The Innovative Therapist

The Body is Not an Apology with Quinn Menier

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Episode 6. For this episode I talked with Quinn Menier about the book The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor. Quinn is a fellow entrepreneur and podcaster, board certified case manager in behavioral health, and friend of mine and she was gracious enough to come on today to talk about some of the concepts in this book from the perspective of a Black Woman.

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    Body Shame and The Black Body

    Although our conversation certainly isn’t comprehensive and frankly is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of these important topics, Quinn and I talk about the following:

    • Body shame from the perspective of a Black Woman, including the additional barriers to body acceptance and radical self-love
    • Why certain groups like the Black community have additional barriers to body acceptance and radical self-love, and how understanding and breaking down these barriers is essential for the health of all of us
    • Some ways we can move towards a inclusive view of health, starting with our school systems
      • “It’s a lot to unpack.”

      This phase was used at least 3 times in this podcast. We have so much work to do in better understanding issues of racial justice and equity for all bodies. This includes but is not limited to different races, ethnicities, abilities, beliefs, and sexual orientation.

      This isn’t just a matter of social justice and doing what is “right” but a matter of life and death in many ways. We need to start viewing our health as a whole picture.

      What is Poodle Science?

      The author discussed the concept of poodle science as a metaphor and illustration of lack of appreciation for body diversity. Check out this video for a video depiction of this.

      This metaphor is based on the idea that “poodles” meaning the white majority culture conducts health research and measurements that are based on the white majority culture, and do not take into account the fact that diversity is inherent and useful biologically and “poodle” bodies are not going to look or weigh the same as say, “mastiff” bodies. Therefore, for “poodles” to come in and tell mastiff’s that they need to lose weight to make their bodies look like poodles isn’t helpful or healthy for the mastiff’s.

      We also talk about the body mass index and it’s failure to be useful in determining true health, how this wasn’t necessarily a new concept to Quinn. We also talk about some of her experiences with weight bias and lack of appreciation for diversity in medical care.

      Key Takeaways from our Discussion

      We talk about some tough topics in this podcast, but if you read to the book, you will hear a hopeful message. A message that reminds you that there is a lot that can be done to improve these issues, and we have more control than we think.

      Here are a few places to start:
      1. Keep talking. Only by continuing to have these conversations about the fact that we need to re-think our definitions of health to support the health of everyone will we actually make progress. Even when you don’t fully agree with everything we talk about here, that is okay. Let’s still have the conversation so we can move forward. It can be hard and uncomfortable at times, but oh-so worth it.
      2. Start with yourself. The great news is, not only can we start working on radical self-love within ourselves (of which we have more control), doing so will allow us to better support others getting there. Is it hard work? Of course, we have many barriers as body shame is pervasive. Folks in bodies that aren’t the “default body” meaning not the white, slim, able-bodied, cis-gender body that we so prize, have a longer, steeper upbill battle to climb. But the more we work to improve this in ourselves, the more we can inspire others to do the same.
      3. Stop the shame. Look, we all do it. But it’s time to make an active effort to stop shaming our bodies and the bodies of others. Whether you have fully given up weight loss as a goal or not, that is 100% your choice. Whether your body looks like the default body or not, your body deserves love and appreciation.
      4. Go first. Be courageous. We all have body shame. Instead of telling others what to do, feel, or think, start by sharing your experience first. Be vulnerable (in safe environments) and share your experience. Share what you struggle with and what has been useful. You never know how it will impact someone. This is way more likely to be useful compared to telling someone what to do, think, or feel.
        5. Learn More About Quinn Menier!

        Quinn has a business that helps mom’s of children with special needs get their and their children’s needs met. You can find more about this on her website.

        She also has a podcast called Momma’s Morning Cup where she interviews moms and talks about the 5 pillars of: Inspiration, Family, Health, Career, and the love of Books.

        Let me just say that I’ve already been brought to tears with the stories on that podcast and I know you will be inspired too, so check it out!

        Disclosure: Using the Bookshop.org links in this post means that I would get an affiliate fee if you purchase from the online bookshop (this also supports local bookstores too!).

        Disclaimer: This blog and podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individual professional advice or treatment, including medical or mental health advice. It does not constitute a provider patient relationship.

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        The Innovative TherapistBy Dr. Shawn Hondorp, PhD, ABPP
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