Today we have listener questions! What do you say to someone who claims you are promoting fatness? What things can you do to be a helpful fat ally and what things aren’t so great? Where can I find fat trans and nonbinary masculine representation? What to say when someone comments on your unintentional weight loss due to illness? I’ve got all these covered in this episode!
Hustle Culture vs Anti-Fat Culture
How do anti-fat culture and hustle culture share characteristics? How intertwined are they exactly? And what about the links to white supremacy culture? I am a recover(ed/ing) hustle culture enthusiast and long-removed anti-fat culture supporter and have observed firsthand the harms of both and how eerily similar they actually are. TW: anti-fat, classist, ableist, and healthist attitudes shared in the show.
Fat People Barred From Home Ownership, Adoption and More
Did you know that in some countries (like Ireland), people with a BMI that is deemed “too high” are unable to buy a property? Fat people are turned away from IVF clinics and their ability to parent an adoptive child can be deemed insufficient due solely to body size. We talk about these outrageous denials of basic opportunities and eugenics that fat people experience in this episode. TW: mention of BMI and weight plus anti-fat bias.
PE in School And The Horrific Harm Fat Kids Experience
If you went to school and were/are fat then there is a sizeable chance that you have a least some stories to tell about the harm your experienced, specifically about physical education (PE) classes. From government-mandated fitness tests to running around the track in shame many people have had heartbreakingly awful experiences that have turned them off formal exercise, sometimes for good, destroyed self-esteem and created eating disorders. TW: some pretty awful stories of abusive treatment of kids.
How Life Changes After You Discover Fat Liberation and Anti-Diet (The Good the Bad and the Annoying)
Discovering fat liberation and anti-diet was life-changing for me! There have been so many shifts in my ways of thinking and a huge change in how I now experience the world. What are these changes and how many of them are good, bad, and just plain annoying? Do I wish I could go back to where I was blissfully unaware of anti-fat bias and how pervasive it is?
Anti-Fat Bias in the Workplace
What is it like to be fat in the workplace? I asked you to share your stories and I will be sharing the stats. Is there a difference in how fat men vs fat women are perceived and treated? And how much distinction do we see between smaller fat people and larger fat people? We have some pretty jaw-dropping stories of weight bias in the workplace and so if that’s not feeling good for you today skip the second half of the show.
Fatness as a Disease and “Ob*sity” Medicine’s Giant Flaws
There has been a shift in recent years to embrace fatness as a disease and in fact, the American Medical Association did do just that in 2013, against advice from many experts. Is the premise of larger body sizes as inherently “diseased” helpful? What about “ob*sity” doctors who advocate for the use of person first language? Is that shift going to end stigma for fat people? Let’s talk about it!
Part 2: Is Wegovy/Ozempic the Miracle Weight Loss Drug It’s Made Out to Be? (Part 2)
This is part 2 of the breaking down of the newest diet drug frenzy. In today’s episode, we are talking about personal stories of those using the drug, Novo’s lawsuits and scandals including their marketing campaign which co-opts fat liberatory language in order to trick its consumers. Plus what opther new drugs are about, what is happening with celebs and the supply shortage? We have a ton of stuff for you! TW: mentions of side effects
Part 1: Is Wegovy/Ozempic the Miracle Weight Loss Drug It’s Made Out to Be?
Have you noticed this new craze where influencers and celebs are taking diet drugs, specifically Ozempic/Wegovy? Well if you haven’t then you’re one of the lucky ones! This drug is being touted as “game-changing”, a “miracle” and the “end of ob*sity.” But is it? In this 1st episode of 2, we go into the actual science behind the drug, the clinical trial outcomes and who is the company behind manufacturing the drug…and the hype. TW: mentions of side effects
Fat Bias in the News
An analysis of the news representations of fat bodies in the last year has been completed by NAAFA which we will go over in today’s episode. Out of 19,000+ mentions of fatness in the news last year, how many are talking about weight loss, diets and ill health and how many focus on fat liberation and weight stigma? I also share my own traumatizing experience of being featured in the media which almost lead to my de@th. How fat people are represented in reporting is super important and I’ll share why and the state of where were at today. TW: Mention of s*icide ideation
When You Don’t Believe Your Partner Is Attracted to You
This episode is for fat folks who have partners who reassure them that their body is attractive but you just can't seem to believe them or feel it for yourself. Many, many fat folks have experienced this! What could your partner say (if anything) to make you truly believe them? What if your partner has made comments that have sent you ruminating about how they actually prefer thin people? How do we overcome this frustrating feeling? What’s it like for our partners who hear us yuk their yum? All that and more in this episode!
