I have been fat my entire life.

I was a big baby, growing into a chubby kid, and later a curvy teenager. I have never been a size zero, and never will be.

So it bothers me when I refer to myself as fat and everyone's response tends to be, "Stop, you're not fat."

Would you stop me if I said I was short? Would you stop me if I said I was white?

Fat is as much a physical descriptor as is short or white, so there should be no reason that I am not allowed to call myself fat. Yet I am constantly barred from saying I am fat or chubby or overweight.

I know what is being implied: that to be fat means to be ugly. But I am not saying I am ugly, I am just saying I am fat; this girl knows she is beautiful, curves and all.

Lisa Newton-Orensky

I am not blaming anyone for their denial that I am fat, I know it's not entirely your fault.

In today's society being skinny is ideal and fat is unattractive. But it's time that this stereotype is broken.

It's time to reset social standards. It's time to stop assuming that fat needs to have a negative connotation. It's time allow ourselves to feel beautiful no matter what we look like.

Jasey Gearhart