The Marginalized Fatness*: challenges and opportunities for ending weight stigma through the cultural and creative economy

*I use the word “fat” as a neutral descriptive term without the intention of shaming, offending, or otherwise being discriminatory against bodies of size. On the contrary, by normalizing usage of this word, we actively change the narrative and take away the power from the oppressors.

Weight stigma (often called fatphobia, weight or fat bias, fatmisia, or anti-fat) is intersectional and deeply embedded in the oppressive societal structures – alongside sexism, racism, classism, ableism, and lookism (Van Amsterdam 2013). It marginalizes individuals living in fat bodies across societal groups, especially those already marginalized for other reasons (Sanders 2019). More and more research reveals that body shaming and weight stigma are harmful, increasing the risk of eating disorders and other mental health issues (Emmer et al. 2019), as well as causing shorter life expectancy (Sutin 2015). These and many other setbacks are keeping fat individuals from experiencing a wholesome human experience. Based on insights from 342 respondents with lived fat experience, this article will take on the role of highlighting some of the existing gaps and potential avenues for tackling weight stigma through CCEs, and contribute to the currently marginalized conversation around fatness.

About the research

Even though the fat acceptance movement started in the 1960s in the USA (Cooper 2021), the data about the prevalence of weight/size discrimination in Europe is still very scarce. Thus, motivated by my embodied fat experience, I launched a survey named “Stories of Fat Bodies” with 12 quantitative and qualitative questions. The results¹ revealed the realities, wishes, and frustrations of 342 respondents across ages and nationalities (primarily women with higher education, aged 13 – 73 who filled out the survey in English, Latvian, Italian, Polish, Spanish, or Estonian) who currently identify as fat or did so in the past. 88.3% of them had experienced body shaming, and 58.1% of them experienced it once a month or more often. 67.3% had been discriminated against, and 62.3% had experienced hate speech based on their body shape or size at some point in their lives, but 17.6% had experienced physical violence for these reasons. The most common perpetrators of such actions are their families (70.6%), peers in education (61.8%), medical staff (61.5%), and strangers in public places (51%).

Challenges and opportunities within CCEs

By asking the imaginative question: “What things would you change in the world if you could change anything to simplify/improve the everyday lives of fat people?”, the fat respondents were given time and space to reflect on both – the gaps (challenges), as well as the potential solutions (opportunities). Grouping the directly expressed themes (not delving into deeper semantic analysis) painted a clear picture that fat people just want to belong, feel better, and, in the words of one participant, feel “normal”.

Viewing these themes through the prism of fat studies places the desired interventions in two broader categories – tangible solutions and change of culture or values. In the context of ending weight stigma through CCEs (in contrast to the medical field) each of these two provides a path for exploration. First, the most common theme mentioned is the very tangible lack of accessibility to spaces (53 mentions) and clothing (52). For more sustainable and effective impact, the dismantling of complex existing biases is imperative. Nonetheless, CCEs already hold the creative power to develop inclusive designs and concepts that break these barriers and initiate change. On the backdrop of the complexity of the rest of the issues, some of the simpler interventions mentioned by the respondents were:

• fat-friendly design (of public transportation, medical equipment, cultural spaces and events)
• appropriately sized and durable seating for public and personal use
• affordability and accessibility of good-looking clothing in larger sizes, availability in physical stores

The second path implies a change in values and culture that is much more complex, lengthy, and partisan to the existing systems of oppression. The solution with the broadest reach and relatively low barriers to initiating change is ensuring representation and visibility in fashion, media, and advertising. Beyond being explicitly mentioned by the survey participants (28 times), it also comprehensively relates to other themes mentioned. Increasing the exposure to unbiased imagery and narratives around fat people can help to build awareness as a foundation for the necessary education about body diversity and fatphobia (33), and normalize the presence of fat people in diverse scenarios, thereby increasing the likelihood of experiencing judgment-free spaces (21). Very importantly, it also has the potential to reduce stereotypes and biases about fat people (19), and destigmatize fatness (12), among other benefits. According to fat studies and the desired changes among respondents, some of the most prominent interventions could include:

• casting fat models, actors, speakers, etc.
• empowering fat content creators and voices
• showcasing fat narratives and characters free from fatphobia and bias
• using weight stigma as a topic for socially driven art, business, and initiatives

Conclusion

The scope of this article is too narrow to display all the potential benefits and ways CCEs can support creating a society more inclusive towards fatness, but one thing is clear. It does hold an immense creative power for a cultural shift. For too long, the voices of fat people and their lived experiences have been silenced and ridiculed. Yet, by simply existing, they challenge some of the most powerful and common biases, making their liberation crucial for the liberation of all bodies. The question is – how do we put this creative power to use?

© Kristine Madjare, In: Contributor Magazine: Fashion Story – All About Heart, Model: Ieva Miltina.

Bibliography

Alberga, A. S., Edache, I. Y., Forhan, M., & Russell-Mayhew, S. (2019). Weight bias and health care utilization: a scoping review. Primary health care research & development, 20, e116.

Cooper, C. (2021). Fat activism: A radical social movement. Intellect.

Emmer, C., Bosnjak, M., & Mata, J. (2020). The association between weight stigma and mental health: A meta‐analysis. Obesity Reviews, 21(1), e12935.

Frazier, C. (2024). Toward a Responsible Artistic Agency: Mindful Representation of Fat Communities in Popular Media. The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 82(1), 86-99.

Sanders, R. (2019). The color of fat: racializing obesity, recuperating whiteness, and reproducing injustice. Politics, Groups, and Identities, 7, 287 – 304.

Sutin, A. R., Stephan, Y., & Terracciano, A. (2015). Weight discrimination and risk of mortality. Psychological science, 26(11), 1803-1811.

Van Amsterdam, N. (2013). Big fat inequalities, thin privilege: An intersectional perspective on ‘body size’. European Journal of Women’s Studies, 20(2), 155-169.

1. Preliminary data, the research is ongoing ↩︎