Fat Phobia

“Unbearable Lessons: Contesting Fat Phobia in Physical Education” was the title of a recent article we read in class that really struck a chord with me. The article talks about how fat women are positioned as “too much woman” and, given the association of athleticism with masculinity, they therefore cannot be athletic. I played softball with girls growing up who at a very young age were considered large but who were some of the strongest most powerful players i’d ever seen and who continued to dominate the sport in the years that followed.
Another concept the article mentions is that “being fit and having a slender body are proof of health”. I don’t believe that this is necessarily always true. I know people who are thin and unhealthy. There are also people who are considered overweight who are actually in great shape. In high school, when I played softball competitively, I was a conditioned athlete yet I was considered 15-20 lbs. overweight according to the chart that shows body weight in regards to height, which I don’t find an appropriate or effective tool, because there are a lot of things it fails to take into account. (Ex: muscle mass and your genes!)
I was always confident in myself and in my body as an athlete, but I remember having my weight pointed out to me, which then forced me to question myself and heavily self-scrutinize. It became this phobia, where even though I knew I wasn’t fat I thought I was. It’s sad and unfortunate, but reading articles like these, in which other people share stories about their struggles, fears, and feelings can be helpful or eye opening for any individual.


Kelly Peters
KIN 338I
Section 3023
Tuesday/Thursday 2:00pm-3:15pm