Updated May 01
Abundance Email: zynnya@excite.com Web site: http://www.geocities.com/zynnya/abundance.html BBW-Downunder Contact: Shazz 25 Settlers Crescent Bligh Park NSW 2756 Australia Phone: 61 2 4574 1181 Email: shazz@bigfoot.com Web: http://www.geocities.com/bbw_downunder/ Australian Resources and Activism. No membership fee.
Canada WYDE -- The Canadian Association for Size Acceptance PO Box 511-99 Dalhousie St. Toronto, Ontario M5B 2N2 Phone: (416) 861-0217 Web site: http://www.interlog.com/~cdawyde/ Non-profit charity. "CASA is the Spanish and Italian word for house. Size acceptance begins at and within the home." Magazine, social events, phone counselling by Helena Spring, RN, marketplace info. Helena Spring is also the NAAFA Eastern Canada coordinator. CW is planning an INDD celebration in Toronto. Hugs International, Inc. Linda Omichinsky, RD Box 102 A, RR #3 Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada R1N 3A3 Work Phone: (204) 428-3432 Home Phone: (204) 428-3432 International organization with 30 licensees in North America. Non-diet workshops, newsletter, video. Linda Omichinsky is Canada coordinator for International No Diet Day.
Allegro Fortissimo 26, Rue de la Vega 75012 Paris, France Phone (from the U.S.): 011-3345-405-52-00 Web: http://home.worldnet.fr/~abenk/index.htm Organization whose goals include bringing better health care, more equitable employment, and better understanding towards large persons. Members have weekly support meetings, exercise and performance art classes, and more. They also have a line of clothing: Allegro Fortissimo Plus in sizes 14W-40W. Bond van Formaat (Society of Size) Postbus 10145 1301 AC Almere Netherlands tel: 036-5366975 web: http://huizen.dds.nl/~formaat/ The Society of Size is based on the size-acceptance activities of NAAFA. It was founded in 1994. The main goals of the Society of Size are helping fat people to gain self-acceptance and self-confidence; helping other people to understand fat-acceptance, i.e., removing the prejuces many people have about fat people; and protesting the weight-loss industry. They publish a newsletter in Dutch.
Size Up Wise Up (14/16 Proportions Plus) Cathy M Baker Managing Director Fashion and Interior Design College of New Zealand PO Box 539 Christchurch Phone: (03) 365-1578 Phone: (03) 379-2310 Yearly campaign subscription is $NZ25, $NZ10 for students, superannuitants, and solo mothers. National support/pressure group for changing public perception of women's sizes and for girls and women wanting more choice and style when purchasing clothes over size 14. Women Unlimited ... by size or diets PO Box 16143 Wellington South Celia James Shell Hancox Phone: (04) 380-8066 Email: celia.james@vuw.ac.nz or peterm@central.co.nz Their aims are to promote size-acceptance in women encompassing all body shapes and sizes, to lobby government and other organizations, to promote education in the community. They publish a newsletter.
I know of no organizations in the UK currently. If you know of some, write me (see bottom of page for email address) with contact info. Thanks!
