Aubrey Gordon, activist and author, discusses anti-fat bias, employment disparities, healthcare, and parenting. She explores concern trolling, the roots of thinness, and how our culture perpetuates anti-fatness. The podcast also covers the harm and false promises of the diet industry, the dark intentions of the BMI, insurance company manipulations, healthcare bias, and reframing body image conversations.
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Quick takeaways
Anti-fat bias exists in employment, healthcare, conversations, and parenting, perpetuated by our culture.
Diets don't lead to long-term weight loss and can result in weight gain.
Fat people face discrimination in healthcare, leading to misdiagnoses and inadequate medical attention.
Deep dives
The challenges of traveling as a family and the benefits of using Airbnb
Traveling as a family can be challenging, especially when staying in a hotel room. The lack of space and privacy, the limited amenities, and the difficulty of accommodating everyone's needs can make the experience less enjoyable. However, using Airbnb provides multiple rooms and a kitchen, allowing families to have their own space, prepare their own meals, and ultimately make the trip more affordable and enjoyable for a large family.
Aubrey Gordon's insights on fatness and body image
Aubrey Gordon, an author and activist, sheds light on the challenges faced by fat people and the misconceptions surrounding fatness and body image. She emphasizes that fatness is not simply an issue of body image, but rather a systemic and institutional bias that has been deeply rooted in racism and ableism. Gordon discusses the negative impact of diets, highlighting that they do not lead to long-term weight loss and can actually result in weight gain. She also explores the concept of 'thin security,' the inability of non-fat people to understand the unique challenges faced by fat individuals due to their own preconceived notions and experiences.
The lack of support for fat individuals with eating disorders
Gordon addresses the lack of resources and support for fat individuals with eating disorders. She explains that the current diagnostic criteria and research in the field of eating disorders often exclude fat people, leading to a lack of understanding and proper treatment. This further highlights the systemic bias against fatness and the need for greater inclusivity and awareness in the medical and mental health communities.
Discrimination in Healthcare
The podcast episode discusses the discrimination faced by fat people in healthcare. It highlights how fat individuals often receive misdiagnoses or inadequate medical attention due to biases and assumptions based on their weight. The conversation emphasizes the importance of recognizing the harm caused by weight-based discrimination and the need for equal access to quality healthcare for everyone, regardless of their body size.
The Problem with BMI
Another key point discussed in the podcast is the problematic nature of the Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of health. The episode delves into the history of the BMI, tracing its origins back to a Belgian statistician who aimed to create an average ideal body. The BMI's connection to eugenics and its adoption by insurance companies for profit-making purposes is highlighted. The podcast challenges the narrow focus on weight and emphasizes the importance of considering multiple factors when assessing health.
Aubrey Gordon – activist, author, and teacher – talks to us about anti-fat bias and the way it manifests in employment disparities, our healthcare system, our dinner table conversations, and our parenting. She teaches us about “concern trolling” and other ways anti-fatness hides inside of our “do-gooding.” Sharing her personal experiences, Aubrey illuminates the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that our culture perpetuates anti-fatness – and examines the roots of thinness as a system of supremacy. She points us toward a world where we are all safer and freer.
Plus, a heart-piercing voicemail from a concerned Pod Squader about their 11-year-old daughter's body image struggles.
Aubrey Gordon is an author, columnist, and cohost of the Maintenance Phase podcast. She is the author of the New York Times and Indie bestseller “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People, and What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Vox, SELF, Health, Glamour and more. Aubrey is also the subject of the new documentary film YOUR FAT FRIEND, which explores her journey from anonymous blogger to bestselling author and activist.