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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 26 July 2019

Weight loss among fat-acceptance influencers a fraught topic

By LEANNE ITALIE “Diet culture,” she says, has
Associated Press been “basically imposed
NEW YORK (AP) — Fashion on us, mostly women. By
and lifestyle blogger Maui the same token, I also be-
Bigelow has always been lieve that people should
curvy and built a social me- do what’s best for their
dia presence by embrac- bodies.”JennyLee Molina
ing every pound. in Miami did what’s best
Until the worst happened. for her body by losing 80
At nearly 380 pounds, her pounds in a year, trimming
health took a dive. She was down to a size 8 after being
diagnosed with a blood told she was pre-diabetic.
cancer and multiple uter- She did it without surgery,
ine fibroids that couldn’t be and lost one of her heroes,
treated due to her weight. body-positive model Tess
That’s when she decided Holliday, in the process, af-
to have bariatric surgery, a ter documenting her health
weight loss procedure. and weight-loss journey on
She hadn’t yearned to be Instagram, where she has
thinner, but she wanted to 11,900 followers.
live at least long enough Molina’s feed includes be-
for her two children, ages fore-and-after photos. She
20 and 16, to make her a said she sought out Holliday
grandmother. through private messaging
“For months I talked to after realizing Holliday had
my counselor about how I This undated image released by Howell Designs Studio, LLC shows fashion and lifestyle blogger unfollowed her.
would share my truth with Maui Bigelow. “Your weight loss posts are
you,” Bigelow told her fol- Associated Press too triggering for me, I’m
lowers at Phatgirlfresh.com pens when, as in Bigelow’s said. “Some of these influ- about style and culture on sure you understand,” Hol-
after the weight loss sur- case, weight poses a seri- encers, they talk about be- Instagram and blogs at liday explained in a private
gery last year. “I was con- ous health risk, or they de- ing fat and how they love Mixedfatchick.com, isn’t reply earlier this year. “It’s
cerned about how you cide to shed pounds for their plus-size bodies and a fan of dieting, before- not personal.”
would receive it. I feared other reasons, turning their how they’re so empowered and-after pictures or the A representative for Holli-
the plus-size and body posi- careers and social chan- in the space that they’re in, lack of dialogue from fat- day did not respond to re-
tive communities wouldn’t nels from fat acceptance and they have all of these acceptance influencers quests for comment.
understand or respect my to smaller sizes, dieting and women who support them, about weight loss. As some- “She was a go-to for inspi-
choice.” fitness? who are cheering them on. one who has struggled ration, someone I admired
Bigelow, a former teacher “The people who are hav- Then fast forward, they lose with an eating disorder for in terms of embracing your
in Albany, Georgia, with ing weight loss surgery in the weight and you see the the better part of 30 years, curves, embracing where
67,500 monthly unique visi- our community, they have before and after pictures: she’s triggered by diet you’re at,” Molina said.
tors to her site and nearly the surgery, they go about Oh, this is when I was 350 talk and conflicted about “The community is very di-
40,000 followers on Insta- their business and they shut pounds. I was so depressed. weight turnarounds, espe- vided between those who
gram, was pleased her fans up, for the most part. But it’s I felt so ugly. And this is me cially those not directly ad- are more about fat pride,
were resoundingly positive. important to share. There now. I’m so happy. I’m so dressed. which is fine, and the ones
That’s not a small thing in are women who are strug- free. Wait a minute, girl. It’s the messaging, she said who are all about wher-
her corner of the internet. gling with health issues who Didn’t you say two years in an interview, especially ever you’re at, be comfort-
Fat-acceptance and body need this surgery,” Bigelow ago when you were 350 when dieting or weight loss able in your own skin. That’s
positive influencers like said in an interview. pounds that you loved your surgery transforms the on- where I feel like I am. I think
Bigelow are on the rise on She’s down to 240 pounds, body and that you loved line mission through photos everybody should em-
social media and as fash- but she’s struggling to fully the size that you were? Me, and new collaborations brace themselves at every
ion models as they fight accept her future of fewer I came into womanhood focused on health and step of the journey and we
back against the damag- pounds, both personally as a fat woman. I’m not as weight-loss products. shouldn’t shame people
ing pressures of idealized and professionally. confident as I was.” Schiavo-Campo’s con- who decide to lose weight
beauty peddled online “I was a bomb ass girl at al- Pia Schiavo-Campo, who cerns are echoed by others to feel better. There’s noth-
and off. But what hap- most 400 pounds,” Bigelow posts from Los Angeles in the anti-diet movement. ing wrong with it.”q

National Geographic aims to solve Amelia Earhart mystery

Associated Press Earhart and navigator Fred An archaeological team
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Noonan were attempting will investigate a poten-
The deep-sea explorer who an around-the-world flight tial Earhart campsite with
discovered the wrecked Ti- when their aircraft disap- search dogs and DNA sam-
tanic is tackling an aviation peared in July 1937, spawn- pling.
mystery: Amelia Earhart’s ing years of searches and The channel will air a two-
disappearance. speculation. hour special on Oct. 20.
Robert Ballard and a Na- Ballard and his team will “Expedition Amelia” will
tional Geographic expe- use remotely operated un- include clues gathered by
dition will search for her derwater vehicles in their the International Group for
plane next month near a search, the National Geo- Historic Aircraft Recovery In this Jan. 13, 1935, file photo, American aviatrix Amelia Earhart
Pacific Ocean atoll that’s graphic channel said Tues- that led Ballard to the atoll, climbs from the cockpit of her plane at Los Angeles, Calif.
part of the Phoenix Islands. day. named Nikumaroro.q Associated Press