About-Face P.O. Box 77665 San Francisco, CA 94107 Phone: (415) 436-0212 Email: info@about-face.org Web site: http://www.about-face.org/ About-Face, formerly the Stop Starvation Imagery Campaign, is a San Francisco based group dedicated to combating negative and distorted images of women. Abundia Cheri Erdman P.O. Box 252 Downers Grove, IL 60515 Holds body-acceptance retreats for women. The next retreat will be June 12-14, 1998. Write to join mailing list. Affiliated Bigmens Clubs, Inc. Affiliated Bigmens Clubs 584 Castro St. Suite 139 San Francisco, CA 94114 Clearinghouse for clubs for chubby gay men and their admirers. Ample Images club Email: ampimage@gte.net Web site: http://home1.gte.net/ampimage/index.html Social club for Big Beautiful Women (BBW's) and their admirers. Hosts house parties in the Los Angeles/Orange County area. Ample Opportunity Nancy Barron, PhD PO Box 40621 Portland OR 97240-0621 Phone: (503) 452-2542 (work phone), 503-245-1524 Currently on hiatus. Anvil Dungeon International P.O. Box 347024 Atlanta, GA 30334 Phone: (404) 228-3827 Email: anvildungeon@usa.net Pansexual support group that focuses on BDSM in the size acceptance community. Seminars, parties, roundtables and networking. Has email list and dalNET chat channel, #bbw-anvildungeon. Has two conventions yearly, usually in Atlanta, in March and October. BBW/BHM/FA Organization Web site: http://www.bbwfa.com Search engine, web rings, singles message board, information message board BBWsRock Email: BBWsRock@webtv.net Offers social events, chat room (BBWsRock at http://www.TalkCity.com/, and mailing list http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/BBWsROCK Big Boogie Nights Web site: www.darrenteed.com/bigboogienights Email: bigboogienights@yahoo.com Every third Saturday, Main Street Tavern, 501 Main Street. Brings BBW, BHM and admirers together for socializing and dancing. Main Street Tavern is closed to the public for Big Boogie Nights events. Main Street Tavern has a bar, dance floor, two pool tables and smoking/cigar room adjacent to the club. Price per person $15.00 includes upscale appetizers and DJ. Prizes, giveaways and contests. The Big Difference Pamela Lynn PO Box 66656 Los Angeles, CA 90066 Phone: (562) 984-8825 Web site: http://www.bigdiff.com E-mail: info@bigdiff.com They put on monthly dances in the LA area. Big Celebrations Dance by Double Trouble Productions Phone: (510)581-2446 Email: bigdance@usa.net Web site: http://members.xoom.com/bigdance SF Bay Area dances for Large Men and Women and their admirers. Cost: $20 includes 2 drinks and appetizers. Big Options Lora White Birmingham, AL Phone: 205-520-9468 Newsletter with lots of information about organizations, reading materials, tapes, clothing stores. Big Sensations dances Best Western Hotel 477 Totton Pond Rd. Waltham, MA Big Sensations Hotline 617-893-1985 loomisvent@earthlink.net The dances are approximtly every 3 weeks, with around 150 to 200 people. The only requirment to attend is that you be non-judgemental of others in all aspects including but not limited to size, race and sexual persuation. Body Image Task Force PO Box 360196 Melbourne, FL 32936-0196 Email: bitf@yahoo.com Web Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~dawn_atkins/bitf.htm Web site offers size acceptance pamphlets and a size acceptance video. CLUB BBW Email: CLUBBBW@AOL.COM Web site: http://hometown.aol.com/clubbbw/information.html Non-profit organization that promotes size and fat acceptance by providing a positive environment for people of size/fat and their admirers. Web site provides list of organizations and events throughout the U.S. The Council On Size and Weight Discrimination Miriam Berg PO Box 305 Mt Marion NY 12456 Phone: (914) 679-1209 (work phone) Fax: (914) 679-1209 Special projects to influence public policy and opinion and end oppression based on discriminatory standards of body weight, size and shape. Project management in areas such as media, accessibility issues, medical and weight technology, body image. Presented at NIH panel in '92, at which official statement was released that weight-loss diets don't work. Directors include Miriam Berg (President), Neil and Paula Dachis, William J. Fabrey, Carrie Hemenway, Lynn