Image description: Black and white photo of a Black woman with long dark hair, looking at the camera with a small smile. She has her hand in her hair leaning into her hand. She is wearing glasses and a light-colored knitted sweater. There is a teal banner across the image, reading “Ask a Fat Creator:…
Image description: A fat white woman stands in a mowed field in front of green trees. She has long dark brown and gray hair in a ponytail and is wearing glasses, cropped green pants, and a t-shirt that says “Body Diversity” with a variety of cartoon dogs. She is looking to one side and smiling….
Because I have my fat fingers in so many pies, this chat with Chrystal Bougon of Curvy Girl Lingerie and All Bodies Electrolysis touches on lots of topics! If you’ve ever wondered about whether you can set boundaries with a photographer or how a good photographer works with mobility limitations or anxiety, this is the…
This is the Body Liberation Photos Ask a Fat Creator (and Allies) series, in which we find out more about the lives, work and breakfasts of all kinds of large-bodied and marginalized creators and their allies. Lisa Daughters (she/her) is a Licensed Professional Counselor, specializing in Expressive Arts Therapy. She has been counseling for 10…
On this episode of the Rising Whole podcast, Prim Ormanovich and I talk about how coherency in your business comes from having an underlying ethical framework or cause, and how my own underlying framework led to me splintering my business into many separate parts — and then bringing it together again. The podcast is no…
This is the Body Liberation Photos Ask a Fat Creator (and Allies) series, in which we find out more about the lives, work and breakfasts of all kinds of large-bodied and marginalized creators and their allies. Vanessa Chica is a NYC Educator, Writer, Poet, Playwright and Fat Activist. She has featured at various events such…
Learn more about body acceptance, body positivity, fat acceptance, intuitive eating and health at every size (HAES) with these fat-positive zines! You might be thinking… what exactly is a zine?! A zine (pronounced ZEEN) is a self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images usually produced via a photocopier. Zines are great because they…
This was one of my most memorable recital songs! Not only is the composer’s name (Engelbert Humperdinck) fun to say, but playing the Dew Fairy in this scene was a delight. I will happily wear fairy wings any time. The Dew Fairy Aria is from the opera Hansel & Gretel, first performed in 1893 in…
This is the Body Liberation Photos Ask a Fat Creator (and Allies) series, in which we find out more about the lives, work and breakfasts of all kinds of large-bodied and marginalized creators and their allies. Meghan (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian by training. She specializes in working with folks with eating disorders, disordered eating,…
Finding comfortable seating can be one of the biggest barriers that fat folx have to navigate on a daily basis. There is a constant worry as to whether the chairs at public spaces will be sturdy enough to fit our bodies or if we will have to squeeze into armrests or a booth that is…
“But what I find so interesting about this whole conversation and about trolls in general is they’re so quick to put the onus on individuals. It could be really alleviating and lift all this fear – I guess except for the fear of change – but it really could alleviate a lot of fear to…
June’s Ask a Fat Creator interview is with sculptor and illustrator Saya Collins. For Saya, sculpture is more than an art form. It is a connection to their ancestry, to history, and to the earth itself. It is an extension of their mind, imagination and dreams. “The pieces I create are not perfect. They take…
In a time of Facebook groups, Instagram threads and blog posts, many of us first encounter Health at Every Size (or HAES for short) and pick up some of its principles in online discussions. But when you’re ready to dig deeper, where should you go first? There are a thousand articles and thousands more blog…
Over at Releasing the Phoenix, I’m talking with Ashley Nestler about photography as a liberating force, the Body Love Box’s origins, PCOS and stigma, and how to increase your self-confidence.
Eat the Rules (formerly Fearless Rebelle Radio) was at the top of my podcast speaking wishlist for years, and it was such an amazing opportunity to appear in episode 168 with Summer Innanen! In this episode, we chat about: My story of growing up without television and pop culture and how this shaped my body…
On the Fat Girl Finds Love Podcast, I’m talking with Briana Cavanaugh about fategories, luck and privilege in relationships, finding a doctor you trust, and scars in photography. Give it a listen to learn more about my story as we celebrate the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional “beauty” standards. Today we talked…
Anni Jyn is here to create art that might make you feel good about yourself, be kind to others or hopefully make you do a little laugh if the situation calls for it! Tell me about you! What’s your name? What pronouns do you use? Where do you live? What do you like to eat…
I got mentioned on The Mighty! How amazing is that? Check out the full article below.
