Janie, our favoritest and nakedest commenter (those categories, by the way, are in no way mutually exclusive) recently sat down for an interview about, among other things, her career and her body image, with PlusSizeLiving. We think she went over some things that might have relevance to some of you out there and we generally just think she’s awesome and want to share her success. Guanabee: Like a good parent, we brag so your ass don’t have to.

Some excerpts from the interview, below:

ST: Growing up in the Mexican culture, what messages did you get from your parents in terms of whether it was okay to be overweight?

JM: No, it’s never okay to be overweight. Weight was a very big issue because I was already so big {as a child} and my mother was not. She was very thin, curvy; my sister was the same way. My brother wasn’t.

ST: How did you come to have such a good body image?

JM: It’s just a matter of perception. I have a friend who is very thin…I think she’s very lovely; but she has a horrible self- image. She validates herself through the relationships she has with men…and I ask her: “but, what about the relationship you have with yourself?“ […] Just turning that perception around and saying it’s because I’m big, because I’m fat that I’m successful has paved the way for me. […] And there are also political expectations with that; if you’re successful because you’re big, then it’s like… well how much is too big, or what’s too little, and if you’re dieting or not dieting, or if you make a lifestyle choice. Everybody comes to self-acceptance and self-love at their own pace. It’s not forced. It’s personal and I just got there (smiles) a few years ago myself.

ST: “Shortbus” was John Cameron Mitchell’s film; Details is a magazine.. what was “Fur”?

JM: “Fur”… was a film about people involved in the Coney Island Freak show. The role I played…was sedate and not exploitative. A central scene was at a wake. There were people of all different shapes and sizes, all just coming together. We’re all human, and there are things that bind us like birth, love, sex, and death…AND we all go through them no matter what shape, what size, what religion, how rich or how poor we are. I think it helps to put those images out there.

ST: Do you get asked to do exploitative things?

JM: I get requests from talk shows, like Jerry Springer and Tyra Banks… that want to have people act out every ugly aspect of humanity. I don’t want to be a part of that. Others do…and may make money to do so…it’s a fine line, being a performer.

ST: What do you think about the stereotype that big women don’t really date, and what have your dating experiences been like?

JM: I’ve been privileged to find men who get involved in relationships with women who are big, or, like, super-sized or whatever they want to call us in that sense…so that’s a good thing. Man learns by example. And if we’re able to see that that is possible, people can say , ‘well why not me?’ You’re going to like whoever you’re going to like; we can’t help it…it’s pheromones…it’s…an attitude…whatever. I’ve been involved with guys who feel that I have the best attitude and self-confidence and just want to be around that. And some guys are all about the physical and say ‘this is really great and you’re like my {beauty} ideal’ .That’s great ,too. With any relationship there are ups and downs, and some of them work and some of them don’t. I don’t take it personally. And I don’t blame it on this. (points to her waist).

We ♥ you, Janie.

Interview With Janie Martinez [PlusSizeLiving]