By Aubrey Gordon
4 stars
A great read that confronts many popular myths about weight, health, and the lives of fat people. Using research to back up her claims, Gordon expertly shows the inaccuracy and harm in such myths and how they lead to discrimination and affect the wellbeing of fat people.
Gordon goes through a variety of myths about the BMI, death rates, the “obesity epidemic”, fairness in the medical system, romance and dating, skinny shamming, fat as a derogatory term, and more. She examines how anti-fatness is ingrained in our culture and the negative effects it has. Gordon also includes anecdotes from news articles, social media, and her own experiences to show the real human harm the these myths contribute to.
Along the way, there are reflection questions and Opportunities for Action sections, to help readers apply the information to their own lives and help fight against anti-fat rhetoric.
And as to be expected from a methodology queen, there is a substantial notes sections at the back with sources broken down by chapter.
Well-written and informative. Some of the explanations get a little repetitive by the end, but it works well as an introduction to examining anti-fatness for people of all body sizes. It promotes fat acceptance, empathy, and the examination of privilege.