Libby Zay

fatstudies

''She's majoring in Fat Studies'' might sound like a cruel frat boy heckle, but the field of study really does exist--and an increasing number of identity scholars are out to prove that size does matter. 

Have you ever stopped to wonder why Ursula, the evil sea-witch from the Little Mermaid, is characterized as larger-than-life?  Professor Julia McCrossin (pictured left) has.  She's researching the impact of literary characters' size in plotlines, claiming that ''when authors create fat characters, they don't do so innocently or free from the cultural baggage fat people have traditionally had,'' according to this GW Hatchet article.

fatstudies2

Another leading Fat Studies figure is Esther Rothblum (pictured right), who is trained in psychology and currently squeezes sizeist issues into the women's studies classes she teaches as SDSU.  Rothblum just finished co-editing the first fat studies anthology, The Fat Studies Reader, which covers subjects ranging form the historical construction of fatness to airline seat discrimination.

Speaking from my own experience as a women's studies student, sizeism was frequently linked with other identity-related isms in class discussions.  Body image was always a hot topic for research papers, which ranged from media representation to ''fat acceptance.''  A dissertation or few on size stereotypes is definitely in order, but what do you think about an entire field of study?  They should at least come up with a different name. Any suggestions?

Images courtesy of Anne Wernikoff / GW Hatchett and John Gibbins / Union-Tribune.

Tagged in: General , Feminizzle   

The opinions expressed on the BUST blog are those of the authors themselves and do not necessarily reflect the position of BUST Magazine or its staff.



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written by shannelle, October 01, 2009
why come up with a different name? fat is fat is fat. there's no reason to dress it up and call "size studies" or something or the other. they're studying fat people, their positions, perceptions, stereotypes, and discriminations throughout their daily lives. i would know, i'm one of them.
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written by cindy, October 01, 2009
yes, but surely they won't just talk about fat people! even in women's studies you don't just talk about women: you talk about men, transgender people, and then the intersections of race, class, ability, etc. i think all of these should fall under "identity studies."
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written by Sara G., October 01, 2009
great post. ill be curious to see if this picks up speed....
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written by A.J., October 01, 2009
It should be called "american obesity studies", since obesity is practically epidemic in the US. in recent years. hmm. Would this fly in any other country but the US?
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written by shannelle, October 01, 2009
cindy: they're still called women's studies, no? it's because it is identifying the minority (women, fat people, black, hispanic) against the majority (men, skinny or "normal", white) and examining HOW these positions were forced upon people and their role in society today--both the words and people.
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written by cindy, October 01, 2009
shannelle: yes, i realize that the name is about identifying the minority, and why it was necessary when women's studies came about to point out the fact that women are worth studying. but still, it's not called "chick studies" just the same as any other minority does not use a derogatory word in their title. i just wish we could eliminate the word "fat" from our vocab, because it is used in such a demeaning way.
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written by sarah v, October 01, 2009
Though I do agree that this area of study is one of great merit, I must object to the use of Ursula the Sea Witch as an example. Ursula the Sea Witch is rather exceptional as a villain in the Disney universe. If one were to discuss earlier antagonists like Malificent ("Sleeping Beauty"), Lady Tremaine ("Cinderella") or The Wicked Queen ("Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"), one would be forced to acknowledge that these characters were portrayed as being tall and slender. Furthermore, there are various male antagonists in Disney films who are portrayed as gaunt and chilly (like Jafar in "Aladdin"),or else possessing an athletic build (like Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast," Shan Yu in "Mulan," Clayton the Gorilla Hunter in "Tarzan" or Commander Rourke in "Atlantis: The Lost Empire"). If we were to discuss why there aren't any overweight HEROES in Disney films, then I would be a wholehearted participant in that discussion.
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written by libby, October 01, 2009
Ursula was just the first character to come to my mind, but I can think of a few other Disney villains that are worth looking into: Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas and The Queen of Hearts from Alice & Wonderland. Besides, I think Disney movies (and other movies/books in general) use larger characters as comic relief: tweedledee and tweedledum, Mr. Smee, Jasmine's father, Baloo, Pumba, and I'm sure there's more. And no, I can't think of an overweight hero, either, which is more of the point.

Besides, if you want to turn this into a Disney debate, let's talk about mother's being killed off in Disney films! We all know what happens in Bambi, but where is mama in The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Lion King, Mulan, Pinocchio, or Beauty and the Beast? Even in Snow White, there's an evil step-mother!
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written by Eliza, October 02, 2009
Agreed that Disney tends to use their "fat" characters mostly for comic relief. Don't forget Cogsworth the clock! He was portly. Mrs. Potts, too.
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written by anna, October 02, 2009
i'm a size 26, i am fat. i can admit this, but weight to a certain degree you can control. i don't think fat acceptance or fat studies is really anything other than an attempt to legitimize something unhealthy, something as equally unhealthy as being extremely thin. i believe in loving yourself for who you are, i believe that to think we can all look like megan fox is stupid. but unhealthy is unhealthy. this isn't an image thing it's a health thing.

interesting side note: ursula the sea witch was supposedly modeled after Divine. this is what i heard.
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written by Alibelle, October 02, 2009
Anna, I believe it about Ursula being modeled after Divine, and now that I hear that I really want to watch Pink Flamingos and The Little Mermaid.

