The Fat Studies Reader

Winner of the 2010 Distinguished Publication Award from the Association for Women in PsychologyWinner of the 2010 Susan Koppelman Award for the Best Edited Volume in Women’s Studies from the Popular Culture AssociationA milestone anthology of fifty-three voices on the burgeoning scholarly movement-fat studiesWe have all seen the segments on television news shows: A fat person walking on the sidewalk, her face out of frame so she can't be identified, as some disconcerting findings about the "obesity epidemic" stalking the nation are read by a disembodied voice. And we have seen the movies-their obvious lack of large leading actors silently speaking volumes.From the government, health industry, diet industry, news media, and popular culture we hear that we should all be focused on our weight.But is this national obsession with weight and thinness good for us? Or is it just another form of prejudice-one with especially dire consequences for many already disenfranchised groups?For decades