Diet Culture and Religion
How much has religion influenced the propagation of diet culture, if at all? Are atheists effected by religious moralizing of food? Do beliefs about “indulgences” from the 1500s still have an impact on us today or are they quite notions from the past? Let’s talk about it in today’s episode!
The Whale: Fatphobic Misery P*rn
The movie ‘The Whale’ is now out in cinemas. The fat community has been dreading the release ever since the trailer dropped. Is it as bad as we had feared or is the story told with compassion? What about other films that depict super fat folks who spend their life indoors, are they empathetic or reinforcing the same old tropes?
When the People in Your Life Are Anti-fat and Pro-diet
One of the biggest barriers people who are trying to unlearn anti-fat bias have, is dealing with other people who won’t stop talking about diets and how much they don’t want to be fat. Often these are friends or loved ones and commonly they aren’t talking negatively about YOU directly, but about THEMSELVES (of course there are many exceptions to this). BUT the message they are sharing is that fatness is bad, they don’t want to look like you or that dieting is a good solution to fatphobia. How the heck do we deal with these people? I am answering real-life scenarios from followers today and the biggest culprit that comes up is” mother in law”….lol, ugh.
Atypical Anorexia
What’s the deal with atypical anorexia? Is it actually “atypical” and where did the diagnosis come from? Learn the ins and out’s of this eating disorder and the ways in which weight bias stops people from getting treatment and even diagnosis. Plus: is it true that to be “really” starving you would be thin?
Biggest Scammers in the Diet Industry
Who has personally benefitted the most from our obsession with thinness? Which individuals are the biggest diet hucksters? From the 1800s right up to the present day I have a list of those who have scammed us the most and in the process lined their pockets. TW: I talk about calories, specific diets, and mentions of eating disorders (specifically machine-assisted b*limia).
What if You Want to Support a Fat Person to Lose Weight?
We have a special episode today which is for the loved ones of fat folks who are worried about their health or want them to lose weight. I am going to be talking directly to the people who deeply care about a fat person and may say or think something like “I don’t quite understand why they don’t eat in a certain way, or stick to a diet when they know it could have negative impacts on their health.” If you know someone who could benefit from hearing about weight science, and the impacts that living in a fat body has on fat individuals with personal stories then tune in and share. TW: mention of The “o words” and weight in pounds, I also read advice columns from people wanting their spouse to lose weight and that can be hard to hear.
Actions to Take Today to Stop Hating Your Fat Body
Are you struggling with how you're feeling about your body or perhaps your body love journey has stalled and you want some fresh inspiration? Want some tactics and tips that you can take action on today as well as some longer term juicy things you can get your teeth stuck into? If yes, then this episode is for you!
Beachbody Announce They Are “Body Positive”, but Are They Really?
Beachbody just announced that they are changing their name to BODi and will be embracing body positivity. Is this another branding tactic like Weight Watchers changing to “WW” or is it another grift to get more people to join their MLM (ahem, pyramid scheme). Perhaps they are genuine in their aims to be more inclusive? Let’s find out in this episode where I talk to ex-Beachbody coach Jen Borruso (@jenb.coaching) who is now a Size-Inclusive Fitness Specialist with her biz Anchor Fit Club (@anchorfitclub)
Listener Questions: Mum Abusive About My Body and How to Stop Fears of Judgement
I am answering your questions today! We talk about being denied IVF due to size, working out if it's transphobia or fatphobic that is causing body dysmorphia, how to call in or call out fatphobic comments, and finally how the heck to stop spiraling when you think everyone is judging your weight.