"Fat Love": a photo project about relationships that society prefers not to notice

Since 2007, photographer Substancia Jones has been celebrating Valentine's Day by filming couples in love, often with varying degrees of nudity. What distinguishes her work from the myriad of love-infused pictures on the Internet? Her models are complete. "There is such a curious prejudice that overweight people cannot have love, sex and novels. Or that they are unworthy of having a satisfying relationship," the photographer explains.

The purpose of the series of images that Jones continues to create is to get rid of false prejudices. After all, society often tries not to notice what is depicted in these photos. These are full and very full people and their love relationships. The photo project is called The Adipositivity Project, and we have already talked about it before. The new pictures are no less touching and humane, and in the wake of the fashionable body positivity, it is important not to lose the humane side of the fight against discrimination against overweight people.

(11 photos in total)

Source: Huffington Post

"A positive or neutral image of love in the full is not represented in the media and culture. Therefore, people assume that such love does not exist, — says Jones. — A common feature of romantic relationships is the desire to proclaim them loudly. I want to strengthen these proclamations as much as my photos will spread."

Portraying a wide variety of physiques, Jones represents other communities that are often overlooked in the media when showing love. We are talking about people of color, people with disabilities and representatives of the LGBTQ community. For example, in the new part of the photo project there are pictures of transsexual Sam in bed with a partner. Sam wrote a message, which he passed to the Huffington Post through a photographer.

"I should have been born a woman, but my gender has always been male. When I grew up enough to change something in this direction, I did it. What matters is how comfortable I feel in my own body now, how much easier it is for me to look in the mirror and be satisfied with what I see. I've learned to accept and even love my body like never before. My masculinity is determined not by what's between my legs, but by how I live my life," Sam writes.

Over the past ten years, Jones has observed the evolution of society in the perception of different physiques and attitudes that differ from traditional ones. She really appreciates this progress. But in recent months, the photographer has noticed a slowdown in moving forward — partly, she believes, because of the political climate, which confuses many Americans.

"To be honest, after many years of progress in accepting fullness and drawing public attention to the problem of discrimination against overweight people, we seem to be stuck because of the political and social free fall that is currently taking place in the United States. This can be understood. We are not only distracted by what is happening to our country and worried about the future, but also busy with protests, agitation and violent speeches about our new inadequate government and the fascist orders that it establishes."

"Meanwhile, size discrimination continues. The bias due to weight continues. Young girls continue to endanger their health, well-being and even life for the sake of chasing an unattainable ideal of beauty."