Image item
 

My offering for you this week: My calendar is open for 60-minute consulting sessions. Ask me anything related to body acceptance (keeping in mind that I'm neither a therapist nor YOUR therapist), making your business accessible and friendly to fat folks, activism or diverse marketing.

 

If you've been wanting to ask me something, or you've been gifted free labor from me in the past and would like to start paying for that labor, this is the perfect time.

 

My consulting rate is $90 USD/hour. Book a time with me using this link, and I'll send you an invoice (must be paid before your session). Get on my calendar >>

Hi friend,
 
One of the most common questions I'm getting these days is, "Should I use the word fat?"
 
Many fat folks have reclaimed the word and are using it as a neutral descriptor, but to the world at large, "fat" is an insult. So should you be using it?
 
If you are a fat person: Go for it! Feel free to reclaim that word, though of course you don't have to.
 
If you are a thin person: Use with caution, and only in contexts where you're making it very clear that you're using it neutrally.
 
If you're not sure if you're fat: Be cautious about claiming identities that aren't really yours. Generally, people who are fat experience active stigma, discrimination and limitations due to their body size. See this Fluffy Kitten Party piece on fategories to learn more.
 
If you are a healthcare provider in a fat body: Sure, go for it, as long as you're making it clear that you're not using it as an insult or a self-deprecating joke.
 
If you are a healthcare provider in a thin body: If you're working in an explicitly fat-affirming, Health at Every SizeĀ® or similar context, use it with caution. Otherwise, avoid it to prevent accidentally increasing stigma or making patients feel insulted.
 
If you are a researcher: I'm aware that the o* words below are expected language in academia, but that doesn't make them less viciously stigmatizing. Use neutral language unless forced to do otherwise, and advocate for less stigmatizing language in research.
 
Pro tip for everyone: The words overweight, obese and obesity are slurs. They medicalize and stigmatize a perfectly normal and natural segment of the variation of human bodies. Don't use them.
 
So what am I supposed to say instead? Here are some descriptive phrases you can use instead of "fat:"
  1. People in larger bodies
  2. Higher-weight people
  3. Larger people
Let's fight for a world where fat is just a neutral descriptor for large bodies and not an insult, where fat bodies are equally valued.
Warmly,
Lindley
 
P.S. You can share this week's letter here. It's only possible to offer the Body Liberation Guide and all its labor for free because people like you support it. If you find value here, please contribute for as little as $1 per month. Every dollar helps.
A big thank you to new supporters Allison, Lauren Hughes, Daniela Silcock, Rachel Becker, Alice Larson, Delia Webster and Sam Shump!

Featured Fine Art Print: F*** Diet Culture Poster
Image item
Image description: A pink poster shown against a neon green wall. The poster says ā€œF**k Diet Culture!ā€ with hearts and a baked concha illustration.

From Me to You

Featured Stock Category: Selfies & Self-Portraits
Image item
Image description: A screenshot of a store page with a variety of themed images.
Image item

The Conversation

In the Body Love Shop

Image item
Image description: A purple book cover with a non-binary person's illustration and the title of the book.
Quick Resources: On White Privilege

I'm Lindley, and I work for liberation for all bodies

Image description: Lindley, a fat white woman, is shown shoulders up in a heart-patterned dress. She has blonde hair and glasses, and is smiling.

Hi! I'm Lindley.

 

I'm a photographer and activist (she/her, pronounced LIN-lee) who celebrates the unique beauty of bodies that fall outside conventional "beauty" standards. I live outside Seattle, WA. People come to me for:

  • Body-safe portrait, boudoir and small business photography sessions
  • Diverse, body-positive stock photos & fine art prints
  • Health at Every Size (HAES)-aligned editorial services and consulting
  • The Body Love Shop, a curated resource for body-positive and fat-positive art and products

Get details on all my offerings at bodyliberationphotos.com.

 

"When I was struggling with food, I had no interest in body image workā€”I only wanted to lose weight, and refused to take body acceptance work seriously 'until that happened.' 
 
This attitude kept me bingeing for a very, very long time. 
 
In fact, my resistance to doing body image work may have spurred me on towards long-term weight gain, because of all the damage caused to my body when I was diet-binge cycling." Ā» Isabel Foxen Duke

Pssst! Did a friend forward you this email? If you'd like to get your own body liberation guide every week, just drop your email address here.

 

You're on this list because you're a current or past client or customer, or you signed up on my website.

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Youtube