Fat? So!
Posted by Anne Cuthbert at 7/16/2008 1:22 PM and is filed under uncategorized 
One of my favorite authors on the subject of how culture plays a role in our drive for thinness, is Marilyn Wann in her book Fat?So! "Because you don't have to apologize for your size!"
She makes some great points and does so with humor. She talks about size discrimination in our society. She encourages people to feel good in whatever body size they have and provides many ways to help you do so. She provides samples of return comments to make if someone calls you fat names and provides a paper doll with 9 outfits to help you have fun with "fat fashion".
Although I think the book over-emphasizes some points, it is a great book that I highly recommend! You can purchase her book on her website: www.fatso.com
Size discrimination shows up everywhere! People are made fun of and called names based on their size (this happens in all age groups.) Insurance companies turn people down for insurance based on their weight, despite the lack of evidence that fat people are more unhealthy than thin people. (although this point seems widely accepted, there really is a lack of evidence that this is true.) People who are fat earn significantly less than their thin counterparts. There are numerous stereotypes about fat people, such as: they are lazy, have no self control, are unhappy, don't exercise.
Size discrimination affects all of us, no matter what our size. After all, Over half of the females studied between ages eighteen and twenty-five would prefer to be run over by a truck than to be fat, and two-thirds would choose to be mean or stupid rather than fat. Gaesser, Glenn A., PhD. Big Fat Lies: The truth about your weight and your health. Gurze Books, 2001.
What are some other ways you notice size discrimination? What affect does this have on you?
She makes some great points and does so with humor. She talks about size discrimination in our society. She encourages people to feel good in whatever body size they have and provides many ways to help you do so. She provides samples of return comments to make if someone calls you fat names and provides a paper doll with 9 outfits to help you have fun with "fat fashion".
Although I think the book over-emphasizes some points, it is a great book that I highly recommend! You can purchase her book on her website: www.fatso.com
Size discrimination shows up everywhere! People are made fun of and called names based on their size (this happens in all age groups.) Insurance companies turn people down for insurance based on their weight, despite the lack of evidence that fat people are more unhealthy than thin people. (although this point seems widely accepted, there really is a lack of evidence that this is true.) People who are fat earn significantly less than their thin counterparts. There are numerous stereotypes about fat people, such as: they are lazy, have no self control, are unhappy, don't exercise.
Size discrimination affects all of us, no matter what our size. After all, Over half of the females studied between ages eighteen and twenty-five would prefer to be run over by a truck than to be fat, and two-thirds would choose to be mean or stupid rather than fat. Gaesser, Glenn A., PhD. Big Fat Lies: The truth about your weight and your health. Gurze Books, 2001.
What are some other ways you notice size discrimination? What affect does this have on you?
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