We are just beginning Weight Stigma Awareness Week here in the United States, which runs from September 25th-29th for 2023.
Weight Stigma Awareness Week has been around since 2011, and was previously promoted by NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association). NEDA is an organization which has been known both for making important information about Eating Disorders available to the public, as well as for having a lack of actual fat representation within their leadership.
I’m Michelle F. Moseley, LCMHC, a licensed mental health counselor in NC who works with people around concerns related to body image, including disordered eating. I’m also a fat therapist and a Body Trust Certified Provider who approaches this work from a weight-inclusive lens.
A Note About the Word “Fat”
I use the word “fat” as a neutral descriptor of body size. As a fat person, I have worked to reclaim this word and to disengage it from negative judgments in my own life.
I choose not use “o*erweight” because that implies there is one set weight that is best for all people. That assumption does not reflect the variety of body sizes and shapes that exist in the world..
I choose not use the word “o*ese” because it literally means “to eat oneself fat.” The amount and type of food a person eats is only one factor in their body size, so this term is not accurate.
If you are a fat person, feel free to use the term “fat” freely. If you are a thin person, please follow the lead of those around you who are larger-bodied to know what terms they prefer.
What is Weight Stigma?
Weight stigma refers to social stereotypes and misconceptions about fat people. These stereotypes and misconceptions often lead to weight bias. Weight bias is negative attitudes toward others because of their weight.
The following are a few of the common stereotypes and negative attitudes that can show up regarding fat people:
- “fat people choose to be fat”
- fat people don’t eat vegetables
- fat people have bad hygiene
- fat people are lazy
Examples of Weight Stigma
Weight stigma, and the associated discrimination, is something that fat people deal with on a daily basis. Those of us in larger bodies are aware of the many microaggressions that can accompany going about our daily activities.
Below are 4 common areas where a fat person may experience weight stigma. Keep in mind that the experience is multiplied for those who also have other marginalized identities.
JOB & CAREER. Fat folks are aware that they may not be called in for an interview or offered a job for which they are qualified once the hiring person becomes aware of their size. This rejection impacts one’s sense of self-worth. Being denied a job also impacts one’s socioeconomic status, which can ripple out to affect their safety, access to nutrition, and ability to pay for housing. Lack of a sense of purpose, which may be found in regular employment, is also a risk factor for depression and other mental health concerns.
MEDICAL CARE. Many fat people put off medical care due to their previous experiences with medical providers – you can read this post for more on that topic. We know that the appointment is going to start with weight – being weighed before we even see our provider – and it’s going to end with weight when they inevitably give us a “pep talk” about eating less. This “advice” is regularly given without the provider actually asking any questions about what we’re eating!
There is also the issue of inaccurate readings due to equipment that doesn’t fit our bodies and automatic assumptions that any issues we have are related to our weight. Many researchers are now asking if the poorer health outcomes found in studies of fat patients are actually attributable to the discrimination within medical care that causes fat patients to go longer without seeking treatment, rather than solely to the size of the patient.
HOUSING DISCRIMINATION. Shelter is a basic need. It provides safety, protection from the elements, and a space to call “home.” Having housing also provides you with an address, which is generally necessary for securing employment. Lack of housing is another way that one thing ripples out to impact other parts of life.
Fat folks, especially those who may also hold other marginalized identities, such as being queer or BIPOC, know that housing discrimination is a real possibility for them. Though there are laws to help prevent housing discrimination, body size is often not included in those laws. The people in the position of renting or leasing a space to someone may feel that a fat person doesn’t fit with their “ideal tenant” and deny access to housing. This is often connected to those stereotypes and misconceptions about fat folks.
LACK OF ACCESSIBILITY. The lack of accessibility for fat folks encompasses various areas of life, and the impact often depends on where someone falls on the spectrum of fatness (small fat, mid-fat, superfat, etc.). Clothing is one major area where fat individuals experience a lack of accessibility. For many folks, there is limited clothing available in their size, and what is available must be purchased online or from “fast fashion” retailers. I would love to be able to support local boutiques and buy clothing there, yet none of them carry my size. I have even had a store owner refuse to order an item in my size when I offered to pre-pay.
Where are some places where lack of accessibility occurs?
SEATING – Restaurants, medical offices, stadiums, and other places that only have booths or chairs with arms offer limited to no accessibility to fat folks. Some fat folks may be able to sit in these spaces, but find that they are uncomfortable or are left with bruising from sitting in spaces that do not accommodate their bodies. There is also the issue of weight limits on seating which can limit accessibility.
SPACE TO MOVE – A lack of space to move one’s body comfortably can apply in many situations. The first ones that come to mind for me are performance venues, conference rooms with rows of chairs, and airplanes. Being able to move your body comfortably means both having an accessible seat, as well as being able to place your legs comfortably in front of you and being able to move around in situations such as concerts or sporting events. Some performance venues are getting on-board with more accessible seating, and now provide options such as chairs with no arms or a row with greater legroom.
Conferences and events where rows of chairs are set up can allow for a bit more space between those chairs and those rows so that more bodies can access space to move freely. If you’re a thin person involved in these spaces, I encourage you to be an ally and advocate to have more space between chairs and rows. If you’re a fat person, the Facebook group “If It Fits, I Sits” offers a space for fat folks to share their experiences with seating in various places so other fat folks can be informed.
