Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance, by Mary Ray Worley

As the weight debate rages on, Mary Ray Worley’s “Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance,” seeks to dispel and shatter many of the stereotypes often placed upon the overweight. Worley states that, “Americans would rather die or cut off a limb than be fat,” (Worley 291). Worley’s basis for writing the article is to explain her experiences of being an overweight woman in a society that does not accept her and how she overcomes this stereotype.

Worley uses the comparative contrast of the real world and atmosphere at the NAFFA convention to discuss the differences in her “planets”. Worley claims that most current studies indicate that body size is primarily determined by one’s genetic makeup. She mentions the new outlook on body image and believes we all should create “a new relationship with our bodies, one that doesn’t involve self-loathing” (Worley 291). Worley expresses extreme distrust and outright hatred for physicians, doctors, and all others associated with the medical field.

At the NAFFA convention, Worley realizes how much her body keeps her from enjoying her life. She talks about her time when she was in high school and she did not get the lead role in the play because she was overweight (Worley 291). This is not a valid statement. Maybe she was not the most talented performer that was trying out for the school play. We do not know. Her remarks are similar to other overweight people blaming their problems on society.

Worley mentions Dr. Diane Budd, unknown doctor, to support the claim from ‘’current studies’’ that body size is primarily determined by one’s genetic makeup (Worley 292). This may be the case that body size is determined from genetics, but Dr. Budd cannot be trusted on this topic simply because s...

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...tead of taking ownership of her problems.

Lifestyle choices are and should be subject to scrutiny. People should be able to defend who they are. Indeed, the author even critiques the lifestyle of healthy and skinny people. Offering no real solutions, Mary Ray Worley is another angry soul shouting into the wind, telling the real world that she will not conform. Although she does have some valid points in her article, she needs to support her claims with facts instead of her own opinions.

Works Cited

Worley Ray, Mary. “Fat and Happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance.” Writing & Reading for ACP

Composition. Eds. Thomas E. Leahey and Christine R. Farris. New York: Pearson Custom Publishing, 2009. 189-194. Print.

“Genomics and Health.” Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Center for Disease Control

and Prevention, 10 April. 2010. Web. 21 September. 2011.