Mcafee, and Nancy Summer. Capitol NAAFA P. O. Box A McLean, VA 22101 Phone: 703-912-1646 Web: http://members.nbci.com/capitalnaafa/ Washington, DC chapter of NAAFA. Diet/Weight Liberation Terry Nicholetti Garrison Annabel Taylor Hall, Cornell Univ Ithaca NY 14853 Phone: (607) 257-0563 (work phone) Non-profit self-help group associated with Cornell University. Sponsors local Fed Up groups. Works to establish a program to train high-school girls to teach size-acceptance workshops to their peers. Double XX Riders 3256 West Country Road 72 Fort Collins, CO 80524 Small organization of full-figured horse riders dedicated to helping other full-figured riders. Monthly newsletter offers tips on clothes and tack that fit, hints, and moral support. For info and copy of newsletter, send large SASE. FAT Advocates Network (FAN) Phone 831-425-4413 Organization providing health care advocates to fat people. Fat and Terrific Avery & Teresa Colter Phone: (510) 671-8024 Fax: (510) 671-6959 Email: avery@infoasis.com Web site: http://www.infoasis.com/people/avery/fat.html Group located in the San Francisco Bay Area that has activities every third saturday for FAT people and admirers/supporters. Publishes a bi-monthly newsletter and post our activities on our webpage. Email for sample newsletter. Fat is a Lesbian Issue Shira Stone and Gail Horowitz 225-C King St. Princeton, NJ 08540 Phone: (609) 924-9321 Email: constanzab@aol.com Support group for fat lesbians. Public education and political action. Publishes newsletter called "Nothing to Lose." Meets monthly at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center in Manhattan. Fed Up Email: plumpkind@rotunda.com Los Angeles based activist organization interested in securing a better, more dignified life for fat persons, involving every aspect of life where persons of size find difficulty being accepted or accommodated. Provides support meetings to discuss activities, bolster self-confidence, and create an atmosphere of solidarity. FED UP is a complement to fat-acceptance organizations, particularly NAAFA, in achieving mutually desirable goals. FLAB (Fat Lesbian Action Brigade) New York-based activist group fighting for visibility of fat lesbians in the queer community, in the fat-acceptance movement, and in the world at large. Contact them through Fat Is a Lesbian Issue (see above). Full Bloom Women Philadelphia Contact Susan (Sussy) Brown at Sussy34@AOL.com Web site: http://members.aol.com/sussy34/fbw.htm Group for fat women of all sexualites(les/bi/straight) and all sizes of large who are on the path towards self-acceptance. We meet together as women to share support, have fun, network, put forth a public size acceptance message, and change the world. Discussions in the Philadelphia area on the 4th Sunday of every month at 4pm. Following each discussion we will go out to dinner. Generous Proportions PO Box 5631 Hyattsville, MD 20782 Email: GenPropDC@aol.com Phone: (703) 379-0745 Fledgling organization dedicated to sponsorship of social, recreational, and community service activities for large sized individuals and their admirers in the Washington DC area. Seeking help in planning and coordination of activities as well as some feedback on the kind of events you would like to attend and what you would be willing to pay. Girth and Mirth Group for fat gay men and their allies with sixteen chapters worldwide (10 in the U.S. and 6 elsewhere). For info about the Atlanta chapter, call (770) 254-0997 or email atlgm@juno.com. The Goddesses Nancy Esposito PO Box 1008 J A F Station New York, NY 10116 Work Phone: 718-456-9119 Home Phone: 718-789-3894 Social club for fat people and their admirers meets twice a month, hosts large-size fashion shows and lingerie parties. Publishes newsletter with articles on activism and personal ads. International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) P.O. Box 82126 Austin, Texas 78758 Email: Director@size-acceptance.org Web: http://www.size-acceptance.org/sister_cities Dues $20/year (includes newsletter), $5 for students Email for ISAA flyer (PDF file or paper) "Promote size acceptance and help end size discrimination through advocacy and visible, lawful actions." In a BIG Way: Email: inabigway1@aol.com Web: