Seven years On

Hello CBH family,

this post is long overdue and while I can simply explain that away by saying Life Happens, I do believe that I have been distracted for a few years. Instagram makes it easier to access people and I was swayed by that for quite a while. But something was always missing. Most people might say, blogs are obsolete and hardly anyone reads them anymore but I do not let that stop me from writing today. This is where I started in 2012 and this is where I will continue my advocacy, despite the easiness of other social media platforms.

So what has changed since I last updated the blog? Let’s see. Since my ACL surgery in 2017, I debated constantly with quitting altogether. But there is much work to be done and I find myself unable to quit. I started out wanting to embrace fashion as a plus sized person and as time went on I realised that I was always an activist but did not know it. So I tried to make the best of both worlds and I still am.

Fashion has definitely taken the back burner because of factors like finances and disability. I live with the motto : I am doing the best I can with what I have.

I now speak openly about finally embracing Disability and I will discuss it more in this space. I also speak in great detail about the multiple chronic conditions that have ailed me for years, since I was a child and the ones that crept up over the years. My LGBTQ identity is definitely something I speak of as well.

The body positive movement is now an umbrella term that gets divided into various subsections. When CBH was spoken into existence, the movement was something I could completely identify with because it was created by queer fat women of colour. Plus size folk of colour were gradually ousted from the movement and we advocate within the space of fat acceptance, fat positivity. I reclaimed the word FAT quite a while ago and if that unnerves you, this might no longer be a conducive space for you.

My pets are now senior pets and we lost our beloved cat Bindi 2 weeks ago. The loss is overwhelming and knowing that my remaining 3 babies will leave us eventually breaks my heart but I endeavour to focus only on being the best pet mom for as long as we have them.

As someone who struggled with eating disorders and body dysmorphia for most of her life and with chronic depression and social anxiety, mental health care and advocacy is of utmost importance. I may stumble and be vulnerable but I try to stay strong while soft.

So here is a new introduction to who I am :

Hi, I am Aarti Olivia Dubey. I am a Singaporean Indian fat body positive activist. I have been a feminist before I knew what that even meant. I live with multiple chronic conditions and invisible disability. I am the B in the LGBTQ rainbow. I embrace all of these identifiers and advocate for marginalised communities. I try to be kind but I take no shit. I am an aspiring writer, a Dream I have had all my life. I love fashion and occasionally play dress up. I cannot ignore Bullying and speak up against it. My three absolute favs in life are : Matcha Latte, Meditating and Swimming. I live to laugh and love to live although living is hard. I hope you will be here with me as I figure out how to be a proper activist, human being and a decent writer.