Fat Black boys are failed by their doctors, failed by nutritionists, failed by a society that doesn’t see us as deserving of treatment and therapy. CW: mentions of eating disorders, medical discrimination, ob*sity, and more. I vividly remember multiple visits to my pediatrician that were centered solely around my eating. As with any parent, my...
Tag: weight loss
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Celebrating Adele’s Weight “Loss” Promotes Fatphobia and Misogyny
It is necessary for us to seriously assess and wrestle with why we see Adele’s weight loss as inherently good. TW/CW: This article discusses weight change, dieting, eating disorders, and fatphobia. Adele “lost” (more) weight. I say “more” because when she revealed herself for the first time in a long time for Christmas, many people...
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Commenting On Weight Loss Isn’t The Compliment You Think It Is
People applaud me for weight loss and finally taking up less space in the world, and they expect me to be thankful and receive their words with pride. This essay contains discussions of weight loss and fatphobia/size discrimination. I’ve shed a noticeable amount of weight since I began strength training several months ago. But I...
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Forcing Children To Lose Weight Is Child Abuse
There is no other way to put it. Forcing exercise and diets on your children is an attempt to punish them for their (perceived) fatness and that is abuse. TW: this piece discusses anti-fatness, fat camps, diet & exercise, and familial/social child abuse. please proceed with caution. I have been fat for as far back...
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Staying Body Positive in Conversations Around Weight Loss
Let’s make sure we stay body positive and aren’t feeding into the toxic diet culture when talking about our journey. By Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins A few months ago I was reminded of how much I missed working out. As someone who viewed the gym as one of the best stress relievers, I began to...
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Here’s Why Gabby Sidibe’s Comments About Weight Loss are so Important
As someone who also lost a dramatic amount of weight over a fairly short period of time, I find Gabby’s words almost revolutionary. Like many, I first became aware of Gabourey Sidibe when she played the title character in Lee Daniels’ 2009 film Precious, an adaptation of the urban novel “Push” by Sapphire. I was...
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5 Steps to Attaining the Body Neutrality of a Nerdy Hetero Cis Male
As I watch my husband not-even-consciously opt out of this obsessive bullshit, I can’t help but sit back in awe and wonder how I can get some of that for myself. (Content warning: discussion of food and dieting) My husband has the luxury of not giving a fuck about his body. He gets to be...
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Dear Virgie: Does the BoPo Community Shun People?
Dear Virgie, There seems to be a conflict between body-autonomy and the body positive/HAES community. There are folks who have had WLS or have a super restrictive diet (health reasons, allergy, etc.) who feel like there’s no place for them. The BoPo community shuns them because they chose intentional weight loss or food restrictions — they...
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Dear Virgie: How Do I Engage with “Un-Woke” Fats?
Dear Virgie, Do you have suggestions for engaging with “un-woke” fats? I have tried to bring up FA (fat acceptance) with folks who are still very entrenched in self-loathing, fat phobia and diet culture, and I find myself floundering for ways to reach folks like this. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Best, Fat Friend...
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Dear Virgie: I Have Knee Pain. Should I Diet?
Dear Virgie, Is it possible to lose weight while still rejecting diet culture? I have serious knee and ankle problems that would be relieved with some weight loss. However, I don’t know how to combine these ideas. Hi Friend: This question requires a nuanced answer, and it reminds me of an important moment I...