http://www.bbwart.com/inabigway/index.html Twin Cities (Minnesota) organization for large size individuals and their supporters, admirers and allies of all sizes. Promotes self esteem through social interaction. All events are open to the public. You can post a profile on their web site. They also offer a BBW personals board. LaNAAFA Email: lanaafa@aol.com Web: http://members.aol.com/lanaafa Puts on events in Baton Route. Large Encounters, Inc. PO Box 364 Island Park, NY 11558-0364 Phone: 516-593-6900; 212-479-7999 Web site: http://www.large-encounters.com Email: mindybbw@aol.com Lingerie catalog: $6 Singles parties in NY, NJ, CT for BBWs and gentlemen admirers. Personals newsletter. Largesse: The Network for Size Esteem Karen and Richard Stimson, co-directors PO Box 9404 New Haven, CT 06460-0404 Phone/Fax: (203) 787-1624, weekdays noon to 8pm EST Email: 75773.717@compuserve.com; largesse@eskimo.com Web site for International No Diet Day: http://www.eskimo.com/~largesse/INDD/ Internationally-recognized information clearinghouse, founded in 1983. Maintains a resource database, archive dating back to early 1970s, and connections to size-rights and anti-diet activists around the world. Not a membership organization. Provides open access to information. Publishes newsletter, bulletins, action alerts, etc. Largesse is the clearinghouse for information regarding International No Diet Day. Largely Positive, Inc. Carol A. Johnson, MA, President PO Box 17223 Glendale WI 53217 Support group to help build self-esteem, promote size acceptance and discourage dieting in favor of healthy, low-fat eating and regular exercise. Meets at health-care facilities in Milwaukee and Chicago. Publishes quarterly newsletter _On a Positive Note_. Carol Johnson is the author of a book called _Self-Esteem Comes in All Sizes_. LFAN (Lesbian Fat Activist Network) Laura Tisoncik PO Box 635 Woodstock, NY 12498 Phone: (914) 679-9019 Email: 76473.2141@compuserve.com Special Interest Group (SIG) of NAAFA for size-friendly lesbians of all sizes. They produce a monthly newsletter. To join and get the newsletter, send $20 ($5-$10 low income). LIAHO (Let It All Hang Out) Marilyn Kalman 45 Polk 2nd Floor San Francisco CA 94102 Phone: 415-285-1340 Produces annual Let It All Hang Out Day in June in San Francisco and other public fat-positive celebrations. Protests fat-phobic incidents. Formed in response to a fat-phobic letter written to a local paper. Livin' and Lovin' Large P.O. BOX 8295 FT. Wayne, IN 46898-8295 Phone: (219) 424-5519 Email: DonnaPol2@aol.com; TonePol2@aol.com Web site: HTTP://members.aol.com/LIVNLOVNLG/ For big beautiful women and their admirers. Newsletter. 900# personals. Sponsors parties. Living Large South Florida Phone: (800) 527-4075 Dances for large people and their admirers. Lovin' Plenty 3420 N. Elizabeth, Suite 107 Pueblo, CO 81008 Phone: (800) 860-1000 Extension 909765 Email: szitkus@rmii.com Dances and support groups for large people in Colorado. Los Angeles/Long Beach Fat Girl Rap Group Solara Phone: (310) 428-3217 Mad About More Website: http://members.aol.com/MiaMOONLIT/index.html On-going event in the greater Miami area for BBWs and their admirers to get together. Making Waves Linda Phone: (510) 524-6470 Swims for fat women (200 pounds or more) in Oakland, California. Sundays 11am-1pm at the Albany High School pool. First Sunday of the month is open to fat-friendly women of all sizes. Sliding scale $6-$8. Midwest XXXtras Kansas City Phone: Linda at 816-483-5498 Cheryl at 816-765-9823 Mor-2-Luv Ronda Wood 9302 Valley View Ave Whittier Ca 90602 Phone: (310) 693-1844 (work phone), (310) 398-0168 Social club and dating service for fat people and their admirers in southern California. NAAFA (National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance) PO Box 188620 Sacramento, CA 95818 Phone: (916) 558-6880, (800) 422-1214 Fax: (916) 558-6881 Email: pmcg10c@prodigy.com Infobot: naafa@world.std.com (use subject line: send naafa-info) Web site: http://naafa.org/ NAAFA is the most famous US-based fat-acceptance organization. Single membership is $35.00 per year; ask about rates for couples and other special categories. Benefits include the bimonthly _NAAFA Newsletter_, book-order