The F Word: Fatphobia in the Food Industry
Or: the talk I gave at the CIA yesterday
The Culinary Institute of America reached out to me in January 2020 to come talk to their students a few months later. This (obviously) got postponed and while I wish the postponement wasn’t because of a global pandemic (!!!), I’m so glad the 2022 me got to speak to them rather than the 2020 me.
I wasn’t ready then to give the talk I gave yesterday about fatphobia in the food industry (and beyond). I’ve been doing a lot of work over the last few years, but especially the last two, to divest from diet culture. I’m so glad I could share some of that with the students yesterday (and with you today). It was a meaningful afternoon and personally I found it incredibly healing.
My spouse Grace came with me and filmed the entire thing, which you can watch here on my Instagram if you’d like.
If you’d like the full talk experience, here are my companion slides, which include TONS of information + resources (with links!!). I hope they’re helpful.
A world that doesn’t discriminate against the size, shape, ability, or disability of any body— literally any body— is a kinder, more exciting, and happier place for everyone.
For paid subscribers, I’d love to hear from you + talk to you in the comments. How did this all land with you? Do you have any questions I might have answers to or can help find answers to? What resources + support systems have been helpful for you as you’ve navigated diet culture, anti-fat bias, and/or eating disorders? Would you like to read more of my writing on this topic(s)?
GROUND RULES FOR COMMENTS:
Anti-fat bias, homophobia, transphobia, and racism are not welcome here. While I don’t anticipate needing to do the following since this is such a mindful group of people, I will delete/block any comments/commenters if needed to keep this a safe space.
Please do not promote or advocate for weight loss, diets, or any type of body shaming. This includes mentioning numbers (pounds, calorie counts, etc.) that could be triggering for anyone with an eating disorder (or a history of one).
Thanks so much for being here with me. xoxoo, Julia
Several months ago, I listened to your podcast episode with Grace, where y'all discussed feelings about your bodies and whatnot. I've never considered myself all that deeply entrenched or influenced in diet culture until I listened to that episode (and some episodes of Maintenance Phase, after you talked about it as well). I mean, OF COURSE it's had an effect on me. I have been, you know, alive and taking in media over the past three and a half decades. But anyhow, listening to that episode made me realize how much work I had to do, and it's been so illuminating and liberating to sort of re-focus my ideas around weight and food and health. So thank you for that!
I've been a type one diabetic since I was 13. I'm 35 now, so I've lived with diabetes for longer than not. And I think that constant focus on food, and what it's going to do to my blood sugar, has done a lot more to my ideas around food than I ever gave it credit for. I LOVE food and everything about it (eating, cooking, learning about it), but I've realized over the past several months the ways I've taken in that toxicity about "good" foods and "bad" foods, particularly when it comes to carbohydrates and sugars and fats. I think I'm well on my way to sort of shedding those ideas, and realize that I should just eat what I'm feeling like I need (and want!) instead. I've got a doctor's appointment in about a month, and I'm already planning on having the weight discussion and how I'd like to avoid putting too much emphasis on a specific number. I love my doctor and am so grateful for him and the team there, but that conversation needs to be had.
Anyhow, all that to say: Appreciate you and Grace highlighting these things, both in this talk and in that frank (and lovely and just so great) podcast conversation however many months ago. The kindness and tenderness was so evident in that conversation, and it was such a joy to listen to! Take care!
I’m a mom of 2 and an ED survivor who finds it VERY easy to slip back into old cycles. Very literally, your cookbook Small Victories brought me back to myself because it got me back in the kitchen, and it taught me food’s job is to taste good and feed your soul, first and foremost. Being a larger person in a fatphobic world is hard, even sometimes inside my own brain. I’m grateful there are people like you speaking out against it.