There is a Turkish journalist. Her name is Ayse Arman. Most Turks are familiar with her, because they either love her or hate her. I am indifferent. I like reading some of her pieces. She is very bold, very open... which is why she is always the talk of the town. She uses this to attract more attention. She loves attention! Then again, which journalist wouldn't love the attention?
Anyhow... In the past she had a hijabi file. She dressed up as a hijabi for a few days and experienced the reactions of people. This time she has a fat file. She wears a fat suit, has a special fat mask made for her, and walks around Istanbul as an overweight person at 150kg. She wants to write about what it is like to be overweight in Turkey.
I too had mentioned in previous posts how difficult it is in Turkey... Australia is a lot easier as people are more accepting even if not fully accepting!
Anyhow, I found her "discoveries" spot on, and wanted to share parts of her piece with you. Some parts may not make sense, so don't worry. I have not done the best translation, but it will make do and ou will get out of it what you should. :)))
Here goes...
...
If you are fat you have no choice! You have to get used to the cruel stares - Ayse ARMAN (Hurriyet Gazetesi, 05 December 2010)
THE MOST LOVEABLE FAT PERSON
Yes, my mask sets into my face.
Ooooo!
It has completely set in.
Now it is a part of me, I can laugh and all.
The image in the mirror surprises everybody, “Who is this?”
I became a loveable fat person. The false nails are done too. Kiraz says, “Come, let’s get some large rings on those fingers, they will look good.”
And now time to get dressed...
Kiraz said, “Put on the vest so it can look more convincing.”
Ta ta ta taaaaaam...
I am ready.
Everybody in the studio screams.
Lesson #1: Two fat people fit in an elevator, but if the third one goes in, it becomes a disaster!
The door does not close.
Hande and Emre walk down the stairs.
At that moment Berin and eye meet eye to eye and burst into laughter.
Berin says, “Here we go. Let’s see how you are going to feel walking on the Cadde (refers to Bagdat Caddesi, a very famous and posh street in Istanbul). I am curious...”
The winter sun shines down, it is a beautiful day.
I am hungry, I feel like a simit (Turkish bagel), I walk towards the man who sells simit.
As soon as he sees my size, he asks, “How many do you want?”
Yay, I’ve done it!
I am convincing.
Everyone is aware that I am very overweight.
Even the simit seller.
Everyone is looking at me.
I take a bite, then I feel uncomfortable and put the simit in my bag.
Lesson #2: If you are fat, you should not eat anything outside!
You attract more attention.
They look at you as if to say, “Have you not eaten enough!”
Yes, they look, they stare, the are looking at me focusing all their attention, they are examining every inch of me, weighing me in their mind, thinking, “I wonder how much over 100kg she is?”
If you are fat, then you are in big trouble!
The openly stare at you making their thoughts obvious.
Judgingly.
As if to say, “You are miserable!”
“You have no will power!”
“You are guilty!”
It’s weird, they didn’t stare this much even when I wore clothing that could be considered sexy!
I share this thought with Berin.
“That’s right,” she said, “If there were three people and one of them was consuming excessive alcohol, one was smoking excessively and the other was eating excessively, out of these three addicts, the overweight one would be left standing alone, everybody would be pointing at him/her. If you are obese, then that’s it. People think they have the right to say/ask everything about you...”
It is true, they are sizing up every inch of me.
My face, my double chin...
However, this is not because the mask looks unreal.
They are looking at Berin too.
Because we are different, because we do not look like them...
Women look at us thinking, “Thank God I am not like that.”
Men either act as though we do not exist or they look with pity.
And it’s interesting, nobody is trying to hide that they are looking.
They look, making it obvious.
At times I want to scream, “What are looking at!”
I want to say, “There is a human inside this body!”
Then suddenly it hits me.
Did I make the same mistake without the mask?
Lesson #3: If you are fat, you need to get used to people staring at your with piercing eyes.
SENSELESS MALE TALK
On the other hand, as two female journalists, we laugh and have fun with Berin.
Children are approaching us.
Berin says, “Look their reaction is the best!”
She’s right, a five-six year old child nudges his friend and says, “Had you ever seen one that was this fat!”
They are so real.
They are so real.
In the meantime a nearby school is over and the reaction of young males is the cruellest! Looking at us, they make fun saying, “She’s perfect for you, who knows how you would get squashed under that!”
Senseless male talk.
Whatever anybody might say, I made a transition into a totally different world, not for namesake, it is real empathy. I felt the cruel judgements in people’s eyes deep inside.
Damn! My shoelaces are undone.
This is the most difficult moment.
I bend over to try and tie it, Berin laughs from a distant.
She says, “This is one of the greatest problems obese people face!”
I ask, “What?”
“Tying up one’s shoelaces in public...”
“Yes,” I confirm, “My belly will not allow me to bend over, it is huge obstacle...”
I finally manage to tie my shoelaces and we continue to walk on the road.
AHMET ALTAN RAN AWAY
Aaaa Ahmet Altan! (An author whom the journalist knows)
They are walking with Simin.
