Fatphobia refers to the fear, hatred, and loathing of fat bodies (Stoll et al., 2022). While fatphobia is used more commonly, terms such as ‘prejudice against fat’, ‘weight stigma’, or ‘negative social stereotypes of the obese’ are also used. ‘Obesity’ is used by scientific and public health literature and refers to individuals whose BMI is 30 or higher. However, this term is highly controversial, as it has normative and pathologizing connotations. Generally, fat activists and researchers prefer the term ‘fat’ (Chellappoo, A., 2024). For this reason, this term is mainly used in this entry as a neutral descriptor. The following text mentions words that are used to stigmatize people and mentions the proceeding negative psychological and social consequences of the discriminating attitudes. It also gives examples of microaggressions experienced and the social ideas of thinness
Framings & Perspectives
Fatphobia touches upon numerous aspects of a fat person’s life, such as their accessibility to employment, education, politics, relationships, and especially healthcare (Wilson, 2021). Stigma, social pressure, beauty standards, as well as internalized negative attitudes toward body shapes can contribute to one’s self-evaluation and further lead to negative psychological and social consequences. Some of them include anxiety, weight-gain anxiety, depression, and eating disorders (Styk et al., 2023). In comparison, fatphobic attitudes have been recorded in children as young as three and become more pronounced with age (Stoll et al., 2022). From a long-term perspective, discrimination toward marginalized groups often decreased over time, whereas fatphobic attitudes stayed the same or even increased. Compared to other forms of discrimination, it seems like expressing anti-fat opinions is still seen as more socially acceptable (Ravary, 2019).
Fatphobia is rooted in the patriarchal ideals of beauty, attractiveness, and desirability (Chen et al., 2024). Through the filter of the male gaze, women are expected to be desirable and beautiful, thus adhering to strict beauty standards such as the thinness ideal. As this idea is internalized by many women, those who do not fit into these boxes may feel undesirable. In this context, diet culture reinforces the idea that anyone can achieve a slim body by following diet rules. This emphasizes a certain body type is socially acceptable and can be achieved through consumerism. Excessive weight is often perceived as self-inflicted or in a matter of self-control (Robinson et al., 1993). By implying that being fat is something one can control, genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors are overlooked.
In addition, the healthcare industry sometimes disregards medical conditions by relating any discomfort to weight. For example, a person went to the doctor for an ear infection and was asked if they were thinking about losing weight (Wilson, 2021). Such microaggressions are prevalent in healthcare, where body size is salient, as well as in everyday life. Common fatphobic microaggressions toward fat individuals are “You’re so brave”; “You’re so confident!” or “I wish I had your confidence” (Chen et al., 2024). Furthermore, so-called ‘weight-loss’ groups can be perceived as ineffective and affecting individuals’ health and well-being. However, many continue to return to weight-loss groups to meet the public pressure of ’’doing something’’ about their weight but also to connect and share experiences with other fat individuals who attend these groups (Dickins, 2011).
Chen et al. (2024) argue that it is crucial to assess the intersectional lens that addresses these layered impacts of sexism, racism, ableism, and more regarding fatphobia. Body-shaming can be even more severe for marginalized groups, such as people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, who frequently face oppression (Lu, 2023). The Body positivity movement has origins in the struggles of fat people of color, especially fat, Black women. Also, the most well-documented accounts of fat activism date back to the late 1960s, at the intersection of the women’s liberation and Black Civil Rights movements (Lu, 2023). A powerful statement from the head of the welfare rights movement, an American woman, Johnnie Tillmon is: “I’m a woman. I’m a Black woman. I’m a poor woman. I’m a fat woman. I’m a middle-aged woman. In this country, if you’re any one of those things you count less as a human being.” (Lu, 2023).
Relevance
Numerous movements aim to challenge the mainstream. Fat acceptance refers to a movement that surfaced as a response to weight-based discrimination toward fat people, seeking to create an alternative discourse regarding obesity. It encompasses individuals who question the dominant narrative of health reporting and information about obesity and critically evaluate the weight-loss industry. The movement’s pivotal elements include accepting one’s body and eradicating the notion that a body is unacceptable if it does not conform to the social ideal of thinness (Dickins et al., 2011) while also accentuating the need for acceptance of bodies regardless of size, shape, or appearance (Lu, 2023). Deeming fat people unhealthy and responsible for their situation makes it challenging to understand the harmful and damaging impacts of fatphobic aggressions and microaggressions. The visible effects can shed light on how industries (related to diet, fitness, beauty, social media, etc.) benefit and profit from fatphobia and how they should be held accountable (Chen et al., 2024). It is important to shift personal responsibility toward more supportive and proactive ways to think about health and weight (Dickins, 2011).
Keywords: Weight Stigma, Body-Shaming, Anti-Fat Bias, Thin Privilege, Diet Culture
Connected terms: Body image, Body Liberation, Marginalized, Microaggressions, Microinterventions, Bodily Autonomy, Data Activism, Representation
References
Chellappoo, A. Contrasting Narratives of Race and Fatness in Covid-19. HPLS 43, 120 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40656-021-00477-5
Chen, Y. W., Kalaydjian, V., & Dwyer, A. (2024). “You’re so Brave”: Unpacking Fatphobic (Micro) Aggressions with “Body-Positive” Influencers and Activists. Emerging Media, 2(1), 86-108.
Dickins, M., Thomas, S. L., King, B., Lewis, S., & Holland, K. (2011). The role of the fatosphere in fat adults’ responses to obesity stigma: A model of empowerment without a focus on weight loss. Qualitative health research, 21(12), 1679-1691.
Lu, M. (2023). Body Positivity: A Journey towards Embracing Self-Acceptance & Challenging Fatphobia.
Ravary, A., Baldwin, M. W., & Bartz, J. A. (2019). Shaping the Body Politic: Mass Media Fat-Shaming Affects Implicit Anti-Fat Attitudes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 014616721983855. doi:10.1177/0146167219838550
Robinson, B. “Bean” E., Bacon, L. C., & O’reilly, J. (1993). Fat phobia: Measuring, understanding, and changing anti-fat attitudes. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 14(4), 467–480. doi:10.1002/1098-108x(199312)14:4<467::aid-eat2260140410>3.0.co;2-j
Stoll, L. C., Meadows, A., von Liebenstein, S., & Carlsen, C. E. (2022). Fatphobia. In Global Agenda for Social Justice 2 (pp. 37-44). Policy Press.
Styk, W., Wojtowicz, E., & Zmorzynski, S. (2023). I Don’t Want to Be Thin! Fear of Weight Change Is Not Just a Fear of Obesity: Research on the Body Mass Anxiety Scale. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(4), 2888.
Wilson, J. S. (2021). Publicly Fat: Narratives of Fatphobia, Diet Culture, and Intersectional Feminism.
