Gender and Body Size
Gender and Body Size
Abigail C. Saguy
Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Gender Studies
Spring 2010
A couple of decades ago, feminist scholars had much to say about fat. Recently, however, discussions of body weight have been dominated by health policy concerns over the so-called obesity epidemic. Despite a long tradition of feminist critique of fat hatred as a problem of patriarchy, there has been very little critique of the growing emphasis on the importance of slenderness for health reasons. Moreover, while feminist scholars have spilt much ink on the pressures on average size women to be as thin as emaciated fashion women, there has been very little feminist work on the experiences of very fat women. A new interdisciplinary field in “fat studies” is emerging that addresses these topics.
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Faculty Curator Series Paul Campos 5 to 7 pm |
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The Gender and Body Size lecture series addresses the new interdisciplinary field: “fat studies." Recent discussions of body weight have been dominated by health policy concerns over the so-called obesity epidemic. Despite a long tradition of feminist critique of fat hatred as a problem of patriarchy, there has been very little critique of the growing emphasis on the importance of slenderness for health reasons. Moreover, while feminist scholars have spilt much ink on the pressures on average size women to be as thin as emaciated fashion women, there has been very little feminist work on the experiences of very fat women. Paul Campos is the author of The Obesity Myth: Why America's Obsession with Weight is Hazardous to Your Health (Gotham, 2004).
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Faculty Curator Series Weight and Mortality: Katherine M. Flegal 4 to 6 pm |
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The relation of obesity to mortality continues to be a contentious and controversial topic. Estimates using nationally representative data will be presented, along with discussion of some of the criticisms that have been raised regarding this research. Katherine M. Flegal is the author, with David F. Williamson, Elsie R. Pamuk, and Harry M. Rosenberg, of "The Burden of Obesity: Estimating Deaths Attributable to Obesity in the United States," American Journal of Public Health 94:9 (September 2004): 1486-1489. She is also the author, with Barry I. Graubard, David F. Williamson, and Mitchell H. Gail, of "Excess Deaths Associated With Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity," JAMA 293 (2005):1861-1867.
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Faculty Curator Series The Real F-Word:
4 to 6 pm |
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Weight-related messages permeate so many areas of society, from media and fashion to medicine and legislation, from our inner thoughts to our biggest life decisions. If you've ever spent time or money or effort worrying about what you weigh, this talk offers some liberating options on how to think and act. Marilyn Wann is an activist and the author of Fat! So?: Because You Don't Have to Apologize for Your Size (Ten Speed Press, 2004)
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010 
Wednesday, February 10, 2010 
Monday, March 1, 2010 
