School of Rockin' Body Acceptance

I have a piece of shocking news.  Two, in fact.  The first is that I just heard the best piece of body acceptance wisdom, and it came from Hollywood, of all the most ridiculously unlikely places in the whole wide world.  The second is that I just saw "School of Rock"for the first time.

Remember Tomika?  Aka turkey sub?  She belts out powerful backup vocals in the school rock band, but doesn't want to go on stage.  Her band leader, Mr Schneebly (Jack Black), takes her aside to see what's wrong.

Jack Black: What are you afraid of?

Tomika: They're gonna laugh at me.

Jack: What????  Why would they laugh at you?

Tomika: I don't know...cuz I'm fat.







Jack: Hey, you've got something everybody wants.  You've got talent, girl.  You have an incredible singing voice, and I'm not just sayin' that.   You heard of Aretha Franklin, right?  OK, she's a big lady.  But when she starts singing, she blows people's minds!  Everybody wants to party with Aretha! And uh...you know who else has a weight issue?

Tomika: Who?

Jack: Me.  But...once I get up on stage, start doing my thing, people worship me!  Because I'm SEXY.  AND chubby, man.

Tomika: Why don't go you on a diet?

Jack: Because, I Like To Eat.  Is that such a crime?  Look, that's not even the point.  The thing is, you're a rock star now.  All you gotta do is go out there and rock your heart out.  People are gonna dig you, I swear.  Let's just go out there and show them what we got.  Whaddya say?

Words don't get wiser than that.  Although Jill Andrew, who's campaigning to change the Ontario Human Rights Code to make body size discrimination illegal, also had some wise words on the subject recently (check out this podcast), which I hope people will listen to and take to heart.

Even though I cringe, leave the room, or call people out when anti-fatty jokes and commentary comes up, I'm just as guilty as anyone for this kind of biased, and knobesque thinking.  I feel really crappy about my appearance when I'm on a non-mindful wave long enough to need to pull out the big stretchy pants.  I feel great when people notice that my mindful eating practice has been "paying off". I was in Bulk Barn today and found myself judging the body sizes of the teenagers wandering the candy aisles as I filled my bag with Smarties (on sale this week!).

Oh, to be as enlightened as Jack Black.  I'll keep trying.