyant! When swim- ming, I don’t even have to tread water to stay afloat, while my _ skinny friends have to kick and paddle constantly. Ha, ha! e The freedom of letting my body decide what size it’s going to be. Not worrying about constant diets and where and what I can eat. I’m also a big scary bitch! e I’m warm, and men don't fuck with me anymore. I take up space, and people stay father away from me. e Being and looking stronger... Although skinny womyn have a lot of privilege, I like that I’m not treated as someone who is frail or weak. That I take up space in the world means I demand it. Also, having big curves feels like a big part of my femininity. e I like saving on hot water bills—because I use less water in the tub than my skinny neighbours]. I like that I float really well. I like saying “Biggest butt gets the front seat,” and not getting any argument. e Feeling strong and grounded. Being able to get flogged a lot. Feeling powerful and nurturing having a lover grab or bite into my flesh and swoon. e Non-conformity. Never needing a two-ply jacket. Resonating strength. Cuddly in a hailstorm. e Lots of presence. No one doubts I’m there. People listen. I don’t get hassled on the street like my thin friends do. I intimidate men—heh, heh, heh]. e The sense of having a large enough body to contain all that is within my mind and spirit. I feel I'm just the right size for who I am—and that’s BIG.