[Note: The following is a NAAFA news release issued August 11, 2009]
NAAFA calls for healthcare reform and an end to discrimination against people of size
Oakland, CA—NAAFA celebrated our 40th anniversary at an annual fund raising convention July 31-August 3 in Washington, D.C. The convention ended on a high note as NAAFA and ASDAH sent teams to visit more than 30 U.S. Senators and Representatives, as well as the USDA, delivering the message that healthcare reform legislation must eliminate weight loss as a measure of success in healthcare and wellness programs and that we must put an end to discrimination against people of size.
The 2009 NAAFA Convention commenced with a tribute to the past as members shared photos and stories of NAAFA’s beginnings as well as the growth and progress experienced during the past 40 years. NAAFA founder Bill Fabrey shared that he never imagined the organization would still be going strong all these many years later, but that he was proud of all of its accomplishments and looked forward to the next 40 years.
During the Annual General Meeting on Friday morning, co-chair Jason Docherty highlighted the accomplishments of the past year such as the creation and distribution of the NAAFA Size Diversity Toolkit to over 96% of the Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. He continued by sharing some of our strategic plans for the coming years.
During Saturday’s Size Diversity Super Workshop, Dr. Linda Bacon opened our eyes to the concept of “thin privilege”, which she defines as “unjust advantages at the cost of others.” So many conclusions are drawn about one’s health, habits and capabilities based solely on the size/physical appearance of our bodies. These assumptions lead to discrimination in employment, compensation, promotion, healthcare, housing, public accommodation and more. Dr. Bacon encourages people of all sizes to work to end this discrimination because “it’s the right thing to do.”
Sondra Solovay, Esq., discussed fighting size discrimination in the work place from a legal perspective and highlighted best practices in Human Resources in regards to size discrimination. Sondra encouraged employers to take advantage of NAAFA’s Size Diversity Toolkit and not make costly HR mistakes. Sondra concluded by reminding us of a lesson she learned on how to ride a motorcycle, “Don’t look where you are, look where you are going.” This advice will serve us well when the battle begins to feel overwhelming.
At the Saturday night Awards Dinner and Masquerade Ball, NAAFA honored key individuals that have made major strides for the movement over the past 40 years:
* The Legislative Pioneer Award was presented to Mr. Sterling Tucker who was responsible for adding height and weight to the anti-discrimination laws of Washington, D.C. in 1977.
* The Size Acceptance Vanguard Award went to our own Bill Fabrey for being the founding father of NAAFA in 1969.
* Dr. Linda Bacon was the recipient of the Trend-Breaking Research Award for her work in Health At Every Size.
* Dr. Lily O’Hara received the International Size Acceptance Trailblazer Award for her work in a country that has no size acceptance movement. [Note: Dr. O’Hara lives and works in Australia.]
“Obesity causes $147 billion per year in extra medical costs in US” hit the headlines during the NAAFA convention and reporters began calling and writing, asking for NAAFA’s opinion of this announcement. NAAFA members Dr. Deb Burgard and Dr. Linda Bacon agreed to field interviews with NPR and CNN and our position on this important issue was clearly stated in a most timely manner. Dr. Bacon’s interview followed one given by the CDC’s Dr. William Dietz who agreed during the NPR interview that “people can be healthy at any size!”
Brandon Macsata, founder and president of the Association for Airline Passenger Rights (AAPR) with whom NAAFA has recently formed a strategic alliance, joined us for breakfast on Sunday as we began our day of training for the all so important visit to The Hill on Monday. Mr. Macsata shared tips for improving the quality of our travel experience and reinforced his commitment to fighting discrimination.
Joslyn Smith and Noreen Banks, activists and lobbyists teamed up with representatives from NAAFA and ASDAH to organize and coordinate advocacy training on Sunday afternoon and schedule our appointments with key players in the health care debate on Monday. The entire Advocacy Team invested many hours in research, planning, appointment setting, preparation of materials, and training which resulted in a truly historic visit to The Hill on Monday.
But these visits are only the beginning. We must continue to follow up with our legislators and provide them with more information to reinforce our commitment to size equality. NAAFA encourages you to email or call your legislators today. If you aren’t sure what to say, contact NAAFA and we’ll be happy to assist you with important speaking points. We must provide a unified message. We come in all sizes. Understand it, support it, accept it!
Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.
On the web: http://www.naafa.org
For more information contact:
Peggy Howell, Public Relations Director, NAAFA
email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
