The San Francisco Department of Public Health has hired a consultant on 'weight stigma and weight neutrality' despite the city in the midst of a battle against rampant homelessness, open-air drug use, and violent crime.
Virgie Tovar, a self-described 'anti-weight-based discrimination' expert describes herself as a prominent advocate for 'fat positivity' and body acceptance. Announcing her appointment on her Instagram, she called it 'an absolute dream come true.'
'I'm unbelievably proud to serve the city I've called home for almost 20 years in this way!' Tovar wrote.
'This consultancy is an absolute dream come true, and it's my biggest hope and belief that weight neutrality will be the future of public health.'
Critics argue San Francisco has far bigger problems to deal with than how people feel about their weight.
With the city struggling to deal with homelessness, drug addiction, and concerns over public safety concerns, prioritizing a weight stigma consultant feels tone-deaf, they argue.
'This is real?' tweeted Elon Musk upon hearing the news, believing it might be satire.
'So the goal is not to fix any problems. Just to make people feel better about having them,' surmised one user.
'San Francisco is just making their problems worse,' added another.
Virgie Tovar, a self-described 'anti-weight-based discrimination' announced her appointment working with the San Francisco Department of Public Health on her Instagram , calling it 'an absolute dream come true.'
Tovar describes herself as a 'weight stigma' and 'weight neutrality' expert
San Francisco has been battling rampant homelessness, open-air drug use, and violent crime
'You do have the right to remain fat, but that doesn't mean it's healthy!' quipped a fourth.
Supporters see the move as typical of progressive politics emphasizing the importance of addressing weight-based discrimination as part of broader public health goals.
Tovar, who authored a book entitled You Have the Right to Remain Fat, positions herself as a leading voice against weight-based discrimination.
Her website describes her as a 'plus-size Latina author, lecturer, and expert on body positivity 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 critique society's beauty standards and 'fatphobia.'
While Tovar's consultancy role is official, the specifics remain murky with the San Francisco Department of Public Health yet to disclose the specific nature of her responsibilities of how much she is being paid.
The department has also not specified how her consultancy will impact its programs or how success will be measured.
Tovar is a prominent advocate for 'fat positivity' and body acceptance
Despite being offering Ozempic to lose weight and slim down, Tovar decided not to take the miracle drug because she claimed it would not address the issue of 'weight bias'
In another Instagram post, she held up a sign reading, '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 appears emblematic of the city's evolving approach to public health, if not a somewhat misplaced focus at the current time.
In one online video she reflected on her own struggles with 'disordered eating' describing how medical professionals pressured her to lose weight from an early age.
'I really believed that this was about my health,' she said. 'I really believed my doctor was right, and so I was using the language of getting 'better,' but I was actually deeply 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 reading, 'I don't want Ozempic,' explaining that she didn't want to take the drug because it wouldn't address 'weight bias.'
The appointment of a 'weight stigma' czar comes as certain parts of the city, including the troubled Tenderloin district have become known for their squalor and misery, becoming so bad that local businesses unable to recruit staff and residents have felt forced to flee.
The crime-ridden downtown area has seen the closure of many shops and restaurants since its drastic downfall, despite city mayor London Breed attempting to hype statistics claiming offenses went down in 2023.
In October last year, it was reported that seven Starbucks stores were planning to close as the city continues to deal with crime, drug use, and homelessness.
At the end of August 2023, video was released showing San Francisco's newly shut-down flagship Nordstrom store that was almost barren after nearly three decades in business.
Homeless people congregate downtown, pushing their possessions in shopping carts or sitting on duffle bags, awaiting city services such as referrals for shelter, food or clothing, or mental health and substance abuse treatment.