I have a few big triggers in my life and one of them is holiday events as a single person. (In fact, I realized when writing this post I’ve written about being single and child-free at the holidays several times, here, here and here.) Holidays are so loaded! It’s like here’s another time of year where you’re supposed to have a partner and that triggers all my feelings of not having this relationship I want. Plus all of the seeing family of origin stuff or not seeing family of origin and how isolating and hard it can feel at either end.
It’s hard to have a body at any old time of the year but especially given the trigger fest of eating and family and large meals and seeing people for the first time in a long time.
I was asked by Melissa A. Fabello of Everyday Feminism to be part of a Body Activist conglomerate on Twitter to provide support through a hash tag all day and evening on Thanksgiving!
I’ll be posting from the intersectionality of my work–about learning to love your body, being queer in the world, gender, and developing authenticity around family of origin.
All the information is below! Please signal boost!
From the release:
#THX4SUPPORT: A Twitter-Based Recovery Support Event
Thanksgiving is coming. And while for many of us, that means the excitement of friends, family, and food, for many others, Thanksgiving comes with it a lot of stress, fear, and anxiety.
But you’re not alone.
And this Thanksgiving, we want to make sure that you get the support, resources, and community that you need.
This Thanksgiving, use the hash tag #thx4support on Twitter to:
Reach our team of eating disorder, recovery, and body image activists for one-on-one support or inspiration
Find awesome articles, videos, and resources being tweeted out by organizations and activists
Make new friends by finding people across the country struggling with the same issues. Start a support network!
The following people will be on hand to talk you through any feelings of negativity that you experience:
Melissa A Fabello, Body Image Activist: @fyeahmfabello
Wagatwe Wanjuki, Writer and Activist: @wagatewe
Arielle Lee Bair, Recovery Blogger: @arielleleebair
Kat Lazo, Media Literacy Advocate: @theekatsmeoww
Matt Wetsel, Survivor Turned Activist: @tiledsarenomore
Bevin Branlandingham, Body Liberation Activist: @queerfatfemme
Use the hash tag #thx4support or tweet us directly.
Are you an organization who wants in on the action?
Use #thx4support to tweet out related articles and resources!
Let your followers know that this support is available. Share this graphic!
If you have capacity, join in on giving support to people using the hash tag.
And what can individuals do?
Follow #thx4support and send inspiration to those in need!
Tweet out your favorite resources using #thx4support.
Let us know what kinds of ideas and questions you have by tweeting us!
Because we believe that recovery is possible. And we know that support can help.
Struggling? The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) can help. Call toll-free 1.800.931.2237.
Originally published on Queer Fat Femme. Republished WITH PERMISSION MOTHERF*CKERS.
Bevin Branlandingham is living the life she’s always dreamed of as a queer artist, lawyer, body liberation activist and plus size party girl in Brooklyn, NY. She blogs about the relentless pursuit of her joy at QueerFatFemme.com.
this is really cool, bevin. i am definitely someone who struggles with having a body every single day of the year, but you’re right, holidays just make it that much more obvious/stressful. thanks for stepping up with such a tangible solution for giving support.
Thanks for the great/thoughtful post, Bevin! holidays are rough, y’all.
I think this is a great idea and I hope it helps a lot of people.
I have to say, though, I don’t think I’d be able to use it myself. I’d be too worried about being judged for not being in recovery and pressured to do so. That is not a thing that is going to happen any time soon for a variety of reasons and I really don’t want to talk about it.
^ That, 100%, it’s not a one-size-fits-all thing conventionally evo-attractive size-variant people imagine it to be. That said body-positivity has a huge role in my being a whole person – and the reverse-engineered and retrofitted fragments of it i am actually able to use have proved to be an invaluable assistance. Thank you to everyone who does this work.
What a wonderful idea!