youneedacat:

Problem? My relationship to food has been so fucked up by fat hatred that I can’t just approach this in the straightforward manner it deserves. It’s complicated by a history of orthorexia, an eating disorder that basically amounts to following an overly restrictive diet in an obsessive way that fucks up your health and often results in some level of malnutrition. But even without that it’s complicated.

And I can’t ask for help. Anywhere.

Check out http://www.fatnutritionist.com/? I’m not sure what kind of help you’re looking for, but she does group classes on learning to approach food in a non-disordered way, and occasionally does one on one stuff. I haven’t seen her talk much about disability in particular, but she definitely has a clue about class and financial and practical issues and things like that, and I think you two would get along well ideologically, too.

I might even be able to contribute some money if you want to see her but can’t afford it.

somethingtoobrave:

Feminists on Tumblr spend quite a bit of time discussing privilege, which is great. What I’ve found, however, is that much of what I read from day to day fails to address the privilege of an education.  Let’s face it, for many of us, education is the result of privilege.  (I say many, not all.  Some of us fought our way there.  Of course, we should remember that even the most disenfranchised may have had the blessing that follows kindness and encouragement.)  We forget that each of us has learned to see the world from a different perspective, often refusing to admit that we too may have once been ignorant of the consequences behind certain words and actions.  

So, why then do we attack ignorance with malice instead of attempting to educate one another in a calm, civil way?  I’m not talking about willful ignorance here.  I’m talking about people who haven’t had the privilege of information, and people who communicate using offensive, derogatory, defamatory language because, more than likely, it’s all they’ve ever known.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t be angry.  Anger is vital, but immediately telling someone to “fuck off” for making a sexist, racist, or ableist slur isn’t exactly productive, especially if you’re unsure as to whether or not that individual knows better.  Many people can be informed and changed.  How can we call ourselves feminists if we never attempt to bring others into the fold, and if we never experience empathy?