Why Can't I Be Both? (Canceled)

My piece can be summed to this fine point: the overbearing presence of body discrimination on the Middlebury College campus. In comparison to other campus wide topics of interest, this issue does not even register in the minds... [ view full abstract ]

My piece can be summed to this fine point: the overbearing presence of body discrimination on the Middlebury College campus. In comparison to other campus wide topics of interest, this issue does not even register in the minds of most of the students. They simply make their judgments, subtly, but strongly enough that the narrow margin of, for lack of a better characterization, overweight individuals (i.e. me) on this campus feel not only self-conscious but unwelcome. I have also been observant of how few people seem to be able to acknowledge this issue: when bringing it up in conversation among friends, addressing it with my advisor while discussing required P.E. credits, through uncomfortable glances I have received while going into the Fitness Center. There is so little representation for, not just women, but people that are in a similar position, that I feel it necessary to orate my concerns about this stigma attached to my person. Yes, I am fat. But if I’m okay with that, why can’t other people be okay with that too?