Shameless Leadership 721: Aubrey Gordon: You Just Need to Lose Weight (And 19 Other Myths About Fat People)
Aubrey Gordon writes under the pseudonym of “Your Fat Friend,” illuminating the experiences of fat people and urging greater compassion for people of all sizes. She is the author of What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat and her newest book, You Just Need to Lose Weight and 19 Other Myths About Fat People. Her work has reached millions of readers and translated into 19 languages. She is co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast, a top-rated podcast in 2021 and 2022, and a columnist with SELF magazine. Her work has also been featured in Health magazine, Vox, and Gay Mag, among others. She lives in the Northwest, where she works as a writer and organizer. Connect with her at yourfatfriend.com, and as YrFatFriend on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
I’m not sure if I can adequately describe the profound honor it is to have Aubrey as a guest on the show. Her work has touched me deeply over the last couple of years. She has a massive fan base that is not specific to moms, so I never thought she would say yes to joining me here. I also never thought she could be 100 times more amazing IRL than she is online - because she is already so damn awesome online. But she was an exceptional guest and an exceptionally generous interviewee - with her time, her teaching, and her laughter. To know her laugh is to love her laugh. If you know, you know.
Listen in to hear Aubrey share:
- What it was like for her to go from an anonymous online writer to a fully public figure
- How the success of the Maintenance Phase has impacted her work
- How women are conditioned to externally process and speak about their bodies and food constantly and how this is harmful in a myriad of ways
- The importance of understanding thin privilege and recognizing if you benefit from thin privilege
- Scripts and language for parents to talk to kids about bodies and fatness in a neutral way
- How to talk to your kids about healthy eating without subscribing to your own internalized messages from diet culture
Links mentioned:
- Connect with her at yourfatfriend.com and https://www.aubreygordon.net/
- Book: What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk about Fat
- Book: You Just Need to Lose Weight - And 19 Other Myths About Fat People
- Aubrey on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook: @yrfatfriend
Thank you to our sponsors this month:
Full Time VA: Check out this free training on how to be a virtual assistant that makes full-time income with part-time hours: thefulltimeva.com/Shameless. Owner Amanda Rush Holmes is also including a bonus free guide for SMA listeners - The VA Kickstarter Workbook!
Ritual: Ritual’s Essential for Women 18+ is a multivitamin you can actually trust. Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off during your first 3 months. Visit ritual.com/shameless to start Ritual or add Essential for Women 18+ to your subscription today.
Rothys: For stylish, comfortable, sustainably made shoes, shop Rothy’s. Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/SHAMELESSMOM.
StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast!: Need another podcast in your parenting podcast library, check out StrollerCoaster: A Parenting Podcast! wherever you listen to the SMA.
Thrive Market: Get groceries and household essentials delivered right to your door. Join Thrive Market today and get 30% off your first order, plus a FREE $60 gift! Go to thrivemarket.com/shameless.
Teachable: Join tens of thousands of creators turning their knowledge into scalable online businesses. Join a free plan at teachable.com/shameless to get started.
Interested in becoming a sponsor of the Shameless Mom Academy? Email our sales team at sales@adalystmedia.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices