Responses and risk: A thread

I will try to write up something coherent soon, but one of my big takeaways from the last week (see link in bio if you don't know what's up) is that the larger the audience, the less likely the #HAES figure to take any risks.

I'm seeing a lot of thin white women with big followings post one bland Instagram story and that's it. Or nothing.

And I've seen some people I consider friends vaguepost about how they're "conflicted" about something and need time to think.

It's unsettling to think that even some people who know me personally are conflicted about whether they're on my side.

It's also hilarious that a lot of the objections are about "mobbing" or the extent to which LB and MP fucked around and found out.

Thinness and whiteness are not magic get-out-of-consequences free cards.

A whole lot of people finding out about your crappy actions and saying "whoa, not okay" is a consequence, not oppression.

All the thin white people in HAES have to do is post one insipid "I stand with Mikey, Lindley and ASDAH" story that disappears in 24 hrs.

All LB and MP have to do is continue their careers with the thousands of supporters they still have.

Meanwhile, my stomach tightens a little more every time I see that I'm getting web traffic from fat-hate sites like R*ddit and K*wifarms.

Will I have mobs of haters inundating my posts? Will I get doxxed again? Will it be even worse?

Here's the difference:

These thin white folks are experiencing disapproval — most of it mild — for behaving badly.

Fat and/or Black folks experience hatred for existing, and for asking politely not to be oppressed.

Originally tweeted by Lindley Ashline (she/her) 🌻🇺🇦 (@lindleyashline) on March 16, 2022.

Lindley Ashline

Hi there! I'm Lindley. I create artwork that celebrates the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional "beauty" standards at Body Liberation Photography. I'm also the creator of Body Liberation Stock and the Body Love Shop, a curated central resource for body-friendly artwork and products. Find all my work here at bodyliberationphotos.com.

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