Fat Yes, Weak? I Don't Think So: Betty Pamper's Thoughs On This Girl Can Campaign

I have been absolutely loving the This Girl Can campaign.A sassy celebration of active women everywhere highlighting  that whatever your size, ability or previous experience, sport and exercise can be a fun and enjoyable part of our lives.

It is a national campaign, developed by Sport England and delivered in partnership with a wide range of organisations which addresses the persistent gender gap that sees more men play sport than women at every age.

This photo was the centre piece of over two pages of online abuse. the reason? I'm fat and I'm in running gear

Only last year I was subjected to my own personal reddit page dedicated to calling me a fat disgusting bastard. Runners from around the world were choking on their protein shakes when I dared to write a blog post about running  and failed completely to get the irony of my  "Too fat to run" teeshirt.
Everything from the fact I was wearing lipstick to how awful my ankles were (who knew, they look perfectly normal to me) was attacked, is it any wonder woman need encouragement to take up running, join a gym or book an exercise class.

This woman can

Public exercise is still viewed as an activity that only  slim and outwardly "fit" looking people should do and yet if I had a pound for every heath pundit I have ever heard telling me to "get out there and exercise" I would be a wealthy woman. As a fat woman I have been lectured all my adult life about how I should move more, eat less (always by people who have no knowledge of how much of either of those activities I actually do)  and yet these same people will turn their noses up as I jog  past, beetroot red in the face, fat legs chaffing.

Week willed? I feel strong

So this advert and the energy around it is most welcome. 
I particularly love the strength emanating from these woman. 
Plus sized woman are too often viewed as weak. Weak willed, physically weak, pitiful without discipline or strength of character-how else have we "allowed" ourselves to become so repulsive.
Well I don't feel weak I feel strong, and certain and powerful.

lets spam the internet with pictures of women being strong, diverse and awesome

It is this need to ensure that not all pictures of plus size women are of the curvy pretty type (which I adore and is my go to style) which makes me switch up my looks, try out cosplay and help design teeshirts featuring a plus size warrior woman kicking shit out of zombies, being a pirate or a time traveler. 

I am a strong, disciplined fat woman-I am not unique

I believe the more female diversity we spam across social media the less entrenched we will all be in the "acceptable" face of beauty and health.
This campaign and the many, many body positive bloggers who continue to bring it every day (often in the face of unbelievable online hostility and abuse) tell the world that women can and should do whatever they want and look any way they like while doing it. 

This blogger can and so can you.