On display in Rose Library, March 2025. Selected by Liz Chenevey.
Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly seeing messages that there is a singular body type that is healthy, more desirable, more virtuous, and that anything perceived as "fat" is inherently bad. Almost half of New Year’s resolutions have to do with exercise, diets, and weight loss, but these goals are notoriously hard to stick to; it is thought that the majority of people who lose weight gain it back within a few years. Negative body image and a high concern for weight increases risks of disordered eating, especially in young women and girls. Forty percent of U.S. adults have reported experiencing stigma related to their weight at some point in their life. This stigma—known as sizeism—often impacts health behaviors, such as seeking medical care and mental health care. It can be exhausting.
This display highlights works that explore the concepts of body positivity and fat liberation. It consists of personal narratives of writers’ own experiences navigating a sizeist culture in fat bodies, sociological explorations of the gendered and racialized origins of fat stigma, critiques of the wellness and diet industries that perpetuate harmful messages, and activist manifestos to create a more body-inclusive society.
