weight stigmaBy Bill and Terri Weitze

CW: Some discussion of IWL, COVID-19 risks to fat folx, fat shaming and weight stigma.

For the latest information and research on fatness, check out the Media and Research Roundup. This issue features: debunking the science of the cause of fatness (or are they?), the real stats about COVID-19 risks to fat folx, Fat Studies focuses on fat activism and more!

September 13, 2021: A group of scientists propose that fatness isn't due to a "calories in / calories out" imbalance, but rather a hormonal / metabolic predisposition that causes the body to use energy in a way that results in the accumulation of excess fat. The third link is Ragen Chastain's thoughts on the article, which she feels is tragically flawed.
https://www.statnews.com/2021/09/13/how-a-fatally-tragically-flawed-paradigm-has-derailed-the-science-of-obesity
https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqab270
https://danceswithfat.org/2021/09/18/that-tragically-flawed-gary-taubes-article

September 16, 2021: Paul Campos does an excellent job unpackaging the actual statistics surrounding the risk COVID-19 poses to fat people.
https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2021/09/covid-and-the-moral-panic-over-obesity

September 17, 2021: A group of women (including Tigress Osborn) appear on the Public Radio show Embodied to discuss body positivity and body neutrality.
https://www.wunc.org/podcast/embodied-podcast/2021-09-17/accepted-neutral-body-positivity-neutrality-positive-body-image

September 22, 2021: Three women discuss their experience in battling weight gain and how learning to accept their bodies has changed their lives for the better.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/why-these-women-say-it-s-time-to-embrace-fat-bodies-1.6185855

September 23, 2021: To reduce fat cells, super model Linda Evangelista underwent a cosmetic procedure and ended up with an increase in fat cells. She claims she "would like to walk out my door with my head held high, despite not looking like myself any longer." We say, "The door's right there."
https://news.yahoo.com/model-evangelista-says-fat-reduction-143448226.html

September 29, 2021: Researchers recommend that a weight neutral program for increased physical activity will result in many of the beneficial health outcomes often associated with weight loss.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/29/well/move/exercise-weight-loss-longer-life.html
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102995

September 29, 2021: The movie The Harder They Fall supposedly depicts historical figure Stagecoach Mary, but fails to portray her as she was - a dark skinned, plus sized woman which many find disappointing and problematic.
https://www.themarysue.com/zazie-beetz-stagecoach-mary

September 30, 2021: An article for students outlines the mental and physical damage caused by fat shaming and weight stigma.
https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/weight-shaming-stigma-health-sick

October 2021: The most recent issue of Fat Studies focuses on fat activism.
https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ufts20/10/3?nav=tocList

October 4, 2021: Weight loss app Noom claims that it is not a diet app, but the facts reveal a diet app that has the same dismal "success" rate as any other diet plan.
https://www.bustle.com/wellness/noom-weight-loss-app

October 4, 2021: Max Airborne explains how mutual aid works and how it can improve the fat community.
https://fatrose.org/2021/10/04/fat-mutual-aid

October 7, 2021: Queen Latifah is interviewed about her weight and body acceptance as the spokesperson for Novo Nordisk's "It's Bigger Than Me" campaign. The campaign seems to be about changing the narrative surrounding weight, reducing weight stigma, and increasing self-respect. Sounds good until you realize Novo Nordisk has two weight loss medications to peddle.
https://www.essence.com/lifestyle/queen-latifah-its-bigger-than-me

Terri and Bill Weitze have been active within NAAFA for years, and they currently coauthor the Media and Research Roundup in the NAAFA Newsletter. They both live and work in San Jose, CA, and met through a fat-positive bulletin board system before the days of the World Wide Web.