Size doesn’t matter

Workshops teach you to love
your body, no matter its girth

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Aaron Miechkota

Age: 33

Occupation: Size-ism workshop coordinator

Bio: When not composing journalistic ditties for her nouveauqueer.blogspot.com site, or labouring as a graphic designer in the fashion industry, “which is a little ironic, given it’s such an image-oriented, body-conscious business,” this blissfully corpulent St-Henri chick is out there organizing 2x4 “size-ism” workshops at the 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy on Mackay. A “larger, plus-sized woman myself,” Aaron says she’s been “interested in size-ism for a super-long time” because “people need to understand and celebrate all the wonderful things their bodies can do—at any size. Teaching people to get over their fears about the shapes and sizes of their bodies, and accepting and celebrating the beauty and diversity of all the different sizes we are, well, that’s the mission of the 2x4 workshops.” To attend one yourself, contact Aaron via emailaaronm@msn.com.

What the hey is “size-ism” anyway? “Size-ism refers to prejudice or discrimination against people based on the size or shape of their body—and it affects everybody. You could be as thin as a ballerina and still not be happy with your body, ashamed or uncomfortable with it. You needn’t be large to feel these things. People of all body types can feel they’re somehow not measuring up to the cultural standard. I was actually quite surprised at how few large-bodied people were initially coming to 2x4, it was more normative-sized bodied people at first.”

Something in relatively short supply at 2x4 workshops: Men.

One 2x4 workshop on offer: Health Care Advocacy for Every Size. “It’s really difficult to find size-sensitive doctors. I mean, I can go to the doctor for a paper cut and the response will automatically be, ‘It’s because you’re overweight.’ For large-bodied people, the answer is always because you’re overweight. When your doctor can’t see through your size to deal with the medical conditions you have, it’s unfair, your needs aren’t being met. It’s a huge issue.”

Another recent workshop they did: “A yoga/meditation workshop adapted for large-bodied people. It was amazingly fun!”

Is there any truth to the accepted wisdom among many men that fat chicks make better fucks because they tend to appreciate it more? “You can’t say all large-sized people are better fucks, of course not. But anybody who is body-positive, sex-positive, size-aware, knows what turns them on and is feeling really great about themselves and who they are… I mean, of course that person is going to be amazing and fun. But it doesn’t mean all people of size are going to be great in the sack.”

Conversely, do many 2x4 workshop attendees feel like total pieces of shit just because of how they perceive their bodies? “Well yeah, internalized size-phobia is just as real as internalized racism. Everyone in this culture has been exposed to size-ism, through jokes, parents, crazy diets, TV, advertising. But I’m not saying everybody feels like pieces of shit at 2x4. Personally I feel amazing, I love how I am and I know a lot of other people do too. People who come to the workshops are very body-positive, or want to be at least. And listen, 2x4 is also tons of fun. It’s some fuckin’ cool hangout time.”

Last book read: Zaftig: Well Rounded Erotica, edited by Hanne Blank.

Musical preferences: Kathy Kennedy, Feist.

Words of wisdom: “Try then see what happens.”

Comments: dimwit@hdot.net