The Canadian Obesity Network is trying to change the stereotype of overweight people through photography.
Tired of the stereotypical photos and videos of obesity in the media which usually involves shots of torsos with no heads, advocates decided to make their own stock photos of real Canadians in non-stereotypical scenarios.
“They’re really the images that everybody would have a problem with. Whether you’re skinny or have a little bit of excess weight, you don’t want a picture just of your midrift without your face showing, or pictures from behind of you walking,” says Linnie Von Rekowsky of the Canadian Obesity Network, “Often times media thinks they’re doing these individuals a favour when really no, they’re not at all.”
“When you put a face to these images, suddenly the image changes very much,” explains Dr. Arya Sharma, an obesity expert.
The photos called “Perfect at any size” show real people doing healthy things, like working out or going for a hike.
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“The perception is that a fat person doesn’t work out,” says one of the models, Marty Enokson, “a person stays at home, sits in their chair, watches TV, eats bonbons and does nothing. And that is so far from the truth.”
There has been 3 shoots already and the Canadian Obesity Network hopes media will use the photos in future stories.
“Honestly it’s because I’ve always been overweight, pretty much my entire life,” says model Adrianna O’Regan, “and it was just making it known that yes, it’s a stigmatism that’s easily made fun of, but I want to show overweight people in a positive light so that is shows people that some of us aren’t just lazy and we’re trying to get better.”
O’Regan hopes the project will remind people that not everyone with excess weight is a couch potato.
“I work out, I do what I’m supposed to do, I try to watch what I’m eating and this is the way I am now,” she says.
Experts say people can be obese for many reasons, including genetics, medications, emotional eating, mobility issues or sleep problems.
Sharma says negative images like those headless torsos seen in the media promote discrimination and misconception.
“We find a lot of skinny people who have unhealthy lifestyles and a lot of skinny people who are not eating healthy diets.”
You can check out the images at the Canadian Obesity Network website.
With files from Su-Ling Goh
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