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT – How can someone receive proper medical care if the equipment available does not fit their body? Even worse, what about the instances when there is accessible equipment available, but the provider chooses not to use it?
One of the most frequent areas where this occurs for fat folks is in taking a blood pressure reading. The standard blood pressure cuffs may not fit the arm of a fat individual – that cuff hasn’t fit my arm since I was about 15 due to the way fat is distributed on my body. Medical facilities have larger cuffs available, often just a few steps away, yet many providers choose not to go get the appropriate cuff. Instead, they either allow the too-small cuff to squeeze your arm until the point of pain and then tell you that your reading is too high. (It’s too high because you didn’t use an appropriate cuff to measure!) Or they move the cuff to the forearm and just take that reading. The latter is more preferable to the excessive squeezing, but both communicate that the fat patient is not “worth the trouble” to utilize appropriate equipment.
CLOTHING STORES – The accessibility of clothing for larger-bodied folks is greater than it was when I was a teenager in the 90s, but it is still quite lacking. Thanks to online options, there are ways for some fat folks to find clothing that fits their body and their style. However, these options may come with long wait times for shipping, inability to return items, and lack of quality clothing available. For those who are on the superfat or infinifat end of the spectrum, even online options may be severely limited.
Fat folks can’t go into a store and assume there will be something there in their size. We can’t go on a trip with the thought, “I’ll just grab a hoodie at the local store if it gets chilly.” As mentioned above, we often can’t support local boutiques because they exclude our sizes from their stores.
Weight stigma and weight bias shows up as lack of accessibility in these and other ways in the daily life of a fat person. Inaccessibility keeps fat folks from fully participating in society. We deserve a seat at the table, just like everyone else.
Impacts of Weight Stigma for Fat Folks
What are some of the other impacts that weight stigma can have on fat folks?
- Decreased socialization – When you consider that, for a fat person, socializing may come with lack of accessible seating, limited clothing choices that make them feel good in their body, and judgments about their choices of activity and/or food, it’s understandable that they may choose not to socialize as frequently as they might want. This can lead to lack of connection and impact their mental health.
- Decreased health-seeking behaviors – As mentioned above, fat folks frequently go longer without seeking medical treatment due to previous experiences with medical providers – assumptions about weight, lack of accessible equipment, having every concern blamed on body size, etc. Fat folks may also avoid gyms or physical activity due to their experiences with judgmental comments and/or lack of accessibility.
- Disordered eating and Eating Disorders (EDs) – The constant comments and judgment that many fat folks experience frequently leads to disordered eating behaviors. These can include, but are not limited to: eliminating entire food groups, eating in secret, and fasting for long periods of time. These behaviors are often even prescribed to fat folks by medical providers, and are celebrated if there is initial weight loss. (I say “initial” because approximately 95% of folks who experience weight loss via these behaviors gain back that weight and more within 2-ish years.)
The impacts of weight stigma aren’t limited to fat folks. Those in smaller bodies feel the pressure to remain thin based on the weight stigma they witness (and sometimes enact) upon others. A multi-billion dollar diet industry is built off of the impact of weight stigma!
Ways to Combat Weight Stigma
INCREASE YOUR AWARENESS.
Taking time to read articles such as this one and to check out resources such as those listed at the end of this post will help you be more aware of weight stigma. Awareness can help you recognize when you see anti-fat bias in action, or even when you have judgmental thoughts yourself. The more you learn, the more you’ll understand that weight and body size are complex and there are a multitude of contributing factors (genetics, food, movement, accessibility, social support, etc.) Being aware of an issue is the first step to making change.
EDUCATE OTHERS.
Help others understand what weight stigma is and how it impacts us all. You may choose to share articles such as this, or direct folks to websites or social media profiles that shed light on weight stigma and weight inclusivity. You may choose to have conversations with those in your social circle about these issues, or to even take on a role within an organization to help combat weight stigma.
BE AN ALLY.
It is often much easier for a person who is not directly impacted by weight stigma to advocate for those who are. Some of the ways thin folks can be an ally include: asking for accessible seating and frequenting those establishments that have it, asking about extended sizing when you’re shopping to let the businesses know that’s a concern, and asking the fat people in your life what they suggest you do to support them.
Resources
Weight Stigma Awareness Week Website
Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH)
If you are in North Carolina and interested in working with a licensed therapist who incorporates weight-inclusive care, you can learn more about my services and complete a contact form to schedule a free, virtual consultation to see if we might be a good fit for working together. Outside of NC or looking for another type of provider, check out the Body Trust Professional Network for options.
Michelle F. Moseley (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor in NC (#12491). She believes ALL people deserve respect, compassion, and access to mental and physical healthcare. Michelle specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma, and with those who have body image concerns, finding there is frequent overlap in these areas. She also frequently supports late-identified neurodivergent individuals as they navigate the grief and relief of a new understanding of self. You can learn more about Michelle by visiting her website at MichelleFMoseley.com or following her on Instagram – @therapy_with_michelle
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