How Dare I/Take Responsibility
I think I might be a bigot.
A big fat one, at that.
Mostly because
I’m sick of people still calling
HIV and AIDS a gay disease
I’m sick of the gay community
Only caring about HIV and AIDS
As if those are the only two diseases
The only two conditions
That matter to the queer community–
Why do they matter?
Because of the bigotry.
The bigotry makes them matter.
Why is it
That obesity
Will never matter the way
Other diseases do?
Why is it
That diabetes
Will always be ascribed to
Fat people, even though
I’m morbidly obese and
Nowhere near pre-diabetic, sugars
On-point, mind you!
I would know, too–
I get bloodwork done
Every three months
The way any other trans patient
With too many problems does.
What is it about
The community that prevents
Anyone from acknowledging anything
That applies to anyone besides
The richest, thinnest, healthiest among us–
That’s why HIV is bad, right?
That’s why discrimination is a problem, right?
That’s what the problem is– right?
It can affect anyone that has a good time
No matter how “valuable” they are otherwise
Vs undesirable diseases
Like the ones that “come from lifestyle”
…but…
Isn’t that
The exact same argument
They made against HIV/AIDS patients
During the worst time of the crisis…?
Even still, now?
What’s the difference between
Obesity and HIV– well
The eye of the prescriber,
The opinions of the outsiders
All the same problems, and still
This poem will be cancelled.
How dare I compare
Something as petty as
Obesity with the enormity of
HIV
Yes, how dare I–
How dare I say anything
About obesity besides
Eat less, move more–
Take responsibility.
How dare I insult those who died
Of a disease that
Society ostracized them for–
Worsening their condition and
Ultimately resulting in their death–
While they suffer in silence–
How dare I.