…cultural influences have a huge impact on how one approaches weight loss. Let’s look at the word “normal” for a minute. If you were raised in a culture where the mother was overweight and heavy and the children were overweight and heavy, no one looks at that as there’s something wrong with this picture. It becomes their norm which then makes you desensitized to it.”
“Take for instance the words we use to describe our bodies today. I can’t emphasize enough to women that the word “thick” is not a medical term. That is a cultural term that has really – in my belief – negatively impacted out health. Because if being “thick” is a good thing, I’m not consciously aware of when I am gaining weight.”
“It’s very scary, because we’re not thick, we’re morbidly obese.”
BlackDoctor.org: How can women combat these cultural images?
Jackson: “I think it’s important that we’re presented with more positive images of healthy Black women. It’s hard to emulate what you don’t see.”
“We embrace ‘well girl I’m big,’ I’m this or that. But I think behind that is…