As we explore the concept of thin privilege and how it affects everyday life over on Instagram, one of the most common questions I receive is, “What am I supposed to do about it?” None of us are singlehandedly responsible for changing entire cultures and systems of oppression, but each of us can take small…
Hi, I’m Gloria, or Glow! I’m one of the creators of Cranky Shop (formerly, Cranky Crafty Cat Ladies). I’m the chief soapmaker and bath bomb wizard, and I’m generally the public face of our operation. I live southeast of Seattle with my husband, tweenager, and lots of pets. When I’m not dreaming up new sudsy…
Hi friend, I’ll be honest. I’m grieving. For everyone ill with the coronavirus. For fat folks sick with fear over the weight stigma they know they’ll encounter if and when they catch it. For those who’ve lost their jobs and businesses. And for my beloved cat Tansy, who passed away a few days ago. I’m…
I am probably the last person who should be making sports analogies, because I’m also probably the least sporty person on earth. I was pretty good at dodgeball as a kid, and I’m not terrible at Dance Dance Revolution, but as far as team sports? “Lulz,” as the cool kids are saying these days. But…
Shelby Bergen is an illustrator and cat enthusiast from the suburbs outside of the Twin Cities. She loves using bright colors, patterns and shapes in her work, and loves making fun character designs. Shelby prides herself in keeping her work diverse, focusing on showcasing different types and sizes of bodies. When Shelby isn’t making art,…
What would happen if paint became a Big Thing? In fact, what would happen if one specific paint brand became a Big Thing, to the exclusion of all else? What if that paint brand became so popular that you were expected to use it in every room of your house? To the point that visitors…
Hi friend, what’s it like to go to the grocery store while thin? Let me tell you what it was like to go to the grocery store this week while fat. It’s having people glance your way and then look away quickly, as if having glimpsed something obscene or disgusting. It’s having a woman in…
This lovely piece is one of a set of fusions of Baroque and Brazilian music by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. (Thanks, Wikipedia) This isn’t a recent video, but I’m re-sharing it as a way of releasing old body shame. When this video was taken, I was bothered by the way my fat body moved…
March’s pick for the Body Liberation Book Club is Fat, Pretty and Soon to be Old by Kimberly Dark! Join us on Thursday, March 26 at 7 pm for a fat-friendly hangout and book discussion. Newcomers are very welcome! Purchasing the book from this affiliate link helps me continue to offer free resources: https://amzn.to/2TDyJoQ About…
2021 update: Kathryn says of herself, “She’s queer now and getting a divorce! Thanks Fat liberation!!!!” Kathryn Max is a Body Liberation Artist and Activist living in Oakland CA. She credits making fat art with helping her cultivate a kind and compassionate relationship with her own body. Kathryn is currently working on her memoir “Fat…
Everywhere we go, we’re surrounded by diet culture, the cultural forces that cause us to feel bad about our bodies and want to shrink them into acceptability. Diet culture causes poor body image, encourages eating disorders and makes $71 billion in profit for the diet industry every year. More and more often, people are pushing…
For those of us in larger bodies, it can feel like we’re hemmed in all around with barriers and gates and forms to be submitted in triplicate just to live our lives. To live in bodies this scrutizined and regulated and constantly criticized is to feel that we need permission to eat, to breathe, to…
Cruelty is an inherent part of diet culture. Diet culture gives us a dichotomy: bodies are either good (thin) or bad (fat). In this framework, a “good” body is something that can and should always be the ultimate goal. Not only is a good body the only healthy, morally upright and worthy kind of body,…
This is an oratorio piece from the Dixit Dominus, a psalm setting by George Frideric Handel (catalogued as HWV 232). It uses the Latin text of Psalm 110 (Vulgate 109), which begins with the words Dixit Dominus (“The Lord Said”). (Thanks, Wikipedia!) This isn’t a recent video, but I’m re-sharing it as a way of…
Katy Lees is a writer and psychotherapist from the North East of England. They’ve written for Dirge Magazine, Do Some Damage, and Lockjaw. They’re currently writing a transgender and non-binary self-care guide that will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Tell me about you! What’s your name? What pronouns do you use? Where do you…
Just in case you need a reminder today: Cutting off contact with toxic people, or setting a no-contact or minimal-contact boundary for yourself, is a perfectly valid thing to do. We have this cultural expectation that if you just find the right words and make your case just right, a toxic relative or friend will…
