My blog now has over three million views. I know that for a lot of blogs that’s not a lot but for me, it’s a lot. It’s exciting and humbling and scary all at the same time.
My goal is, and always has been, to create the largest possible platform to let people know about the options of Size Acceptance and Health at Every Size (which are two very separate things.) and question the status quo. I’m not trying to tell anybody how to live, but I have met way too many people who hated themselves because they didn’t know that there was another option, and way too many people who didn’t know that a weight neutral approach to health even exists and I think that people deserve to know all of their options, especially when options are kept from us by those making a profit on the status quo.
I have a bunch of things that I’m excited about for next year and I’ll tell you about soon, but today I want to say thank you. Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my meandering thoughts here, to all of the amazing commenters who have created a vibrant community here, to everyone who sends me kind e-mails, to everyone who checks in on me if I don’t blog for a few days. Thanks to everyone who has shared my blog with their friends and family and on social media. Thank you to all of my members, to everyone who has supported my projects by sharing them on social media, or financially, or by encouraging me to move forward or being involved. Thank you so, so very much. I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate it.
I hope you all know that I’m always open to your feedback, but today as I look forward to next year, I would love for you to let me know if you have ideas for how I can improve the blog, projects that I could undertake, ways that I can better support you etc. You can leave a comment, or e-mail me personally at ragen at danceswithfat dot org. You can also feel free to connect with me on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave feedback there.
Thanks for everything, you are the best!!!!
Happy New Year to those who are celebrating. See you next year!
Like my blog? Here’s more of my stuff!
Fit Fatties Virtual Events: Don’t forget that the super early bird ratesexpire on January 1. If you’re looking for a fun movement challenge that was created to work just for you, you can check it out here.
The Book: Fat: The Owner’s Manual The E-Book is Name Your Own Price! Click here for details
Become a member: For just ten bucks a month you can keep this blog ad-free, support the activism work I do, and get deals from cool businesses Click here for details
Dance Classes: Buy the Dance Class DVDs or download individual classes – Every Body Dance Now! Click here for details
Interviews with Amazing Activists!! Help Activists tell our movement’s history in their own words. Support In Our Own Words: A Fat Activist History Project!
If my selling things on the blog makes you uncomfortable, you might want to check out this post. Thanks for reading! ~Ragen
Dances With Fat 
Thank YOU, Ragen! Have a happy and fulfilling year 2014!
Natalya
Congratulations! I look forward to your Blog every day. I may not always comment, but I always find your view to be interesting, empowering and freaking awesome.
What Tara said. Goes for me as well.
Oh yes, looking at Lori’s comment… I didn’t mention the community you opened me up to. I love it! I’m so happy to be a part of it! I am so happy that a friend (also named Lori) introduced me to you! She shared a post about the Underpants Rule first–and I have loved you since!
Ok, so lot’s of !!!!, but it’s true. I find so much strength from your blogs and FB groups. The camaradarie of the folks who are in this community helps me so much. It’s improved my life immeasurably.
Love you and love the community here! Happy Fat New Year to you and yours–wishing you a bountiful year of happiness, health, and success!
MUCH thanks & graditute for your well researched, well thought out, & well written blog! Your blog has given me the courage and THE WORDS to stop the food policing & other egregious acts. May you be happy & blessed in the coming year.
I think reading you each morning is a privilege, as well as an important part of my daily routine (I think of it as a daily vaccination against haters, or a vitamin to promote self-acceptance). I would, however, consider a change to your blog’s visual style–the gold/maroon/etc feels like it could use a do-over. (One reason would be that the middle band in which content is placed is quite narrow, causing more scrolling than truly necessary–another that there are more and more great options from WordPress, coming out all the time.)
Thank you, Ragen. I always look forward to your new posts, and sometimes refer back to older ones when I need a pick-me-up. When I need a statistic or a study name, I know I can usually find it here. When I need a laugh, you’ve usually got one up your sleeve for me.
What’s more, you have gathered one of the most engaging, witty, thoughtful followings I’ve found on any blog. Being surrounded virtually by these awesome fatties and allies makes life a lot better.
So I guess my suggestion is simply to keep being Ragen.
What more could I possibly want from you?
What Twistie said!
Thank you Ragen, and Happy New Year to you!
Can’t think of anything I’d change on the blog, unless it is to add more cat pictures. 😉
Ragen, I can’t tell you how your writing has changed my life! I’m still a mess, but less of one than I had been thanks to you and to all of the wonderful people you surround yourself with, both on this blog and on Rolls not Trolls. Here’s to a happy, self-accepting New Year to us all!
Thank you for providing me with a place that reminds me that I am not a complete failure in life because I carry some more fat on my body than some others. That is a gift. You are a gift. I hope your message continues to spread far and wide. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Ragen. And thank you for everything in 2013. ❤
3 mil! Congrats! I was pumped when I hit a thousand recently, so I know what you mean. and I so, so appreciated your research and logical thought processes written in such an easily understandable manner. Thanks again!
Happy 2014 Ragen! You are very informative and supportive in all of your posts.Can’t think of anything to change at this time.Thank you again for being you and doing what you;re doing!!:)
Thank YOU Ragen. Thank you!
I am doind a bit of binge reading in reverse order and my iPad seems to require signing in separately, with each comment, so some of this will be off topic.
Thank you for this place, Ragen and for pushing back bullies with intelligence, humor and rational arguments based on research. I am so thrilled that an Australian friend who’s been through hell but is settling nicely in a sane life, introduced me to your blog.
New Year’s resolutions have never been for me. This year, however, I will try to adjust some things that have affected my health lately. I am at an age when my parents’ generous sharing of genetic material that has been dormant until recently, has started to kick in.
Happy New Year Ragen and keep being the beacon you are and light the way, not only for your followers but for those who need to be educated on this complex subject.
This post seems like a good place to chime in with my thanks. I’ve never commented here before, but your blog is one of my favorite places. It’s where I come when I start to feel like I’m the only person I know who isn’t actively trying to lose weight, or who is working on moving for the joy of motion, not because it may or may not change the number on my scale. I admire your forthright approach and tend to find a lot of strength in it.
So, thank you. And Happy New Year
Renee S (not the same Renee to whose comments you replied in an earlier post).
Thank YOU for your continued efforts to such an important cause. Your blog is one that has changed my life for the better. You are also super awesome.