“The starting point is, and the research questions are all framed by: 'We know it's terrible to be fat, but how terrible is it?' Not: 'What would it take to give effective healthcare to fat people?'” says Aubrey Gordon, writer of the new book You Just need to Lose Weight and 19 Other Myths About Fat People, star of the documentary Your Fat Friend, and podcaster of Maintenance Phase. And it's not just healthcare where the alignment of 'fat' with 'unhealthy' - and 'thinner' with 'healthier' - becomes problematic and often very dangerous. "I really don't think people contend with the ways in which they are sending a message to everyone around them that there is a weight limit for people that they will love." Content note: this episode contains discussions of body size, body image, weight, anti-fatness, illness including cancer, diet culture, weight loss - intentional and un - and eating disorders. And there are some category A swears. This is the second of two episodes about the word ‘fat’. In Fatlusionist part 1, Aubrey and I discuss euphemisms for fat, why people avoid saying ‘fat’, what else people mean when they say ‘fat’ and how it would be quite good if people said ‘fat’ as just a descriptive term for ‘fat’. Find out more about this episode and the topics therein at theallusionist.org/fat2, where there's also a transcript. Thanks so much to everyone who sent in their thoughts and feelings about the word 'fat'. The Allusionist is produced by me, Helen Zaltzman. Martin Austwick provides the original music. Hear Martin’s own songs via PaleBirdMusic.com. The cast of The Flab is Felix Trench of Wooden Overcoats podcast, find more of his acting and writing work via FelixTrench.com. Support the show at theallusionist.org/donate and as well as keeping this independent podcast going, you also get glimpses into how the podsausage is made, regular livestreams and watchalong parties, AND to hang out with your fellow Allusionauts in the delightful Allusioverse Discord community, sharing trinket pics, favourite podcasts, and awful portmanteaus. The Allusionist's online home is theallusionist.org. Stay in touch at facebook.com/allusionistshow, instagram.com/allusionistshow, youtube.com/allusionistshow and twitter.com/allusionistshow. Support the show: http://patreon.com/allusionist See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This is the allusionist in which I, Helen Zaltzman, keep my friends close, but keep language closer.
Previously on the Allusionist.
I talked with Aubrey Gordon about the word fat and euphemisms for fat, why people avoid saying fat, what else people mean when they say fat, and how it would be quite good if people said fat as just a descriptive term for fat.
Now get ready for more fat chat from me and Aubrey, as well as some of you.
Thanks to to all of you who sent in your thoughts and feelings about the word fat.
Content note this episode contains discussions of body size, body image, weight, anti fatness, illness, including cancer, diet, culture, weight loss, intentional and un, and eating disorders.
And there are some category a swears in case you are unfamiliar with episode four of this show, category a is the strong stuff, the Defcon one of swears.
I always have to look up whether Defcon one or five is the defconniest level.
It's one swear con, one on with the show.
Hi, I'm Delta and I'm fat, and the euphemism that I really hate is big boned because my bones are not bigger than anyone else's.
I'm just fat.
It's the fat on my body and not the bones.
Eleanor also wrote in about big boned.
It just doesn't make sense.
To be fair, I think it is one people have tried to use to be less judgmental but not sure the outcome is meeting intention.
Calling someone or someone calling me podgy would not be good because the word fat is there and let's just use it.
But I'm weirdly fond of calling fat bits of the body podge, or podgy, as it's such a silly sounding word it feels neutral.
There are a number of irish euphemisms for being fat, which I remember from a very young age, but prime amongst them is to become strong, or to be strong specifically as a woman means that you are of size, definitely, or perceived to be of size.
One that my grandmother particularly liked was getting broad at the beam, which meant, I suppose, that you were filling out in an undesirable way.
She would also describe people as being beef to the heel, like a mullingar heifer, which I suppose targeted your legs more than anything.