service, information on local chapters, conventions, dating service, many special interest groups (SIGS): Big Men's Forum, Couples SIG, Diabetic SIG, Feminist Caucus, Lavender SIG, Lesbian Fat Activist Network, Mental Health Professionals SIG, Military Issues SIG, Mid-Size SIG, Parents and Caregivers of Fat Children SIG, Singles SIG, Sleep Apnea SIG, Super SIG, Teen/Youth SIG, Weight Loss Surgery Survivors SIG, Young Adult SIG. Support group, educational organization, social group, and organization to promote rights and fair treatment. The book service has a comprehensive list of fat-positive books, publications, and newsletters. See also individual chapter and SIG listings in this FAQ. NAAFA Eastern Canadian Area Helena Spring, Facilitator (see listing for Canada Wyde) NAAFA Fat Activist Task Force (FATF) Activism on size-acceptance issues. Quarterly Task Force alerts let the NAAFA members know of groups deserving praise or protest. Please send alerts to Jody Abrams via email, or snail mail (66 Winchester Street, Unit (401), Brookline, MA 02146) any alerts that you feel need posting. Targets for the alerts can either be positive or negative. Sample targets include: Television shows which depict fat characters positively and negatively, advertisements which insult or enhance fat people's self-image, articles or ads etc.... If you wish to join the FATF, contact NAAFA at (916) 558-6880. NAAFA Feminist SIG Lynn Meletiche 2065 First Ave. #19-D, Dept. RM New York, NY 10029 Phone: (212) 721-8259 They sell large-size hospital gowns (allow 4-6 weeks for delivery). NAAFA Fat Feminist Caucus Judy Freespirit (Judith L. Ackerman) -- new coordinator 407 Orange St. #101 Oakland, CA 94610 Email: 0005348398@mcimail.com Puts on annual East and West Coast Fat Women's Gatherings (among other things). Publishes newsletter. To receive a newsletter and information on the Caucus, email your postal address. If you were previously a member of the Caucus and haven't moved in the meantime you will get a newsletter automatically. NAAFA Inland Empire (California) chapter 909-424-3363 NAAFA Michigan Chapter Web site: http://ic.net/~karle/naafa/naafa.html NAAFA New England Chapter (NEC-NAAFA) c/o Michelle Hahn PO Box 65 Andover, MA 01810 Web site: http://pages.prodigy.com/MA/necnaafa/necnaafa.html NAAFA San Francisco Bay Area Phone: 510-524-6470 NAAFA South Jersey Chapter Web site: http://www.naafa.org/chapters/chapters.html#south_jersey NAAFA Super Sig Sherry Collins-Eckert POB 25083 St. Louis, MO 63125-0083 Fax: 314-351-1073 Email: NAAFA-SuperSIG@webtv.net Web site: http://community.webtv.net/NAAFA-superSIG/ Dues are $17.50 ($22.50 Canada, $25 other foreign). NAAFA special interest group for women size 48 or larger. Publishes SUPERWOMAN, a quarterly newsletter compiling information on confidential surveys sent yearly to members. (Men can subscribe to Superwoman.) Sponsors events. NAAFA Way Out West (Oregon) Chapter Phone: 503 261-9222 NAAFA Washington state chapter (WSC-NAAFA) PO Box 24851 Seattle, WA 98124-0851 Phone: (206) 781-3529 (voice mail) Web site: http://naafa.org/chapters/wsc.html NOLOSE (National Organization for Lesbians Of SizE) 245 Eighth Ave. # 107 New York, NY 10011 Phone: (201) 843 4629 Email: nolosee@aol.com Web site: http://www.breakinc.com/nolose/ http://www.fatamazon.com Membership $20 annually (scholarships/work exchange available) Publishes newsletter. Sponsors a national conference for lesbians of size and allies. Runs FatAmazon.com, a book service offering titles of interest to Fat Lesbian community, titles from publishers such as Spinsters Ink, Naiad Press and Firebrand, and a forum for fat lesbian artists (published writers as well as self-published writers and craftwomen). Net proceeds go to the Financial Aid Fund of NOLOSE. National Organization for Women (NOW) 1000 16th St. NW Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 331-0066 They have a task force working against the diet industry. Overcoming Overeating Jane Hirschmann, Carol Munter, directors 315 West 86th St., Suite 17B New York, NY 10024-3180 Phone: (212) 875-0442 Fax: (212) 874-6596 Email: kaneri@aol.com, carber@aol.com Education and training organization founded in 1989. Works to end body hatred and dieting. They have