Fatphobia refers to the unfair treatment and unfair dislike of people because they’re fat. Fatphobia is very common in our society, and it can have a detrimental effect on the quality of life and mental health of people who live in a fat body.

If you’re fat, then you may have experienced fatphobia in the following ways:

• Medical discrimination

  • Doctors and health providers fixating on your weight

  • Being told that losing weight will resolve all your health concerns

  • Not being taken seriously because of your weight

  • Being told that you cannot have a healthy pregnancy if you’re over a certain weight or BMI

• Not finding any clothes in your size because shops only stock smaller sizes

• Not being taken seriously in the workplace

• Being made to feel like you have to explain why you’re fat (because of an illness, medication, pregnancy…)

• Being photographed without your consent in public

• Feeling uncomfortable exercising out of fear of being judged

• Not having larger chairs available at the cinema, hairdresser, restaurants, and airplanes

• Hearing people say “I feel fat!” when they mean that they feel ugly

• Being told by potential romantic partners that they don’t date fat people

• Being asked if you’ve tried a particular diet, exercise program, or weight loss medication

Living in a fat body often means that you experience the world in a very different way than people who live in smaller or thin bodies. These challenges can impact your mental health and make it difficult to participate in everyday life in a way that makes you feel safe.

For example, how do you manage your own mental health when your closest friends are losing weight and telling you how happy they are now that they lost 10kg? How do you manage family gatherings where you might receive snide remarks about the food you’re eating? And how do you deal with the anxiety of a job interview when there are no professional clothes available in your size?

How I Can Support You

I use my lived experience as a fat woman to work with people who are experiencing fatphobia. In our work together, we might focus on:

• Developing emotional regulation and coping skills that allow you to manage any anxiety you’re experiencing

• Learning how to set boundaries when it comes to conversations about food, diet, weight, and health

• Practicing self-compassion and empathy

• Challenging any negative beliefs about yourself and your body, diet culture, and weight stigma

• Preparing to advocate for yourself in medical settings in a way that prioritises your physical health and safeguards your mental health

• Exploring any events or relationships that may have caused you to internalise fatphobia and processing them together

• Discussing how you can expose yourself to diverse bodies, for example on social media, television, and in real life