Love Your Current Summer Body
July 9, 2021 - Summer is in full swing and it is hot out there!! I don’t know about you, but I have definitely put on some “COVID-19 pounds.” Luckily, I have experience with lots of science-based (and hope-based) diets! The Library shelves are full of diet books and promises of the secret to weight loss. This year, I am trying something new. I have spent nearly 30 years in a cycle of diet culture and self-loathing and you know what? I quit. I love my beautiful body that has birthed two incredible children and I’m done hiding it! It’s not like extra layers will somehow cover the secret of body shape. This summer, instead of worrying about losing the weight, I chose to lose the hate! Here are various bits of media to help you love yourself and others for the amazing beauty we all possess!
Podcasts:
Maintenance Phase: An entertaining and educational podcast which analyzes diet fads, wellness scams, and the general anti-fat bias of American society. From Dr. Oz to Weight Watchers, learn the often sordid history and science behind popular diet-culture movements.
She’s all Fat: A Fat Positive Podcast: This podcast promotes radical self-love and discusses the intersectionality of fatness and feminism.
Nonfiction Books:
Shrill by Lindy West: Recently adapted into an original series on Hulu, Shrill is a compilation of autobiographical essays from Lindy’s career as a journalist writing such pieces as “Hello, I’m Fat.”
Hunger by Roxane Gay: In Hunger, Roxane is brutally honest about her body, her body image, and the effects on her personal and professional life. A professor, award winning author, and social commentator, her introspection is relatable and poignant.
Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings: This nonfiction historical analysis evaluates how artistic, philosophical, and societal paradigms shifted the standards of beauty and health as races across the world integrated.
Fiction authors who center body diverse characters:
Katie Larson, Library Aide
June 9, 2021