The rest of your statement I don't agree with, first off, I think you should check out kateharding.net seriously. Just humor me, and read a few articles.

As for it not being about image but about health, even if fat was unhealthy (debatable, but once again I refer you to Kateharding.net) there's nothing wrong with that. If that's the image people want to put out they should be able to and they have a right to. There is no reason to treat them badly. Peircings can be dangerous, but people like them and continue getting them, and they have that right, same with people "choosing" to be fat.

And yes, to everyone else, fat is the right word to use, both in a reclaiming sense and in the sense that fat simply means not thin and consisting of higher than average adipose tissue. Once again I refer you to kateharding.net.
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written by Jasmine, October 02, 2009
This might be way off base here because I'm the "skinny bitch" that people always refer to, but I HATE the word fat. I don't know, I've never been able to say it and it just seems so...mean? Aren't there other words to get the same point across without sounding so demeaning?
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written by Alibelle, October 02, 2009
Jasmine, only the connotation is mean. It's also a lot like the word bitch, if your best friend says it, it's fine, if some douchehound says it, it becomes unacceptable. It's the context that matters.

Also, I don't know why you brought up your "skinny bitch," statement since no one here, or in the article has used the phrase or even slightly alluded to it. Though it's used, it doesn't make sense here and comes off hyper-sensitive.
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written by Jasmine, October 02, 2009
I used that statement because I have so many friends that are bigger than me and never listen to what I have to say about size because of how much I weigh. I always feel like I have no right to comment on issues that bigger women face because I'm not the same size.

It might seem hypersensitive, but that's how I've been portrayed by those around me.
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written by Alibelle, October 02, 2009
You should check out Kateharding.net too. They accept skinny women into the movement because part of the fat acceptance movement is women not enjoying the idea that our bodies have become public property. They'd appreciate your input.
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written by AJ, October 02, 2009
Again, notice how nobody wanted to touch my comment about this being an American thing. Nowhere in the world is obesity as prevalent as America. There IS a health/diet/lifestyle component here, sorry.
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written by maggie, October 02, 2009
@AJ: i think "nobody wanted to touch" your comment because you were stating the obvious. there IS a health/diet/lifestyle component, but that's not the only part, and that doesn't mean fat people are going to go away or should be targets for prejudice. THAT is the point.
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written by Jamie, October 05, 2009
Fat is a harsh word. Yes its an epidemic of, excuse the pun, mass expansion. However maggie is right it is here and its not going any where. As a "fat chick" I try to be healthy and to work on my body image and such. It is not easy. Surgeries, diets, gyms, depression, self-harm, and suicide attempts. Its time to quit listening to stupid statements about obesity being most prevelent in the USA and start to look to helping those that want help and letting those that are happy being big to live thier lives.... I'm just saying.
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written by Robinson, October 08, 2009
Actually, the problem of obesity is spreading throughout the world with the export of American "culture." McDonald's in the Louvre?
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written by Gwynne, October 08, 2009
I think the issue is not whether or not obesity is a health issue or an American epidemic. I think it has to do with the fact that it's a visually-evident epidemic. There are plenty of health epidemics that don't show themselves visibly to everyone, but because fatness is visual, fat people are singled out and treated poorly for having a visible health problem. If everyone could see smoker's black lungs, maybe smokers would have this problem. The other problem is, fat people are presumed to have all sorts of character flaws based on their fatness: like, "must be lazy, must not care about fashion, must not care about yourself, must not be taken seriously, must not have any discipline." Funny that I would think those traits could equally be applied to smokers, but that's not attributed to smokers because their health issues aren't outwardly visible.
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written by Margo c, October 08, 2009
Disney---- benevolent fat characters. Parents. Sages. Dumbo, of course, is fat.

Fat/heath. Fat doesn't have to mean not healthy. Lean has its own aspects of unhealthiness.

American/obesity. Problem obesity exists everywhere and everytime in the world where there is plenty.
Dayna
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written by Deliza, October 08, 2009
Alibelle,
I think it's interesting that you allude to people with piercings as parallel to obesity. I mean, I obviously understand that you are not saying that they're the same. BUT I'm glad someone made note of the fact unlike other identity studies--women's studies, Asian American studies, African American studies, etc.--"fat" isn't usually an identity we're born into. I know there are plenty of cases where people have little control over how much they weigh, or where people are born predisposed to be larger than average, but by and large it's not like being a woman, where you really don't have a lot of choice, and you can't leave the category if you wanted to. I dunno if I think it's legit to call it an identity study?

