A few words from Sandra Wickham

A few words about Historical Fiction ... 2013 so far....

A few words from Sandra Wickham

Health Ally

When Liz told me I could blog about whatever I wanted for this guest post, my little brain went into overdrive. After coaxing it down from swirling at top speed, I decided the most important thing I’m doing right now are my own Health Ally blog posts.

What’s a Health Ally, you ask? It’s a term I’ve made up and it all began when I’d had enough. I felt it was time to take a stand.

On April Fool’s day of 2013, Locus Magazine upset many people with their “WisCon Makes Burqas Mandatory for All Attendees” post. If you saw the post, which was taken down within an hour, then you know there were a multitude of reasons why it caused outrage. I felt the need to point out one more. It may have only been a small side joke, but it really, REALLY pissed me off. In reference to the mandatory burqas the article said, “the convention would have substantial quantities of Burqas for rental to congoers, from Small to 5XL sizes.”

Why include that line at all if it weren’t intended as another joke? A joke aimed at con goers and anyone else I might add, who would require a “5XL” size. Being overweight, underweight, or unhealthy is not a joke and yet it’s treated that way far too often.

I’m not only talking about this or other quips aimed at large sized people, I also mean when we make fun of ourselves. It happens all the time. We make jokes about eating too much, about not exercising, or about putting on a few pounds. I know, humour as a coping device, I get that, but it also gives us an excuse not to take a closer look and do something about it.

But aren’t we’re supposed to make fun of being out of shape, unhealthy or overeating? That’s what everyone does, right? That way we can all go on ignoring the deeper issues and the pain those jokes may be causing people. What about the people hearing or reading those jokes that don’t think it’s funny, that take offense to those jibs and jabs.

I don’t think there is even a word for someone who stands up for health, so I stole the idea of being an Ally from the LGBT community and applied it to health. Every Thursday I write a Health Ally post. I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough to say, then the CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch immediately gave me something to talk about with his, to paraphrase, our clothes are not for ugly or fat people statements.

Not every Health ally post I write is about pointing out health injustices; sometimes it’s just a tip for healthier living. I want to be someone who discourages crude, thoughtless belittling of health issues and encourages a higher level of health for everyone, no matter who you are, what you look like, weigh, or where you’re at in your life.

Prejudice toward someone based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or how much they weigh is unacceptable in any setting. This is me, taking a stand against weightism. Won’t you join me?