Fatphobia
CONTENT NOTE: The following discusses Fatphobia which may be triggering to some people. We have tried our best to be honest and frank in this piece of writing and we encourage you to read further and follow the awesome accounts at the bottom. Vinaka.
Fatphobia is a complicated topic to navigate and there are many MANY people out here doing the mahi already. Fatphobia is literally defined as the fear and hatred of Fat bodies. It can encompass so many different things including weight stigma, healthcare, weight bias and even the socialisation of people into believing some really shitty things about Fat people. Think about it. Have you ever in your life looked at a fat person and had a disparaging thought? This is Fatphobia loud and clear. Unfortunately it is ingrained into our psyche from a very young age. It is discrimination and bigotry.
Narratives surrounding fat and more specifically fat bodies are, more often than not, violent. They are steeped in colonial framing and perceived western ideals of beauty and ‘health’. Fat bodies are both hyper-visible and invisible in our society and fatphobia is an inherent part of our everyday lives. Societal views on fat bodies are amplified on social media platforms. We know how algorithms work and we can often find ourselves bombarded with fatphobic imagery and messaging online. However, over the past year or two especially here in Aotearoa and the wider Pacific we have seen more of a presence across social media of Fat wāhine and tāne. Why is this important … because we need to be aware that people are quite literally more than just what society deems as ‘Fat’. Fat bodies deserve equitable access to all things, they also deserve respect.
If we take a look back oftentimes bodies have been seen as a means to identify ‘class’ for example when there were famines across the world, those with larger bodies were considered the wealthier and as disgusting as it is to think, those who were malnourished were the poor. Much of this continues today in so many different ways. There are so many intersections with Fatphobia across every system you can think of. We only have to look at the ‘White Vegan’ movement and the ‘Fitspo’ trend on any social media platform. There is also an element of social control related to Fatphobia and bodies. Think about it for a second … which bodies get praised in our society and why? Something for you to ponder.
While you are pondering, consider which bodies are catered for in ‘Fashion’. Fat Fashion is something that exists and it exists inequitably. We only have to look at any brand online to see if they have ‘plus’ sizing and more often than not sizing stops at XL or XXL which may be the equivalent to an NZ 16/18. Further to that there is an even bigger issue with Fat representation in Fashion. With ‘small fats’ being more palatable and therefore used more online when advertising the low range plus sizes. However the reality is that being a ‘small fat’ holds far more privilege than say a ‘superfat’ or ‘infinifat’, especially online. Inclusivity in fashion is a must and not just at a superficial level. All bodies should be celebrated and should be able to access clothing that is comfortable, practical, beautiful and boujee if need be.
Have you ever tried to take a selfie and changed the angle because of your chins (YES ME @ MYSELF) this is a form of internalised fatphobia. Like why are we trying to hide these chins fam? Tell me!!! Is it because we want to look slimmer because well … that’s the societal standard of ‘bEaUTy’. Have you ever sat in a chair and had the arms of the chair squish the hell out of your ass / sides and had to stay in there uncomfortably for the duration of whatever the hell you’re watching. Don’t you and everyone else have the right to feel comfortable at the movies, in an airplane, at an event. Have you ever thought about why all these places are so inaccessible and what type of society is making this so?
What about when people say things like “OMG they should stop eating” or “Why don't they just go into a calorie deficit and do some exercise”. Why should people have to be a certain size to ENJOY A MOVIE !!! Like what sort of nonsense is this. Don’t even start with Fatphobia in the medical system. Lets take for example at the University of Auckland, medical students (yes our Doctors to be) only have one 2 hour lecture and 1 hour tutorial on Fatphobia and how to treat those with Fat Bodies IN THEIR ENTIRE DEGREE !!! So 2 hours to learn how to listen to Fat people and treat them with respect and to learn why our Medical system may be biased against anyone who doesn’t fit the mould of what society deems as ‘hEaLthY’. Yes this is a fact and yes we know the person who delivers this lecture which is unsafe in and of itself. But apart from this have you ever walked into the doctors feeling unwell only for them to tell you that it’s because you need to lose weight? Rather than actually try and diagnose you? Well that is what happens not only here in Aotearoa but across the Pacific.
Fatphobia is such a complex topic there are not enough words to explain all the ins and outs, but, there is so much great work being done in the space. Below are some links from the most Amazing Ashlea Gillon whose mahi is in Indigenous bodies and Fatphobia alongside a myriad of other things. Below you will also find some really awesome social media accounts to follow to widen your perspectives and carry the Talanoa on.
Ashlea Gillon - Fat Indigenous Bodies and Body Sovereignty
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1440783319893506?casa_token=bnIDypBv8rYAAAAA%3AHqbffqEfiueVTOeTNwMZrnF3Kz6pm_tarzOPbrV3pXIeZ3b5ruUF4jUymEOBhINXd_jcndEjkiYPKls
Ashlea Gillon - Kōrero Mōmona, Kōrero ā Hauora
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21604851.2021.1906525
Jamie Lee Rahiri / Ashlea Gillon et. al. - Media Portrayal of Māori and bariatric surgery in Aotearoa
https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal-articles/media-portrayal-of-maori-and-bariatric-surgery-in-aotearoa-new-zealand
Insta Accounts to Follow
@_ashleagee
@pori.mahmah
@thisismeagankerr
@yrfatfriend
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