Fantastic Fat and Time to Love it Part 2: Chatty Fatty

One way, and probably the only way, we are going to rewire our brain against its feelings on fat is by talking about it. And who isn’t afraid to talk about things we don’t want to talk about? Stand-up comedians. Exactly. You read my mind.

Over the past few years I have essentially become an online social media stalker of stand-up comedians and developed a secret dream to become part of a stand-up comedian girl squad. Pascoe and Bea – I’m looking at you. I like all their posts and comment like I know them. It’s sad. You know it. I know it. But let me have my dreams.

One of my absolute favourites and secret ‘Please be my dreamphone playing BFF forever’ is Sofie Hagen. Sign up for Sofie's newsletter now – I SAID NOW! Honestly, it is such a hilarious and heartwarming pick-me-up. Sofie is a brilliant comedian and has written a book called Happy Fat which you can pre-order here. Sofie is someone who has found complete contentment in being in her body and it is infectious. The recent TED talk Sofie did about how we can be both fat and happy is well worth a watch. They are not mutually exclusive. We all need to understand this. Your brain needs to know this.

However, not all of us have found an end to our stories. Not all of us have fully embraced our whole beings. Probably not even Sofie on some days. It’s a complicated journey. We are pretty much always told stories with a narratively neat conclusion. Stories of overcoming adversity and getting to a better place. Very rarely do we see a story that shows us that overcoming our problems is not a linear journey. Sometimes it’s good, then bad, then middling, then confusing.

Fatty Fat Fat at Vault Festival is one of those rare stories. The marvellous and charismatic Katie Greenall is one of those rare storytellers. She tells us about her relationship with fat, her fat, in all it’s complicated glory. She doesn’t say that she has the answers but instead that she is on ‘a journey to understand’ and I honestly could have stood up and hugged her right on stage. It was so nice to feel that we can explore, think and feel and not have to tie it all up in a tiny little bow just yet. I encourage you to go see it – if only for the changing room scene which is honestly one of the best depictions of trying on clothes I have ever seen.

I also, encourage you to start your own journey to understand fat – look at it, touch it (with consent) and think about it from another perspective. There’s no right way. It won’t be linear. It is important.

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