This is of course the song with a famous rendition by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman. “Con te partirò” was never part of an opera, but was an individual piece written by Francesco Sartori (music) and Lucio Quarantotto (lyrics). It was released first as a solo piece by Bocelli and then as a duet with…
Jiji Knight is a lover of magic, ladies, and breakfast for dinner. Graphic designer by day and illustrator by night, she’s a champion of body positivity, uniter of the cute and macabre, and overall dedicates her body of work to women. She studied illustration at the Academy of Art in beautiful San Francisco and currently…
December’s pick for the Body Liberation Book Club will be Fat Girl by Judith Moore! Join us on Thursday, December 26 (yes, the day after Christmas) at 7 pm (Jalisco restaurant, 12336 31st Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125) for a fat-friendly hangout and book discussion. Newcomers are very welcome! About the Body Liberation Book Club…
This calendar is provided as a public resource for the body positivity, fat acceptance, plus-size fashion, and Health at Every Size (HAES) communities. I’m not affiliated with any events except the ones in bold, and at this time I’m not compensated for any event listings. The calendar is current on hold due to so many…
I was honored to recently be part of a roundtable series, a collaboration between the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and Yoga & Body Image Coalition (YBIC), called Growing & Thriving Together: A Roundtable Series on Diversity, Inclusivity & Accessibility in Yoga and Fitness Spaces. The discussion for which I was a panelist focused on…
Get an edge on your holiday shopping and support fat artists at the first annual at Artists’ Open House & Overstock Sale! We’ll have a range of body-positive and creative goods for you, including: THE BODY LOVE BOX: Overstock boxes from previous months, books, stickers, bookmarks, self-care items, zines, figurines, and art prints Body Liberation…
Theresa is an illustrator and creative entrepreneur with a background in art therapy and psychology. She is passionate about the power of creative business and art and design as tools for radical paradigm shift. She believes that we can change ourselves and our world through representation. Tell me about you! What’s your name? What pronouns…
Krystal Thompson of The Luscious Life helps people struggling with their relationship with their body and their relationship with food. Working as a Yoga Therapist over the past 9 years, she has been dedicated to educating, empowering and assisting individuals so that they can take an active role in their healing and wellness. Lately her…
One of the best things about summer is water: swimming, splashing, wading, dancing, drinking, flavoring, floating, fishing, boating, or soaking in it! The larger your clothing size, though, the more challenging it can be to find a swimsuit you find comfortable or beautiful. For folks who wear clothing sizes larger than are generally carried at…
Allies, HAES providers, body image and body positivity activists, and influencers who live in small and medium-sized bodies: Where are you when a superfat person posts a bikini photo and is rewarded with, not the accolades you receive for your vulnerability and bravery, but uniform disgust? Where are you when fat activists are exhausted at…
Over on the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) blog, I’m talking about Mary, a fictional fatty, and her experience in the fitness world. Recently I saw a comment from a fitness professional that got me thinking. She said that she wants to help people in bodies of all sizes get to the “happy…
Rachelle Abellar is a graphic designer, fat activist, and body liberation advocate. She is the founder of PNW Fattitude, a group that hosts events for people of size in the Pacific Northwest. She also runs Archive Six, a small press and zine distro that carries work centering indie art, social justice, feminism, WOC, intersectionality, fat…
For Immediate Release August 1, 2019 Shelbey Osborne [email protected] THE BODY LOVE BOX SUPPORTS ITS 20TH MARGINALIZED ARTIST Fat-Positive Subscription Box Supporting Marginalized Artists and Small Business Owners SEATTLE, WASHINGTON –The Body Love Box is celebrating working with over 20 marginalized and small business owners since the…
This is a guest post from Dawn Clark, who graciously allowed me to share her experience at the National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance, or NAAFA. – Lindley I have been fat most of my life, and if there were one word to describe my fat life thus far, it would be “uncomfortable.”…
Take a look with me at Tatiana Gill’s Fat Positive Coloring Book! I’ll let you in on a bit of background about the book itself and the original cover, plus give you a peek at what’s inside. Full disclosure: I was provided with this copy of the coloring book in exchange for the review. All…
I’m the official photographer for Project HEAL’s Camp Heal 2019! Join us in Angeles National Forest outside Los Angeles this September to help heal your body image. In this video, I’m talking about eating disorder recovery and who has the “right” body for it, why I’m lending my skills to the camp, and my fave…