an email list, oo-group. To join, send email to either of the addresses listed above asking to be added to oo-group. (If they tell you a better address to send list requests to, please let me know.) UPDATE Jan 97: The Overcoming Overeating Newsletter is no longer being published. Overcoming Overeating, Chicago Center Judith Matz, LCSW and Carol Coven Grannick, Directors PO Box 48 Deerfield IL 60015 Phone: (708) 853-1200 Chicago affiliate of national center for Overcoming Overeating. People of Size Social Club P.O. Box 555 Winnsboro, TX 75494 Potbelly Cycling Association 45 Munson Road Pleasantville, NY 10570 For folks with potbellies and any interest in cycling. Folks without potbellies can join, but are only granted "Athletic Supporter" membership. (You may have noticed that it's an organization including jokes and mirth.) Membership for a year, including certificate and four newsletters, costs $25 US. Project Legislation 2000 c/o Rump Parliament Magazine PO Box 181716 Dallas, TX 75218 Phone: (214) 275-4449 Email: lmartin@airmail.net Web site: http://web2.airmail.net/lmartin/ Grass-roots political group working on adding the words "size or weight" to existing federal and state anti-discrimination laws. Rubenesque Dances 2907 SW 20th Terrace Delray Beach, FL 33445 Phone: (305) 832-2501 Monthly (or so) dances for fat people and their admirers. SAFE - Size Acceptance for Empowerment Email: SAFE4WOMEN@cs.com Formerly Beach Cities ISAA, which was later known as Livin Large. Most events are in Los Angeles or Orange County, CA. Sponsors fat accepting swims for men and women; fat women's support group; annual retreat for women. Not for profit. San Jose Independents Email: Mark.Evans@VTA.Org New Silicon Valley (California) social group for fat men and women and their admirers. SeaFATtle Seattle, Washington Web site: http://www.wolfenet.com/~marymc/seafattle.htm Email: marty@apocalypse.org SeaFATtle is a group for support, activism and fun, for all women of size. New mailing list for Friends of SeaFATtle. To join, send a message to sftlfriends-request@MyList.net, with the word "subscribe" in the body of the message (minus quotation marks). Size Acceptance Movement (S.A.M.) Chicago, Illinois Phone: (414) 877-9434 Email: Linda (SSBBWLINDA@webtv.net) or Dixie (CLOSALBBW@aol.com) Web: http://www.angelfire.com/il2/sam1/index.html Social organization that also performs local activism. Affiliated with ISAA. Southern California Size Acceptance Coalition (SCSAC) PO Box 500293 San Diego, CA 92150-0293 Phone: (619) 496-3317 Email: scfac@aol.com (this is not a typo) Works to create fat-positive community, to educate people about issues around fat people, and to advocate for fat people. Theater Workshop for Fat Women 4 Big Girls PO Box 2134 Seattle, WA 98111 Use of movement, voice, and relaxation to explore self-esteem, personal power, sexuality, and body image. Send SASE for info. The Venus Group Heather (313) 480-7080 Email: hmacallister@hotmail.com Support and social network for large women, meets bimonthly in the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area. Voluptuous Preferences Box 6816, Laguna Niguel, CA 92607 Nancy at (714) 495-4670 bbwnancy@pacbell.net Group for BBWs and FAs in Orange County, CA. Voluptuous Woman Company 13830 Castle Blvd, Suite 301 Silver Spring, MD 20904-7366 Phone - 301-890-8301 Fax - 301-890-8304 Email: jbiggins@volupwoman.com Web site: http://www.volupwoman.com "Organization empowering the plus size woman." Free email newsletter including list of plus-size events and fashion shows. Calendar. Water Women Fircrest Pool, Seattle Email: Leebrrd@aol.com Private swim for large women. Every Sunday and Wednesday at 5:30. $4 per swim. First swim is free. Weight Loss Surgery Survivors Karen Smith 18 West High Street Mount Gilead, OH 43338 Email: RevKarenSmith@hotmail.com
The latest version of the following FAQs can be found at: http://www.cat-and-dragon.com/~stef/Fatfaqs/
You can also find (sometimes slightly older versions of) the above FAQs (except the plus-size pregnancy FAQs) at the following locations:
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Stef Maruch (ff@cat-and-dragon.com) maintains this FAQ.
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