What Is Fat Acceptance?
Fat acceptance is the recognition that bodies of all shapes and sizes, particularly larger ones, are inherently worthy. Advocates of this movement work to improve quality of life for fat people and fight discrimination against them in industries such as healthcare, fashion, and employment. The history of fat acceptance dates back to the 1970s.
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
NAAFA works to protect the rights of fat people, also called “people of size.”
- Although often used synonymously with terms such as “body positivity”, it is not the same
- The political roots of the movement distinguish it from the body positivity movement, which does not explicitly fight against anti-fat bias in society.
- Body positivity has been overtly commercialized by fashion and beauty brands, with the hashtag #bopo often used on social media to reference the movement.
Barriers Fat People Face
More than 50 years after the fat acceptance movement began, fat people still face a number of barriers in society, a primary reason the movement lives on well into the 21st century.
- Fatphobia is a global problem in healthcare practice, with doctors withholding treatment from people with obesity
- The assumption that fat people are simply too lazy or too indulgent prevails in healthcare settings, many of which also lack the proper furniture, tools, or machinery to give patients with larger bodies suitable care
- Doctors routinely dismiss their legitimate health concerns, blaming any problem they have on their weight
- Additionally, Fat people also experience bias outside of the doctor’s office, encountering discrimination while engaging in mundane activities such as trying to shop for clothes at mainstream retailers that carry apparel in limited size ranges
The History of Fat Acceptance
In 1967, 500 people, some fat, some thin, gathered for a “fat-in” in New York City’s Central Park.
- They held signs proclaiming “Fat Power,” “Think Fat,” and “Buddha Was Fat” and burned diet books and a photograph of Twiggy, a supermodel of the era known for her extreme thinness.
- The following year, the fat acceptance movement got a boost when Llewelyn Louderback wrote an article urging people to oppose diet, or weight loss, culture.
Bonnie Cook v. Rhode Island
In 1993, Bonnie Cook successfully won a weight discrimination lawsuit in the United States Court of Appeals.
- At 5 feet and 2 inches and 350 pounds, Cook claimed that she was being discriminated against because of a “handicap.”
- Ultimately, the judges who heard the case did not determine that obesity alone was a disability. However, they argued that the state discriminated against Cook because of her obesity.
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