Are You Being Fat-Shamed?

Source: jarmoluk/Pixabay

Individuals with larger body sizes are often stereotyped as inferior to others—as less attractive, competent, intelligent, active, self-disciplined, successful, or mentally healthy.

These often inaccurate and hurtful stereotypes can affect many aspects of life (family, romance, work, medical relationships). And they are associated with negative outcomes, such as low self-esteem, poor body image, eating disorders, and depression.

One way weight stigma is perpetuated is through fat microaggressions—the subject of a recent study by Lindloff and colleagues.

Please note that in keeping with the authors’ approach, I will use the descriptor fat in place of big, heavy, large-bodied, and other similar terms, including those that medicalize weight (e.g., overweight, obese). To be clear, the word fat will be used as a value-neutral term intended to carry no judgment and mean no offense.

What are microaggressions?

Fat individuals are stigmatized and discriminated against in myriad ways. Many report experiencing daily microaggressions, which refer to “brief, everyday acts and exchanges of prejudice.”

There are three major categories of microaggressions:

• Microassaults: Overt and intentional (e.g., name-calling or refusing to sit next to a fat person).
• Microinsults: Less deliberate and more subtle, such as making insensitive comments or telling rude jokes.
• Microinvalidations: Quite subtle and hard to detect. An example is the statement, “Some people are too sensitive these days,” meant to invalidate a fat person’s experience of discrimination.

Source: Bru-nO/Pixabay

Fat microaggressions

To study fat microaggressions, we need to measure them, which is why Lindloff et al. developed a 40-item measure called the Fat Microaggressions Scale, with a four-factor structure. The four factors are:

1. Benevolent Weightism. Unasked-for advice regarding exercise and diet, typically under the guise of concern for health. A sample item: “People give me unsolicited tips about weight loss.”
2. Clothing Exclusion. Availability of appropriately sized clothing. For instance: “When shopping, clothing in my size is more expensive than smaller sizes.”
3. Direct Experiences. Being criticized, called names, mocked, getting bullied at school or work, receiving dirty looks in public (gym, restaurant, beach), etc. An example item: “People have acted surprised that I have a romantic partner.”
4. Indirect Experiences. Fatphobia in the media, with fat characters being portrayed as unlovable, pathetic, dumb, or lacking self-control. For instance: “I hear fat jokes in television shows or films.”

The investigations furthermore found that experiencing fat microaggressions was linked with restricting daily activities, distress, and poor health.

High body mass index (BMI) was not a predictor of behavioral or psychological symptoms after “accounting for experienced microaggressions.”

Takeaway

Many fat people experience microaggressions—daily interactions that disrespect and devalue them.

These interactions come in many forms: direct and indirect experiences, clothing exclusion, and unsolicited advice regarding healthy diet, exercise, and weight loss.

It is important to note that microaggressions are not always intentional: Overhearing a thin person complain, “I feel fat today,” or witnessing people laughing at a fat TV character are also microaggressions.

But whether intentional or not, these acts and comments invalidate and shame fat people, promote defensiveness, and reinforce discriminatory social norms.

And they can have serious consequences. Previous research on racial, LGBTQ, and disability microaggressions shows that they are associated with negative outcomes, including poor self-esteem, stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, fatigue, pain, physical health problems, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.