Praise Be to the Plus-Sized Sister

By Kamane' Malvo Marshall

Seems like I have been on a diet since I was a zygote forming in my mother's womb.

And as the cycle of gaining and losing weight continues to recycle itself, I am not ashamed of my plus-sized status.

Being a fat black woman in America did not stop me from graduating from college nor did it stop me from becoming my husband's beloved wife; however, living at different sizes of large has been socially challenging. 

On more than one occasion it has been my faith in God and my belief that there is indeed a plus-sized section in heaven that encouraged me to remain humble. It takes insurmountable divine intervention to encourage me to turn the proverbial cheek, when my initial response to unsolicited diet tips is the Karate Kid's crane technique. 

Despite my constant confrontation with race, gender, and size discrimination, I refuse to believe that my physical characteristics automatically classify me as a third class citizen.

DNA is the measure of my humanity, not my BMI.

In a society where obesity is now an epidemic, it is time for America to have a wake up call when it comes to the treatment of fat people and those of us who struggle with food and weight issues. When we want to talk about acceptance and tolerance, there is always a pedestal for skinny women to stand on.  Disability laws protect people with mental and physical challenges. And overweight men are protected by gender. 

Justice suddenly becomes silent when a fat woman enters into the social equation.

Positive examples of my type of woman in the media are few and far between.  And the fact that Eddie Murphy's Norbit fiasco received an Academy Award nomination for best achievement in make-up screams into society that fat black women are ugly, angry, and mean.

It takes a headstrong woman to love herself despite an entire society telling her that she ain't worth two dead flies.  It takes a woman with unbelievable intelligence, spirituality, and confidence to remain positive when she is considered unacceptable.

I praise myself and any other full-figured sister who is the very definition of grace under fire. 

We are beautiful, worthy, and blessed. We are the marrow in the bone, the root in the ground, the prize at the bottom of the cereal box.

As women of valor, being large does not make us less.  It makes us powerful.

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About the Author: Kamane Malvo Marshall is a newlywed with a new found wisdom about love, life, and spirituality.  As a promoter of size acceptance, her boldness and honesty encourages women to be empowered to love themselves just as they are.  Kamane's publications include Small World Newsletter, Double Dare Press, BlackMarket.com, Betty Magazine, The Sacramento Observer, San Francisco Independent, and The Pioneer Newspaper.  She is currently working on a novel.  She maybe contacted at kamanemarshall@live.com .

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