Fat Gardeners & the Lack of Diversity in Gardening Media
A few years ago, I noticed a strange trend in my neighborhood: I had never seen my neighbors (or anyone in my town, really) out in their front gardens mowing the lawn or putting plants in the ground. I often wondered why that was. I know many people around here hire landscaping crews to maintain their landscapes but I wonder why more people don’t do it themselves? Do they feel totally inept in the garden? Are they too tired? Do they view the garden as an annoying chore? I don’t think I’ll ever really know the reason, but I know there is one other possibility: maybe they are afraid of being ridiculed or harassed.
As a fat woman, I’ve had one or two annoying encounters with random bigots while out in the garden. One time I was getting all my equipment out to mow the sidewalk patches, and as soon as I stepped out of the gate, some random man on a bicycle rode by and yelled, “don’t have a heart attack!” and cackled loudly. I flipped him the bird as he turned the corner, which judging by the stupid look on his face really surprised him. I proceeded to do my work, but I knew that such a public attempt at humiliation (or the threat of such an experience) would keep many other fat people away from the garden. It’s unfortunate because gardening has innumerable health benefits, including stress reduction and cardiovascular benefits. Notice I didn’t mention weight loss as a main health benefit because in my experience it is not always true (I’ve been gardening for years and I’m no Jack Lalanne!) and I don’t believe weight loss should be the only goal of gardening or any other enjoyable hobby unless you want to start hating it when, inevitably, you don’t “weed out the fat.” It irritates me that most of the information online regarding fat people and gardening has to do with losing weight through the physical act of gardening or growing something like a “keto” garden with high fat plants to lose weight. There is virtually zero representation of fat gardeners like me who are out there simply existing and trying to model eco-friendly gardening and respect for wildlife.
But this is not a coincidence. What do our mentors look like?
Check any gardening TV show, magazine, blog, or Instagram account and chances are you will see thin, white people in all the ads and content. Each piece of media content reminds the viewer that these are the knowledgeable people, the green thumbs, the experts. I would say that 99% of the online gardening meetings, webinars, and classes I have taken, which often include people in high positions at botanical gardens and other “green” organizations, are comprised mainly of white, thin folks. Don’t get me wrong, I am always happy and grateful to receive gardening information and I realize that these folks have worked hard to get where they are. I truly believe that most of the people in these meetings are completely unaware of the optics; that they are a visual representation of “can’t sit here, seat’s taken” but their massive blindspot doesn’t make this blatant lack of representation okay.
And while it is true that there are many Black and Brown gardeners out there sharing knowledge and creating change in their communities, the people in high positions, the ones teaching others at an academic level are mostly white, and there is very little representation in the media of nonwhite gardeners and farmers. This past February I was happy to see a prominent botanical garden in my area hosting several webinars about Black botanists and Black landscape architects, but these events are as fleeting as the ‘Black History Month’ boat they sailed in on. They are not usually permanent exhibits and they are presented mostly by white experts. When it comes to fat gardeners- forget it- there is virtually zero representation. Any time I join a webinar and see a unicorn (aka a fat gardener) imparting knowledge of a particular gardening subject, I listen attentively but also wonder what this person’s journey has been like. How many times have they been discounted and passed over simply because they do not look like what we are taught a gardener looks like?
So I don’t think it’s a coincidence that nonwhite or non-thin people are hesitant to become visible in the garden or that they might dismiss gardening as something that is not for them. And they do have a higher chance of being harassed in the street for just existing, which is a powerful deterrent. I live in a town that’s is about 65% non-white so, really, I should not be that surprised that people aren’t out working in their front gardens each week. This needs to change!
Gardening is fundamental to us humans. It’s easy to forget that we, too, are animals that have an inborn need to be in nature and interact with our environment. There is plenty of research out there showing that gardens and green spaces improve our mental health and well being. Our circadian rhythm (our internal body clock) is dependent on sunlight, and fresh air can be very energizing and improve our mood in an instant. We are all part of nature; all of us, not just the thin, white gardeners in magazines and on TV. You don’t have to be a certain race or size, or be in perfect shape to reap the benefits of gardening. Everyone needs to know that!
If you think you’re too out of shape to garden, it is helpful to do some exercise on a regular basis and to stretch your body just to build up that muscle memory and stamina. Doing some simple yoga moves has helped me become a lot more flexible. I also use a rowing machine because it’s low impact but any form of exercise on a regular basis will help make it easier in the garden. I always joke that I only workout to get ready for gardening season and I always feel like Rocky getting ready for the big fight whenever I workout in winter.
There are many free low impact workouts available on youtube (I love workouts by BodyProject) and even walking (in place?) on a regular basis will build up stamina. Finding a comfortable way to bend/kneel and stand up is also very helpful and something that can be practiced indoors. If you think it’s still too much for you, you can walk around your garden and observe the different plants in their various stages of growth; identifying plants is as important as anything else. There are also many different tool attachments/extenders and knee pads online that can make garden work easier. Look for solutions, do not simply give up on outdoor gardening! And if you’re worried about trolls, don’t be. They are not worth your attention. There will always be miserable people out there who hate to see others doing things that make them happy. Think of yourself as a trailblazer, a rebel who is defying the ugly unspoken rules of society and making it easier for others be comfortable in the garden. We must be the change we want to see in the world instead of waiting for mainstream gardening to create space for us.
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