“Your Fats Buddy” is not trying to resolve fatphobia or present a historical past lesson on fatness in America (which might require six seasons of hour-long episodes at minimal), and as a substitute makes use of the character-driven focus of Aubrey Gordon’s existence and activism as a reminder to the world at massive that society is permissibly merciless to fats individuals. Every time fats individuals speak candidly concerning the obstacles we face or justifiably complain concerning the rubbish therapy we obtain, we’re all the time advised to “love ourselves.”
Sounds good, besides loving myself is not going to make a physician prescribe me an antibiotic as a substitute of weight reduction after I are available in complaining a few sinus an infection. Captioning my photographs with “attractive is not a measurement it is a frame of mind” is not going to magically remind an employer that my work ethic is just not dictated by my weight in a rustic the place weight discrimination is completely authorized within the office in most states. Or as Aubrey Gordon places it, “you may’t love your manner out of oppression.”
The massive lie about anti-fat bias is that folks imagine it has to take care of inner components when the fact is that fats people who find themselves depressing really feel that manner as a result of society is so inhospitable, discriminatory, and inaccessible. It is why I critically thought I used to be going to lose my f***ing thoughts listening to individuals name “The Whale” a “courageous” or “transferring” movie when it fails to acknowledge the precise issues fats individuals face and as a substitute presents “the nightmare of a skinny individual come to life, disguising a cautionary story as certainly one of humanity whereas dehumanizing the protagonist at each flip.” This documentary is about Aubrey Gordon’s rise in fame, sure, but it surely’s additionally a mirrored image of the day-to-day expertise of thousands and thousands. It is sincere and empathetic with out ever begging the viewers to see fats individuals as human.
Both you see us that manner, or you do not, and that is your subject to work by by yourself time and dime.
“Your Fats Buddy” is accessible in restricted theaters and on VOD by Jolt.