'Fat' is an Asian feminist issue

White feminists' take on fat being a feminist issue has nothing on the Asian woman's world. Being fat shamed happens in our own homes, in our relative's homes when we visit, in the events that we go to such as the weddings, birthday parties and, if you are Tamil, the 'coming of age' events where a girl's first period is, so-called, 'celebrated'. 

The take downs from the aunties, cousins, uncles, friends and the list goes on is so 'in your face'. If you are conscious of your weight and figure, the anxiety starts just at the thought of you being on the receiving end. One almost ends up playing a guessing game of who is going to be the first person to say it - "You HAVE put on weight haven't you?" 

A female cousin of mine long ago gave up seeing the family, and that does include all 100 of us, because she couldn't get her weight under control. Far easier, she decided, to stay at home. 

At junctions like this, when fat shaming becomes a lifestyle determining issue, that feminism kicks in. Men are told that their 'fat' is down to good living. Our 'fat' is, instead, twinned with getting or keeping a man. Let's face it, that's the only reason why we are fat shamed. Our sexuality is never our own. It's bonded to male sexuality. 

Push past the 'aunty' humour that Asians create to deflect the patriarchy and the tragedy is that numerous Asian women are being emotionally harmed because of body image issues. Fat-ism blights lives.