| Alaska: Definitely The Last Frontier By Pepper Scott From the arid desert of the frozen tundra to the lush "tropics" of the Tongass rainforest, visitors to the "Last Frontier" are usually overwhelmed by the outgoing, good-natured, generosity of the inhabitants of our country's largest state. The sparsely populated vastness seems to bid even the most hesitant to explore her riches - flora, fauna, wildlife, and culture. And the adventure itself is enriched by the incredible open-mindedness of the various people groups who reside there.
Creative compromise knits and pearls it's way through every home and every bar in the state, regarding every controversial subject under the midnight sun - from legalizing drugs and prostitution, to a succession of state. Oh yes, these Alaskan's pride themselves on their openness, their ability and willingness to pave new roads (heck, paving the ones they have might be a first step), and their wide-armed embrace of futuristic concepts.
I suppose that is why my personal ten-year trek through Alaska has been one of mixed reviews and bittersweet romance. Alaska will always be my first love. And, as we all know, love never comes easily, or without a price. I was seduced from my Appalachian roots of bluegrass music, quilts, and whitetail deer, to her inviting bed of towering mountains, soaring eagles, and the winter's siren call of wolves. Lured there by Alaska's known openness to freedom seekers of all types, I felt for sure that I would finally find the perfect forum for presenting my outspoken views on obesity, and all of the issues surrounding it, both physically and psychologically. How wrong I was.
Alaska, my beautiful lover, had a vicious streak. Oh, I could stand atop my soapbox and scream for hours on gender issues, the breakdown of our government, or the pros and cons of gay rights, and she would blow me a kiss of a fifteen-knot wind to show her support. But the minute I barely whispered "size acceptance", or poo-fahed some new "get thin quick" scam, I was tossed quite unceremoniously out into a nine-foot snowdrift on my ample rear. | I remember at first I thought it was just one particular region that seemed to stand out against Alaska's pristine perfectness like the proverbial sore thumb. However, as I explored region after region, I began to feel I had fallen into a bad dream, and out of grace with my frigid love. Having written a book on the subject of size acceptance, and filling notebooks full of clothing and lingerie designs for large women, I recoiled from the stinging slap in the face I was harshly dealt. No one wanted to even review my book, and one bookstore owner who refused to carry my book, even told a customer that she felt I was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle by pursuing the size acceptance issues, or at least attempting to justify my own obesity. I interviewed seven different artists to help me sketch out my clothing designs. Six of them were appalled at what I wanted to produce - a line of beautiful and sexy clothing for what I considered to be beautiful and sexy women. One guy was physically repulsed by the whole concept of even drawing lingerie of this type. He even asked, "I don't have to watch some nasty fat chick model this stuff, do I?" The seventh applicant was more than willing to take on the project, but she just couldn't draw. Still reeling from shock, in this, my first lover's quarrel with Alaska, I attempted inviting people to my home to discuss size acceptance issues - how they affected us personally, geographically, and even globally. The first meeting was a disaster, and set the pace for the remaining few. One ultra thin teen showed up alone. She was to have attended with her friend who was heavy. Both had previously discussed the serious emotional affects their size had had on their personal lives. They had such low self-esteem, I had wanted to cry out for them. When I asked where her friend was, she said the girl's father had said she was to have absolutely nothing to do with me and my size acceptance group. He had told her she wouldn't need a size acceptance "therapy" group if she'd just staple her mouth shut. I was horrified. I tried to call him and talk to him, but he was having none of that. |