This is my first post over at the new blog Axis of Fat, which is bring run by Natalie and her friends. You should check it out, or not.

Axis of Fat is an idea of my wife. It’s something that Natalie and some of her some of her friends thought was a good idea – a place to blog about being fancy in the world while being fat. Fat and fancy is possible, and I’m sure you will hear them talk all about it.

I’m sure there will be a lot of talk of fashions and styling, where to find good clothes, stores that look after fat people instead of treating us like leapers. So why am I here, blogging on Axis of Fat? It doesn’t seme a very manly thing to do?

I think fat men of Australia, and the WORLDDDDDDDD need a voice. We need good clothes, not the dodgy off-cuts that are thrown to us by Lowes and Lowes. Why should I be grateful to find a pair of pants that fit when they make me look hideous?  I also think there are many fat men out there who, despite seeming very jovial and laughing off the jibes from their “mates”, are feeling lost and alone in a world where thin is beautiful and considered normal.

I’ve been through depression, the name calling, the school yard taunts, the art of hiding what I eat from people because of the shame. I’ve lived for years and years doubting that I’m a decent person because I’m fat. I’ve wondered, “Why me?” and tried all of the diets that I could get my hands on. I’ve had “caring and thoughtful” family members, friends, work colleagues, internet folk, doctors and people I don’t even know suggest that I need to lose a “little” weight.

No wonder I felt alone.

I exercise when I can (heck, who’s ever perfect on that score) and I eat the best food I can find for my mouth. I eat when I want, what I want, when my body tells me to have it. I don’t sit down to a tub of lard and think, “oh boy, I’m going to put on 10 kilos today so that I can have society taunt me”. I think, “I’m hungry and I feel like a Caesar Salad today” or “Darn, I’m late for work – Macca’s will just have to do”.

If I can let one man know that being fat does not mean you are worthless; that being a kind human being is more important than being a particular shape; that health is possible at EVERY AND ANY size; that being yourself and just going out there and doing whatever it is you want is your RIGHT, not your DREAM, then I’ve done something good.

I had a very interesting thought today, and I want to share it with you. This isn’t based on any scientific evidence, nor am I suggesting that I am right. But perhaps others are thinking the same thing. That Genetic Defects are a part of the evolutionary process and that perhaps they are there to help reduce the number of defects.

I never said it was politically correct. I’m also not forcing you to read on. This is my hypothesis.

Genetic Defects form part of the basic evolutionary process. In all animals, a defect passed down from generation to generation through their genetic make up would result in decreased population. This would be due to more illness within the group. Without intervention, this would over time reduce their numbers substantially to a point where the defect may die out.

What does this all mean?

Well what if the genetic issues that we have today are there to help make the species a stronger group? It could be that these illnesses are meant to reduce the likelihood that it will be passed down to another generation. This could be due to some members of a generation passing away before being about to reproduce, or not having the ability to reproduce. Slowly, those with the genetic issue become fewer and fewer. This seems like evolution at work.

So by studying genetics are we short-circuiting the evolutionary process? Perhaps when people have their children scanned and decide not to continue the pregnancy due to a defect, we are in fact assisting evolution. Perhaps by being able to keep people who have this defects alive and healthy longer we are increasing the time it would take for the defect to disappear naturally. It’s a very controversial subject and trust me when I say I don’t really know where I stand on this.

If we are in fact shortcutting the process, should we be allowed to choose whether we only do it for good reasons? Who decides what the definition of good reason is anyway? How can we really be sure whether we are doing the right or wrong thing when it comes to evolution? Some will say religion, and I think that is important to touch on.

When we are looking at the scientific process, and trying to determine whether it is the ‘right’ thing to do, why are religious moral values trotted out. Surely the last thing that a good scientist is going to do is wonder whether the Spaghetti Monster would want him to do it. So why is it when we start talking about genetic research and stem cell technology do we start looking at the religious moral code to determine where we as a people stand on these issues?

Perhaps it shouldn’t be up to the people. Perhaps it needs to be left up to science to determine which is the right thing to do. Perhaps we need to study these issues so that we can understand them better and make the correct choices for the benefit of all, not the benefit of a few. We don’t need guidance from above to understand that we need to take all the evidence we can and determine bad from good, wrong from right using a sound process.

