5 Early Fat Liberation Books
A few years back, I was at an anarchist bookstore and, while I was excited to see that they had a fat liberation section, I was disappointed that the section was so small. When I mentioned this to the store clerk their response was, "Yeah, well it's still a pretty new movement, ya know?"
UMMMMMM ACTUALLY NO, I DON'T KNOW. The fat liberation movement started in the SIXTIES, ya'll. Don't get me wrong—current books are soooooo important to our movement, especially when we consider the multitude of marginalized identities within the fat community who have not been represented in the past. But a lot of people don't seem to know that fat liberation history precedes the 2000s when reached ~the internet~. For me, becoming aware of this history helped me feel more empowered as a fat person. Like, there are generations before us that created a foundation, and while it may have a few cracks, we don't gotta start from the ground up. A bit of this history was discussed during our last Fat Fridays Virtual Social Club, so I figured I'd share some of the not-so-new but still very relevant books that folx talked about.
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Shadow on a Tightrope: Writings by Women on Fat Oppression (1983)
Edited by Lisa Schoenfielder and Barb Wieser
“Topics include: exposing the myths concerning fat... medical crimes committed against fat women... inaccessibility to clothing, jobs, and public places for exercise and sports; effects on the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual selves of fat women living in a society that hates them, and how they have learned to survive. This anthology also collects material previously distributed separately by Fat Liberator Publications.”
Making Peace with Food: Freeing Yourself from the Diet/Weight Obsession (1989)
By Susan Kano
“The philosophy of this unique book is that you deserve and can achieve freedom from the diet/weight obsession.”
"Susan Kano speaks from the heart and provides hope and encouragement to [those] who are trapped in the deceiving dieting dilemma. We can all afford to read this book." —Lauren Tucker, M.S.W.
Fat Girl Dances with Rocks (1994)
By Susan Stinson
“It's the summer of drinking and driving, disco and diets, fake IDs and geology, and fat 17-year-old Char is wondering if she is animal, vegetable, or mineral. What does it mean when your best friend French-braids your hair, kisses you on the lips, and leaves town? Char gets a summer job in a nursing home, and meets people with bodies and abilities as various as the textures of the rocks her friend Felice collects.
Fat Girl Dances with Rocks is a coming of age story. It is a coming out story, and for Char, it is a story of coming into her own body—all the way to the edges of her skin.”
Fat!So?: Because You Don’t Have to Apologize for Your Size (1998)
By Marilyn Wann
“...Statistics tell us that about a third of Americans are fat, and common sense adds that just about everyone... has worried about their appearance. FAT!SO? weighs in with a more attractive alternative: feeling good about yourself at any weight and having the style and attitude to back it up... Wann has learned that you can be absolutely happy, healthy, and successful... and fat. With its hilarious and insightful blend of essays, quizzes, facts, and reporting, FAT!SO? proves that you can be out-and-out fabulous at any size.”
BONUS BOOK!
Fat Power: Whatever You Weigh is Right (1970)
By Llewellyn Louderback
This one wasn’t highlighted at Fat Friday, but it’s worth mentioning since it’s recognized as the first fat liberation book ever published.
“An exposé of the myth of dieting and of the psychological and social damage a thin culture inflicts on its not-so-thin citizens.”