Cat and I discuss the body positivity movement and how our weight-obsessed culture discriminates against overweight individuals. Cat shares her personal experience being a plus-sized woman and the discrimination she has faced within the healthcare sector with her doctors and in her personal life in the dating world. We chat about the importance of mental health on overall well-being in addition to the social determinants of health that impact a person's weight. Other topics include studies contradicting the medical advice we get, the obesity epidemic, being raised and socialized to hate your body, and have expectations set for what a man wants, beauty standards of today and some resources that shed light on the topic. Cat also shares her admiration for the influencers who are working tirelessly to challenge the norms of what a beautiful body should look like by posting nude and boudoir pictures on social media. The message remains that we must fight the stigma and should see more diverse bodies in the media and have more conversations like these.

Referenced Resources:

Book: XXL: Obesity and the Limits of Shame by Patrick Luciani

Song: Video by India Arie

Book and Facebook Page by the name: The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor

Influencer Gabi Fresh

Ted Talk: Enough with the fear of fat - Kelli Jean Drinkwater