What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat

De: Aubrey Gordon

Narrado por: Samara Naeymi

From the creator of Your Fat Friend and co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast, an explosive indictment of the systemic and cultural bias facing plus-size people.

Anti-fatness is everywhere. In What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon unearths the cultural attitudes and social systems that have led to people being denied basic needs because they are fat and calls for social justice movements to be inclusive of plus-sized people’s experiences. Unlike the recent wave of memoirs and quasi self-help books that encourage listeners to love and accept themselves, Gordon pushes the discussion further towards authentic fat activism, which includes ending legal weight discrimination, giving equal access to health care for large people, increased access to public spaces, and ending anti-fat violence. As she argues, “I did not come to body positivity for self-esteem. I came to it for social justice.”

By sharing her experiences as well as those of others - from smaller fat to very fat people - she concludes that to be fat in our society is to be seen as an undeniable failure, unlovable, unforgivable, and morally condemnable. Fatness is an open invitation for others to express disgust, fear, and insidious concern. To be fat is to be denied humanity and empathy. Studies show that fat survivors of sexual assault are less likely to be believed and less likely than their thin counterparts to report various crimes; 27 percent of very fat women and 13 percent of very fat men attempt suicide; over 50 percent of doctors describe their fat patients as “awkward, unattractive, ugly and noncompliant”; and in 48 states, it’s legal - even routine - to deny employment because of an applicant’s size.

Advancing fat justice and changing prejudicial structures and attitudes will require work from all people. What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat is a crucial tool to create a tectonic shift in the way we see, talk about, and treat our bodies, fat and thin alike.

©2020 Aubrey Gordon (P)2020 Beacon Press

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Everyone who has a fat family member, friend, acquaintance, or coworker should read this insightful book.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review

“Gordon provides candid storytelling and critical analysis in this validating and inclusive read.”
—Ms. Magazine

“Writing from a personal and cultural perspective, Gordon goes beyond cosmetic complaints to undress the depths of anti-fat bias and discrimination, ultimately rallying for a social justice movement to form and broaden the scope of the conversation.”
—CultureShift

excellent policy recommendations at the end!

I really enjoyed this audio book and the historical analysis of anti-fat bias and the vision and policy recommendations at the end. you can tell Aubrey Gordon has a background in political organizing. I also really enjoy her podcast Maintenance Phase with Michael Hobbs.

I didn't notice Aubrey Gordon wasn't Narrating

I love the information, but I am all caught up on Maintenance Phase and was looking for more from a familiar voice I know and love. You can hear Aubrey's words, but having someone else reading it was hard to get past.

The Last Prejudice Exposed

I was impressed with research and soul of her expression. She has a lifetime of experience and shares them to our benefit.

Required reading.

This book shines a light on the racist and misogynistic origins of many ideas that are pervasive in western culture around the thin idéal and its conflation with health. This work is so, so important, and very interesting. I’ll reread it, because it’s so much to take in.

The narrator has a warm, personal voice that strikes the right chord with in first-person narrative interspersed with research, many references, examples in media. Excellent performance.

Put this book on your list, friends. You will become more empathetic, more knowledgeable, and you will better understand why body neutrality is an important notion to familiarize yourself with.

❤️✨

Mind exploding.

As a healthcare worker, as a woman, as a HUMAN BEING living in the world today that has been twisted and narrowed and restricted to exclude and harm so many bodies; I implore you to read this book. It said so beautifully what needs to be said about the perception and treatment of fat people and the history of hate that created it all. I loved this book.

Should be required knowledge for all

I love this author and her podcast and was happy to read this book. I wish more people especially physicians would read this and other books re: fat and weight discrimination. I love hearing the authors voice on her podcast and wish she read this title in the audio version yet was still happy to read the content.

Life Changing

This book will provide you with a perspective that is often mocked and disregarded. Aubrey Gordon's story is heartbreaking yet so important. I highly recommend this book to everyone at any size.

This Generation's Fat Advocacy Handbook

This was the book I wanted when I read "The Body Is Not an Apology" but didn't get. Gordon is a strong writer, and she hits with accuracy and power all the main themes of fighting fat hatred.

Preach

If everything Aubrey wrote wasn’t true, I don’t know what is. Aubrey hit the nail on the head from diet culture, to SA, to thin friends not truly understanding, to doctors.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand, and see a small glimpse into an over weight persons world.
So much of what Aubrey wrote hit home so hard. Personally going to the doctor and literally every time having the talk about my weight. It seems it doesn’t matter what you’re doing, working out, eating healthy, getting enough rest. It all falls on deaf ears.
When Aubrey talked about the last doctor, tears welled up in my eyes, it was so good to hear that there are a few good ones out there.

Cheers to Aubrey for an amazing book! Literally sharing with everyone!

Amazing!

Aubrey Gordon is an amazing author, she writes with visceral truth and openness that is hard to find. 10/10 would recommend!