Podcast ep 10 / Exploring Fatness: Part One - Unpacking Big Ideas in Society
Ep 10 / Exploring Fatness: Part One - Unpacking Big Ideas in Society
Fatness can be a heavy idea - how do YOU feel about it? This (nuanced) episode is Part One of a series discussing the ideas of fatness so that people of all sizes can be empowered to pursue body liberation on their terms. This first episode discusses ideas of fatness in society today, and breaks down the concepts of Body Positivity, Fat Acceptance, Fat Activism, Fat Liberation, Body Neutrality, and Body Liberation. This series is particularly helpful for those living in larger bodies looking to unpack their weight shame and stigma so they may pursue what true body liberation looks like for themselves - whether that answer includes weight loss or advocating against diet culture. This episode has no sociopolital agenda! Its purpose is to educate and empower listeners to learn and think about ideas for themselves in order to embrace self-love and live a self-loving life.
Topics we’re chatting about:
Self-Liberation: You have the power to liberate yourself from societal expectations and the internalized voices that have made you feel less-than because of your weight.
Understanding Fat-Related Ideologies: We explore ideologies like fat activism, body liberation, and weight stigma, breaking them down into understandable concepts.
Personal Journey: While today's focus is on societal views of fatness, the next episode will delve into the personal aspect, helping you reflect on your own relationship with your body.
Ground Rules for Discussion: This is a sensitive topic, and we approach it with respect for all viewpoints, emphasizing that the goal is to empower you to think critically about your own body image. Ground rules are:
No judgment on people's personal body choices
Understanding that we all have differentiating opinions and this is OK.
Separating body size from health in all discussions - and all bodies are deserving as they are.
Diet Culture: We discuss how diet culture equates thinness with moral value and how it can be damaging to our self-perception.
Body Positivity: Originally a movement to empower fat bodies, body positivity has evolved to include all marginalized bodies, though it has been co-opted in some ways by mainstream media.
Fat Acceptance, Activism, and Liberation: These interconnected concepts advocate for societal change to eliminate bias against fat people, with each playing a unique role in the movement.
Body Neutrality: A concept that focuses on the body's function rather than its appearance, offering a middle ground for those who may not connect with body positivity.
Body Liberation: The ultimate goal, where we free ourselves from all external and internal expectations related to our bodies, embracing our inherent worth.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
01:44 - Podcast Overview and Personal Empowerment
04:14 - Establishing Three Ground Rules for the Discussion
06:24 - The Shift in Social Conversation Around Fat Experience Starting in the 80s and 90s
08:20 - The Rise of Body Positivity and Inclusivity and the Shift in Fatness Dialogue
10:49 - Introducing Key Fat-Related Concepts for the purpose of Self-Love
11:43 - Defining Diet Culture
13:52 - Explaining Body Positivity
16:00 - Fat Acceptance, Activism, and Liberation
18:20 - Distinguishing Fat Acceptance from Activism
19:57 - The Role of Fat Activists and Activism
21:16 - The Goal of Fat Liberation
22:10 - Understanding the Facets of Fat Empowerment
23:47 - Personal Perspective on Fat Activism
24:09 - Clarifying the Focus of the Book "Soul Archaeology"
25:35 - The Difference Between Fat Self-Love and Self-Love
26:08 - Introducing Body Neutrality
27:22 - The Concept of Body Neutrality
28:27 - Defining Body Liberation
29:42 - Reflecting on the Information Presented
32:01 - Wrapping Up and Looking Ahead
33:57 - Closing Thoughts and Next Steps
Links:
Soul Archaeology: Sarah's book on creating a self-loving and liberated life.
Find it on Amazon here. Listen on Audible here. Find her website here.
Diet Culture Expert: Referencing the work of Chrissy Harrison.
Chrissy’s website.
Body Liberation Guide: Created by Lindley Ashline, a resource for understanding fat liberation.
Lindley’s Instagram
Their website.
The Body Joyful: A book by Anne Poirier, mentioned in relation to body neutrality.
Anne’s website.
Jess Baker: Author and advocate for body liberation, whose definition of the term is highlighted.
Their website.
You can find this episode of Powered by Self-Love on Apple or Spotify