Using just religious arguments is not using sound evidence and a sound process.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has recently been asked to comment on her views regarding Reproductive Rights and Family Planning, including abortion. Rather than summarise, here is the YouTube video of the question and her  answer.

There will be those who disagree with her view and you are entitled to that right. I am with Secretary Clinton on this one. It must be the individual’s right to choose whether abortion is suitable for them. Providing good family planning advice, including information about contraception and safer sex practices is important no matter where you live. Providing the tools for girls and boys, men and women to make sound and informed decisions is much more important than running scare mongering campaigns.

Teaching kids about sex is just as important as teaching them about other physical health issues and perhaps even more so in some cases. They are not resistant to hormones and need to have the information available to think for themselves. Providing them with age appropriate education in a safe environment is important. If parents want to opt their children out then we shouldn’t stop them. But we shouldn’t allow a group to force their views on abortion, sex education or family planning on anyone else.

If your deity, your moral values or your ideological view of society says that it is wrong to have an abortion, then you do what you need to do. Let other women decide for themselves and do whatever they decide they need to do.

So welcome to day 3 of Election ‘09. Or is that two days? That’s neither here or there. What is important is a look back at the last few days of the election. At the end of the day, it is important to remember that we people are smarter than to believe the drivel from the election adverts.

We see Anna Bligh talking about stability during long projects. What the? Just because Anna isn’t there holding the reins doesn’t mean the Gateway Duplication (or any other number of projects) are going to fall over. Sure, they might change a few projects (like getting rid of the stupid Traveston Crossing Dam).

Then you get to listen to Lawrence Springborg sitting in an office telling us that Health, Education and Flying Pigs are important to his re-election bid. Perhaps he will hop on the back of said Flying Pig (not to be confused with Spider Pig (and the Borg remix) and visit the entire state in 26 days.

You know, at the end of the day it feels like only this much has happened. No running out of the blocks. I haven’t heard wall to wall Anna and Borg. Where are the perennial Green candidates on street corners? Where are the Independents kissing babies?

Why doesn’t Father Peter Kennedy run for South Brisbane? Surely he would oust Anna Bligh? I think at this stage, who cares?

Not me. Not yet.

So it’s time for Election ‘09! ALP v NLP. Bligh v Springborg. The electors of Queensland, sick of the tired Labor government will do the only thing it can. Re-elect Anna Bligh.

Does that sound a little strange to you? Well it should.

You see I have always been a staunch conservative when it comes to my politics. I have voted Liberal federally every election since I turned 18 – except the last election. I just had to vote for Kevin Rudd. Was it my politics that had changed? No, I felt the government was tired. We needed change.

Public Transport is a major issue in Election (Source: mythoto@flickr)

The state government is tired too. Public transport is overrun and underwhelming to say the least, there have been a number of scandals involving ministers, nine retirements in the last few weeks and the economic ‘meltdown’ (which isn’t as bad as it could be) has thrown the budget into a spin. So why do I think they will win?

Look at the Opposition. They couldn’t fight their way out of a wet paper bag. No one seems to take Lawrence Springborg seriously. Who goes around calling themselves “The Borg” for crying out loud? Yes I know we need a change of government badly, but can Lawrence do the job?

I’m really not sure and that makes me sad. So what can you do?

Get into the ears of your friends and neighbours. Talk about the real issues of the election, not the politicking and the pork barrelling that will come from the Federal Government’s stimulus package. Think about the schools, the public transport, jobs, housing affordability, climate change.

Think about health, dental plans for all, giving our kids the best chance of success. Why do we have to pick and choose just because the parties are always at two opposite ends of the scale? Why can’t we just pick the best people for the job and be done with it.

Vote for the best person to be your local member. If they are from the Greens, an Independent, Democrat (if they come out of the woodwork) or whatever – elect them on their ability. Even if you don’t agree with the party politics, vote for the best person with the best plan for your area.

If we all did that for a change, perhaps we would have a parliament that leads, rather than a parliament that squabbles and fights.