Hi friend, The big news in the fat-related world this week is Brendan Fraser’s hideously fatphobic new movie called The Whale. Since there’s been so much commentary, rather than including it in The Conversation section, I’ve given it its own list down in the Quick Resources.
As we consider the concept of size contrition, let’s look at the “fuck flattering” trend that’s been sweeping the body positivity movement. On its face, “fuck flattering” is a rejection of size contrition and the forbearance it can generate. There’s a great article by Alysse D’alessandro at The Body is Not An Apology that talks…
As I was talking with my superfat friend Brandy (for whom I’m so grateful — not only is she a lovely person, but we have fantastic fat-related discussions) about size contrition, she noted that it was strange that her co-workers often compliment her sense of style even though she wears loudly-patterned dresses. “Huh,” I said….
Today I’m thinking about a concept I’m calling size contrition. Size contrition is what we fat folks perform in order to win small amounts of forbearance from thin people. In essence, it allows us to temporarily access aspects of thin privilege in return for our public recognition of and apology for our fatness. For instance,…
“They don’t know any better.” When I talk about weight stigma/weight bias and fatphobia in healthcare, that’s often the excuse that people make to me on behalf of healthcare providers. “That’s how they were taught.” In 2022, that excuse just isn’t good enough any more. Not only do we have a half-century of evidence that…
Some days, caring for our fat bodies looks exactly like caring for any human body. On other days, we may need a little extra something to carry on. When it comes to chronic health conditions, though, caring for a fat body can be very different. Why? Because fat bodies are subject to weight stigma: discrimination…
Happy Pride, loves. I see you. I’m proud of you. You deserve every good thing. You have shed a thousand skins to become the person you are today. And if you ever feel overwhelmed by the many people you once were, remember, your bones have grown, but what makes them has never changed. » Nikita…
One of the transgressions of which Mikey Mercedes, ASDAH leadership and I have been accused is of “capitalizing” on the events of the last month for publicity and profit. (Those events, in case you’re coming to this late, can be found here.) Not only should Mikey and I, as professionals and experts, have the opportunities…
It’s been an interesting week or so since Mikey Mercedes and I went public. In the time since, there’s been a lot of excellent discussion in marginalized communities. In the Health at Every Size®-aligned healthcare provider groups to which I have access or connections, there’s been a silence that echoes almost as loudly as the…
It’s important to understand that confidence isn’t a cure-all. One of the big issues with “just be confident and advocate for yourself! Don’t let anything stop you from fulfilling your dreams!” is that for fat folks, it simply doesn’t work that way. Sure, what a good friend calls “Confidence Magick” is helpful as each of…
The question “What about fat animals?” comes up pretty regularly in body liberation spaces.
I don’t generally think of myself as what I call a “101-level educator.” That’s the kind of person whose talent is bringing people who are brand new to a concept gradually through it. To be honest, I don’t have the patience or emotional energy to gently and patiently convince people that fat people are both…
An ongoing series about the privileges of thinness in a world filled with diet culture.
Some days, caring for our fat bodies looks exactly like caring for any human body. On other days, we may need a little extra something to carry on. When it comes to chronic health conditions like diabetes, though, caring for a fat body can be very different. Why? Because fat bodies are subject to weight…
