We Come in All Sizes- NAAFA Motto

Human Rights Activist Peggy Howell is the Public Relations Director of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). According to Howell, NAAFA is a civil rights organization, dedicated to ensuring that the rights of fat people are not abridged. NAAFA’s motto is, “We Come in All Sizes. . Understand it. Support it. Accept it.”

NAAFA was founded in 1969. Next year will be the group’s 40th anniversary. The organization was started by Bill Fabrey, in the New York area. It was intended to be a social exchange group, as well as a political group. “It’s an avenue for expressing our opinions, via letter writing to newspapers, to congress and to state representatives,” Howell explains. The organization grew tremendously, and at one time had chapters in every state.

Howell says that NAAFA has a three-prong approach: Education, Advocacy, and Support. According to the group’s brochure, some of its work is done around the commercial weight loss industry, the “size discriminatory” practices of airlines, and the White House’s health care reform proposals.

As well as writing letters, NAAFA members advocate for such changes as wider seats (in airplanes, etc.) and asks the government to add height and weight to the anti-discrimination laws. In fact, Howell says that research proves that the childhood obesity epidemic is directly related to the increase in the number of children who currently being diagnosed as bipolar. She says that the drugs they are given bring about weight gain and type 2 diabetes. According to a study published in 2007, the number of children being given anti-psychotics increased 40-fold between 1994 and 2003, then more than doubled, from 2003 to 2006, to 4.4 million. This does not even include the children on meds for ADD and ADHD which have the same side effects.

NAAFA: Not just for Socializing

Howell says that with the advent of the BBW social events, such as dances, nationwide, people who were interested only in the social aspect of NAAFA left the group. In addition, 9/11 brought about a downturn in charitable giving. “We had an office in California for several years,” she states. “After 9/11, people were giving to victims and survivors of the terrorist attacks. NAAFA had to close its office and let the staff go. The group is all volunteer now.”

NAAFA’s annual convention is the major fundraiser for this not-for-profit organization.. One year it is held on the East Coast; the next year, on the West. This year’s convention will be held July 9-13, in Los Angeles, at the LAX Marriott. “We will be holding a concurrent convention,” Howell explains. “Tuesday, the NAAFA Convention will start. Then, on Friday, the ASDAH (Association for Size Diversity and Acceptance) convention will begin. This group is made up of medical professionals, nutritionists, and others who support the HAES (Health at Every Size) lifestyle.”

An International Organization

Howell says she is not sure of the current size of NAAFA membership. “We have a co-chair from Canada and members from England and France. We’re actually an international organization, run entirely by volunteers.”

“To the best of my knowledge, we’re the only organization that raises money for an legal fund called FLARE (Fat Legal Advocacy, Rights and Education), for people discriminated against because of their size.”

Howell adds that NAAFA is working closely with an organization for people of short stature. “We are actively involved in getting size – both height and weight – built into anti-discrimination laws. There is a bill in Massachusetts to be voted on in June. What I’d like to see is us going at it on the federal level.”

“The harassment of people of size is so great that we can’t afford to wait. Discrimination is wrong and we must put an end to it NOW!”

NAAFA

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