Pushing back against 'anti-fatness'

Friendship Boundaries

Navigating friendships where body size becomes a central issue can be challenging. Aubrey Gordon shares her experiences of friends treating her as a "fixer-upper," where her personhood is overshadowed by their disapproval of her body. She emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, stating, "I'm not interested in talking about weight loss with you," and if necessary, moving on to healthier relationships 1. Juana Summers adds that such dynamics can create a significant barrier in friendships, making it difficult to unsee or unhear the underlying judgments 1.

   

Body Image

Struggles with body image are often exacerbated by societal pressures and misconceptions. Juana Summers discusses her personal challenges with body image and the difficulty of finding clothes that fit well in mainstream stores 2. Aubrey Gordon suggests that understanding the origins of these pressures, such as scientific racism and corporate profit motives, can be liberating 2. She also highlights the importance of precise language, noting that fat is not an emotion, but a body type, and encourages people to articulate their true feelings for better support 3.