kataangcaps:

ifuwerehere:

fullmetalcabbages:

Hey Capstarians. Zuko here. I just want to say I love Katara, most ardently! Fat Mai can go stuff her face with fat fruit tarts!

[Source]

i’ve meaning to write a reaction to this for some time. as a recovering anorexic, the women of Avatar have really inspired me to become the strong, powerful, kind, person, like i’ve always wanted to be and ended up losing in my eating disorder. NOW WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THIS ABOUT A CHARACTER WHO HAS HELPED ME TO RECOVER, I GET ANGRY. not only does it support and influence the idea that there is something inherently wrong with being “fat” or enjoying food, but it’s completely inappropriate for a grown man to say something like about a CHILDREN’S TV SHOW. not that it would matter either way, but i’m gonna throw in there the fact that Mai is not fat at all. but you know what? even if she was overweight, it would still be an awful, inappropriate, unacceptable comment. fat shaming is hurtful. to everyone, and to me personally. it’s a societal ideal to be thin, and Avatar helped me to discard that ideal in favour of recognising who i am as a person and identifying as that, rather than as a weight, rather than how my bones showed through my skin or how many people commented on my eating disorder. supporting this idea that being anything but thin is not okay, is not okay. frankly, i’m extremely disappointed and fucking outraged that Dante Basco would say this. i can’t even convey to you how i feel. it makes me sick.

It’s dickheads like ^^^ that need to get a life. It’s funny. It’s a side comment and it’s damn funny. Nobody cares if she’s fat or not. This isn’t even supposed to offensive. And it’s about a children’s show. It’s not like he’s the President or the Queen or some shit. He’s an actor. He’s a person. And if everyone is going to find everything offensive, why the FUCK are you on the internet in the first place. Get over yourself. Everything isn’t about you.

Hey asshole, why don’t you pull your head out of your ass and realize that entertainment and what actors say HAS an effect on children, and in many cases leads them to very destructive behavior in order to live up to sexist standards. Fat shaming is NOT funny, especially when the audience is young and impressionable. If you think attitudes that often lead to girls developing anorexia is “funny”, then you’re the one with the problem. 

I’ve been debating whether to reblog for this for the longest time but that comment tipped the balance. What Dante Basco said was not cool. Everyone knows it was a “joke”, doesn’t mean it can’t be incredibly offensive. Honestly I don’t know how a man of his age did not actually listen or think about what he was saying. Just cause he’s a famous actor doesn’t mean he should get a free pass, the opposite actually, he should think more about what he says when so many people look up to him.