The San Francisco Department of Public Health has hired a consultant on “weight stigma and weight neutrality,” even as the city is in the midst of a battle against rampant homelessness, open-air drug use and violent crime.
Virgie Tovar, a self-proclaimed expert on “anti-weight discrimination,” describes herself as a prominent advocate for “fat positivity” and body acceptance. She announced her appointment on her Instagram, calling it “an absolute dream come true.”
“I am incredibly proud to serve the city I have called home for almost twenty years in this way!” Tovar wrote.
“This consultancy is an absolute dream come true, and it is my greatest hope and belief that weight neutrality will be the future of public health.”
Critics argue that San Francisco has much bigger problems to deal with than how people feel about their weight.
As the city struggles to address homelessness, drug addiction and public safety concerns, prioritizing a weight stigma counselor feels tone deaf, they argue.
“Is this real?” tweeted Elon Musk when he heard the news, believing it could be satire.
‘So the goal is not to solve any problems. Just to make people feel better about having them,” one user surmised.
“San Francisco is just making their problems worse,” another added.
Virgie Tovar, a self-described “anti-weight discrimination,” announced her appointment to the San Francisco Department of Public Health on her Instagram, calling it “an absolute dream come true.”
Tovar describes himself as an expert on ‘weight stigma’ and ‘weight neutrality’
San Francisco has suffered from rampant homelessness, open-air drug use and violent crime
‘You have the right to stay fat, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy!’ joked a fourth.
Advocates see the move as typical of progressive politics and emphasize the importance of addressing weight-based discrimination as part of broader public health goals.
Tovar, author of a book titled You Have the Right to Remain Fat, is positioning herself as a leading voice against weight-based discrimination.
Her website describes her as a “major Latina author, teacher and body positivity expert with over a decade of experience.”
She has managed to build a career as an outspoken advocate against diet culture and traditional health metrics like BMI.
Her published works and social media presence often criticize society’s beauty standards and ‘fatphobia’.
While Tovar’s role as a consultant is official, the details remain unclear as the San Francisco Department of Public Health has not yet disclosed the specific nature of her responsibilities and the amount she is paid.
The department also has not specified how its consulting firm will impact its programs or how success will be measured.
Tovar is a prominent advocate for fat positivity and body acceptance
Despite offering Ozempic for weight loss and slimming, Tovar decided not to take the miracle drug as she claimed it would not address the issue of ‘weight bias’.
In another Instagram post, she held up a sign that read “I don’t want Ozempic,” explaining that she didn’t want to take the drug because it wouldn’t address “weight bias.”
Tovar’s hiring seems emblematic of the city’s evolving approach to public health, if not a somewhat misplaced focus at the moment.
In an online video, she reflected on her own struggles with “disordered eating,” describing how medical professionals pressured her to lose weight from a young age.
“I really believed this was about my health,” she said. “I really believed my doctor was right, so I used the language of ‘getting better,’ but I was actually deep in the throes of anorexia.”
Tovar has been vocal on social media about reshaping workplace conversations around food and body image.
In another Instagram post, she held up a sign that read “I don’t want Ozempic,” explaining that she didn’t want to take the drug because it wouldn’t address “weight bias.”
Outdoor drug use appeared to be common, along with hundreds of homeless people
The appointment of a ‘weight stigma’ czar comes as cCertain parts of the city, including the troubled Tenderloin district, have become known for their squalor and squalor, becoming so bad that local businesses unable to recruit workers and residents have felt forced to flee.
Many shops and restaurants have closed in the crime-ridden downtown area since the drastic demise, despite Mayor London Breed trying to hype the statistics by claiming the number of violations had dropped by 2023.
In October last year, it was reported that seven Starbucks stores were planning to close as the city continues to struggle with crime, drug use and homelessness.
In late August 2023, a video was released showing the recently closed flagship Nordstrom store in San Francisco, nearly barren after nearly three decades in business.
Homeless people gather downtown, pushing their belongings into shopping carts or sitting on duffel bags, awaiting city services such as referrals for shelter, food or clothing, or mental health and substance abuse treatment.