I quickly run towards him and tag at his arm and say, “Are you not the famous Ahmet Altan? I am a fan of yours.”
He looks at me with blank eyes, and continues to walk.
Is this a joke!
I run after him.
I say, “One minute.”
He literally runs away.
Very funny, did I frighten him or something?
I say, “Ahmet? It’s me, Ayse.”
“Which Ayse?” he asks.
“Ayse Arman.”
He looks at me as if to say, Yeah right!” I think it’s because I am wearing sunglasses, I take them off. No, he still does not recognise me. I am so happy, I really must be a very convincing overweight person!
But there is a sensitive female within this body.
I am upset to see a man like Ahmet Altan run away from me.
Lesson #4: If you are fat, people run away from you, you need to learn not to be upset!
SWEETS IS THE BIGGEST CRIME
Being overweight means accepting some obstacles in life.
Even to sit where you want in a cafe is not an easy thing.
“You can’t go through there! The seats will tumble over!”
“You can’t fit there! It’s too tight for you.”
“You can’t fit there! It’s too tight for you.”
“Will your salad be diet?”
“Will your coke be diet?”
Every moment, people decide for you.
One feels like saying, “No sir, I am not going to eat salad, I am going to eat pasta. I am fat, what is it to you!”
The biggest sin is to request sweets after a meal.
They look at you as if to say, “Now that’s too much!”
The bites get stuck in your throat.
I say, “Berin, this is tough! They don’t treat me normal...” She replies, “You are still a novice, you get used to it after a while! But of course, you get hurt too...”
Lesson #5: If you are fat, people decide for you. You should not care, you should do what you want!
NO CLOTHING ANYWHERE
Clothing is a big problem.
A very big one. There are almost no places that sell plus sizes.
If you are very overweight, then you’re gone!
We enter many shops on the Cadde, it’s impossible to find anything in our size.
In terms of textiles, overweight people are almost considered non-existent in Turkey. Apparently you can find all brands in plus sizes in the US, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, but here, nope.
In fact, many major brands are manufactured in and exported from Turkey.
At Mango they asked us, “Are you looking for a gift?”
All because we two obese women leaped into the evening wear section...
I get angry.
“No darling,” I say, “I am going to buy it for myself, keep in my closet for a year and wear it when I lose the weight!”
Berin says, “Shhhhh, stop, don’t go all crazy...”
We go into Marks&Spencer thinking, “We should find something here!”
Nope, nothing there either.
Or you find something, and it’s granny style. So there is nothing to appeal to the young overweight person.
Except for the Evans store at Metrocity.
All fat people know that store, apparently you can find modern plus size clothing there, but apparently they sell out quickly since they only bring one-two series of everything.
Berin says she orders many things online.
Or her friends bring them from overseas, for example the black jeans she is wearing.
She says, “Come let me take you to a place in Altiyol.”
“Where?”
“A street where there are many stores that sell export surplus goods. We can even find lace underwear there...”
PANIC ON THE MINIBUS
How are we going to get to Altiyol?
By minibus.
I hail a yellow minibus. As soon as we step in, a wave of anxiety rises:
“Oh no! Who are they going to sit next to!”
We sit in the back seat.
The most difficult section for overweight people because it sits four people, and since we, two overweight people take up three quarters of the seats, the other two people need to twist and turn to be able to fit.
We sit on the edge so they can sit comfortably.
Lesson #6: If you are fat, you become sensitive. You do not want to discomfort anyone with your body.
...
WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?
I said, “Look at me, I need to go get fixed...”
“Oh, I see” said Berin.
“C’mon, let’s go to Mr. Number 1, my mask is starting to fall off.”
The silicon mask can stay on the face for up to three-four hours, then the adhesive starts to come off.
We jump in the taxi to go back to Derya Ergun’s academy (the man who created the fat mask for the journalist).
“Caddebostan please!”
“The taxi driver says, “It’s hot,” then looking at us in the rear view mirror he says, “It’s even hotter for you!”
Now look at that!
Everyone has an opinion of us, they are able to talk about us, make judgments, jeez...
What is everyone’s problem with overweight people!
We get off at Caddebostan, Berin wants to buy flowers.
But I know why, she is going to buy it because she feels sorry for the street florist.
She says, “Poor thing, look at him,” she hands over the money and wants to buy some of the beautiful daffodils, but the street florist does not have change, I don’t have any either, so Berin goes to the Newspaper vendor, and I wait with my hand on my face, my mask is about to fall off...
So she got some change and gave it to the man.
What do you think he said?
“Isn’t it very hard being fat?!”
You are selling flowers under the sun, the girl feels sorry for you, she runs to get change for you so that she can help you, and you think she is in a worse situation than you are.
My, my, my...
We are fat, so we are the ones in the worst situation!
We go upstairs, Mr. Number 1 takes a looks at my face and says, “Ooo we have some damage, let’s retouch that.”
He puts some adhesive one some parts of the mask before we leave.
There is another mask but we are going to use that tomorrow.
Operation complete, we are back on the road.
We are hungy, should we go McDonald’s or KFC?...
What did you think?
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