That being said I'm already really intereted in hearing about the articles being put out and the stuff being discussed. So I'll bite my tongue.
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written by Stanton Blackmer, October 08, 2009
Disney's Shrek...two main characters of size.
Don't forget Santa and Mrs. Claus. Why leave men out of the picture, Fat is here to stay. Categorize it anyway you like. The more discussion the more public awareness. Acceptance is not around the corner. Work for changes (airline, theater, etc seating)and learn to live with what you are.
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written by Rachel, October 08, 2009
I have a graduate degree in history, but my field of research is on American food culture and food-related disorders, and so I share academic interests with those in the field of fat studies. Fat isn't just a perceived health issue, nor is it just an issue of fashion or aesthetic ideals. The field of fat studies is an important one because it examines an entire range of associated issues related to body size, including sexism, classism, poverty, technology, industrialization, religion, philosophy, art, culture, ethnicity, science and more.

That one believes fatness to be a "choice" does not invalidate it as a legitimate field of study, one that is perhaps most relevant now than ever before.
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written by faeriemags, October 08, 2009
Anyone in the Washington, D.C. area who is interested in this subject should check out the upcoming production of "The 'F' word" at The H St. Theatre, opening Tuesday, October 13th at 8:00 p.m. and running through Sunday, October 18th at 2:00 p.m "It's our biggest obsession, our passion, our fear: our struggle with the dirtiest word in the English language: FAT. Through a series of hilarious, bizarre, and painful vignettes, playwright Blackall explores a lifetime of questions on how we fight for meaning, identity, and connection while counting calories.. Political and poignant, serious and silly, THE F WORD challenges us to size up the systems that forge our love/hate relationships to our bodies, our scales, and each other."
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written by Rachel, October 08, 2009
I know there are plenty of cases where people have little control over how much they weigh, or where people are born predisposed to be larger than average, but by and large it’s not like being a woman, where you really don’t have a lot of choice, and you can’t leave the category if you wanted to.

If people were able to easily leave that imposed category identifying them as a fat person if only they really "wanted to," do you seriously think 60 percent of Americans would willingly "choose" to be overweight or obese, and thus vilified and stigmatized?
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written by Sarah, October 09, 2009
For anyone that's truly interested in learning how/why obesity has become widespread in modern culture, here are a few good books: Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes, Rethinking Thin by Gina Kolata, & The End of Overeating by David Kessler. All take socio-biological looks at how the modern economy and diet has changed our bodies.

On a personal note, I was someone who was born fat and, short of surgery, can never reasonably expect to be to be categorized as a person of perceived "healty" size. Therefore, I consider fatness to be a huge part of my cultural identity, and I fully support the field of Fat Studies. I also believe that the word "fat" is purely descriptive and any positive or negative values can only be implied by the person using the word.

I think this is a great discussion, and it's interesting to hear other people's perspectives.
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written by gillian, October 09, 2009
a note about Ursula the sea witch... in disney's character sketches, they also designed a drastically skinny ursula as well, similar looking to cruella deville, only fishy instead of octopussy.

it seems that either extreme can be rather frightening to people.

(and yes, octopussy made me laugh.)
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written by Michelle, October 09, 2009
I too am another person who has always been fat (I was a fat toddler, kid, teen and now adult) and love that fat identity is getting more academic study.

I think it's important to separate fat from bad health habits. While the two converge frequently, it is not a direct correlation as the Health At Any Size movement size can attest. There are a lot of us fatties who eat healthy (and little -- I eat only 1300-1500 calories a day just to *maintain* my weight) do yoga and work out.
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written by BellaBleu, October 15, 2009
I am fat.
Not overweight. Not obese.
I have spent over half of my almost 40 years on this planet trying to fit my big ass into a smaller one. No more I say!

I take very good care of myself these days with yoga,meditation,and regular exercise. My bp/bg values are excellent and I have no health issues other than the removal of my gall bladder. (American Indian women have a higher incidence of gall bladder disease).
What matters not is how others see you but how you see yourself.
So I say, don't judge a (fat) book by its' cover.
Dayna
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written by Deliza, October 15, 2009
Dear Rachel,
Congratulations on your graduate degree. I guess I missed the point in my comment when I vehemently insisted that being fat was a choice for all 60% of Americans. But since that's the opinion I apparently espoused I'll go ahead and clarify; I never meant to say that it was easy to leave the "fat" category. Merely, that for SOME people, JOINING the fat category is a process of conscious decision making and not just happenstance. Also, do you mean to say that losing weight is impossible for all sixty percent of Americans, no matter how badly they might like to? Guess I don't believe you.
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written by Cara, October 15, 2009
Just the length -- and breadth -- of this discussion shows how this is a topic worthy of study!

I'm always glad to see people reclaiming the word "fat" and working for recognition and acceptance. Some of us are fat for the same reasons that we are tall or brunette. I could wear flats and slouch, I could dye my hair, I could starve myself. But you can't fool Mother Nature and force your body to be things it's not -- at least, you can't do that and also be happy. I'd rather just be who I am.
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written by BellaBleu, October 21, 2009
Cara..Kudos to you!! Well-said!

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