Many people on the internet quickly judge and scorn people with bigger bodies, thinking of them as lazy and less deserving of personhood. In response, many influencers promote body positivity, encouraging fat and obese people to love themselves at any size. However, loving yourself doesn’t always mean taking care of yourself. Instead of using positivity as simple encouragement, many people and influencers have taken body positivity as a message to ignore their health.
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Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “Run for the hills” mean? “It was actually something people found disgusting. “Run for the hills. It’s Fatzilla! ” Use this idiom in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
- What does “stayed silent” mean?“I was scared to say the wrong thing, so I stayed silent..” Use this expression in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
- What does “pariah” mean? “The body positivity community branded me a pariah, and so I left.” Use this term in a sentence. Give a similar expression.
Discussion Questions:
- In your opinion, are body positivity and healthy living able to coexist? If yes, how so?
- Have you witnessed real examples of fatphobia for others or for yourself? If so, elaborate on your experiences.
- What are the positive and negative effects of body positivity?
- Give your thoughts on this line “Not every fat person is unhealthy. Not every skinny person is healthy.”