Rethinking Fat Studies and Activism in Women's and Gender Studies Textbooks

Fatspiration, "Thin Saviours," and Sexist Beauty Culture

Abstract

This paper surveys women’s and gender studies textbook inclusions on fatness. It highlights the framing, focus areas, and content to develop a discussion of the scholarly and political tensions between fat activists and fat studies scholars, and feminist politics and scholarship. Specifically, the article critiques the subsumption of fat within critiques of beauty culture, the use of extractive narratives, and healthism. The article suggests ways of including critical fat scholarship and activist writing that is intersectional.