Another Update: Responding to the critics

Personal Note: I know it’s been a long time since my last post, which explained why it had been a long time since my last post before that (thank you everyone for all of your support!)  I am breaking the silence now. I posted this on my personal blog but wanted to share it here, too, because I think it’s relevant. Now that I’ve cleared the air (and have organized my time and priorities) I will be back next week with new posts every Monday. So stay tuned! Until then… 

Originally published July 28, 2014 here.

“So now we get to deal with more liberal fem bullshit.”

Yes, apparently that is me: Liberal, Feminist, Bullshit.

Tonight shit hit the fan. Literally. OK not literally. But still – literally. 

The #StopFitspiration haters are back and in full-force. They are coming strong and hard and they are incessant.

Tonight I was graced with my first ever “I hope you die” and “Go kill yourself” messages.

That was fun.

As someone who deals with death and suicide on a daily basis (and contemplated it herself in the past) I really appreciate it, thanks, guys.

They say we hate exercise. wrong.
They say we hate thin people. wrong.
They say we are fat, glutinous slobs who want excuses for our sedentary, lazy lifestyles. wrong. wrong. wrong.

They say they are going to harass us into exhaustion so we will give up.

But I am afraid I am going to have to disappoint you guys because I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. 

So you can say whatever you want to say about me, about Libero Network, about our project. And you can tweet at me until your hands are cramped and your fingers are bruised. And you can call me every name in the book (for the record – I’m pretty sure I’ve been called them all).

And you can fight and yell and scream and threaten.

But I’m not going anywhere. 

Because here’s the thing:

I am sick of people calling me names.

I am sick of people using verbal abuse tactics to intimidate me or to shut me up. 

I am sick of people mis-quoting me and misrepresenting me. 

I am sick of people thinking they have the right to tell me who I am. 

And most of all, I am sick of people using words as weapons. 

“I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.”

I am going to keep singing my song because I believe that exercise is not meant to be used as a means to an aesthetic end.

I believe fitness is about improving internal health indicators.

I believe you can be healthy at any size.

I believe “fit” looks different on everyone.

I believe that all bodies are good bodies.

I believe that all bodies deserve respect (from others, and from ourselves).

I believe that working out three hours a day is excessive.

I believe morals, guilt, punishment, and shaming should not be brought into the fitness conversation.

I believe fitness can and should be fun.

I believe it’s OK to take a day off – or week, or month. Life is long and we are here to develop healthy, ongoing habits, not rigorous routines.

And I believe I am not the only one who knows these things to be true.

And so I will not give up on this message. I am not going anywhere – and you will not shut me up. 

And if in your world I am “fat” and in your world “fat” is a problem and something needing to be fixed, then all I can say is I am glad I do not live in your world.

And I also say this….

And lastly, this…

In the words of Nashville’s Juliette Barnes: “You push on me, I’m gonna push back harder – I’ve got a whole lot more than just a little bit left…” 

It’s gonna take more than this to pull me under.

So let the liberal, feminist bullshit live on!

That’s all.

If you agree, share this post:
Dear #StopFitspiration Haters: Don’t Put Dirt on my Grave Just Yet
(click to tweet)

_______

Twitter: @lauren_b_sag
(fitspo-crazed hate-driven fat-shamers need not follow)

2 thoughts on “Another Update: Responding to the critics”

  1. It is very, very difficult for me to understand someone who doesn’t agree with your stance and principles, Lauren. Ii do and I’m sure millions and millions of others do as well. But I *certainly* will not criticize how others believe. Those who have to hold on so tenaciously to their lifestyle…or how they think they should be living…are the ones who can be the most aggressive in defending their beliefs. That indicates to me that somewhere down deep they wish they didn’t have those beliefs and feel oppressed by them, but they can’t, or are unwilling to, change them. The ones that do want to change the negative way they see themselves and others are the ones that might benefit from just what you have done in this post….defend yourself with calm, strong assurance, and not waiver. Sometimes we plant seeds on hard ground that might take years to finally take root.

  2. Pingback: Another Update: Responding to the critics

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