196: Fat Monica and Other Fat Tropes in Media

Some people think that anti-fat bias is just about flippant comments, hurt feelings and harmless jokes. What many don’t realize is that anti-fat bias can be deadly. Today, we are joined by Sarah and Tam, who are sharing their stories. Sarah talks about her terminal cancer diagnosis and the symptoms which were ignored by doctors for 2 years. Tam shares the story of her husband, James, father of 2 children, who died aged 37. Huge trigger warning for this episode as we are talking about death, witnessing death, medical harm and egregious anti-fatness. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/198 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Vance memes: https://gizmodo.com/notes-on-a-meme-the-grotesque-pleasure-of-bloated-jd-vance-pictures-2000572683?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Last slide Vance: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHHIh3lTFpa/?img_index=19&igsh=MTNoMDFzdHRnMmVmdQ== Trump and tiny penis statue:  Is there anything really funny about a naked Donald Trump statue? From Quartz https://archive.ph/5zrXl Republican women and makeup tutorials https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGOhmZRS7cX/?igsh=MW4za3o4NHdxa25jaA== The invisible knapsack peggy macintosh: https://www.nationalseedproject.org/key-seed-texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack

Have you seen the JD Vance memes that have been circulating the internet? In them, the meme creators have increased his body size to make him look fat and then laugh at the idea of him being fat. That’s the joke. So hilarious (/s). JD Vance who is a horrible human, is being critiqued because of his appearance. This is a common theme in left-leaning circles - if someone is awful, then a great way to humiliate them is to focus on what they look like. Does this mean that “anti-fat bias is the last socially acceptable form of discrimination,” or is something else going on? Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/197 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Vance memes: https://gizmodo.com/notes-on-a-meme-the-grotesque-pleasure-of-bloated-jd-vance-pictures-2000572683?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email Last slide Vance: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHHIh3lTFpa/?img_index=19&igsh=MTNoMDFzdHRnMmVmdQ== Trump and tiny penis statue:  Is there anything really funny about a naked Donald Trump statue? From Quartz https://archive.ph/5zrXl Republican women and makeup tutorials https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGOhmZRS7cX/?igsh=MW4za3o4NHdxa25jaA== The invisible knapsack peggy macintosh: https://www.nationalseedproject.org/key-seed-texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack

What have we learned about who fat people are from the media we consume? What are the common stereotypes we see again and again? In this episode, I answer those questions and analyse different examples of fat media including the dreaded Fat Monica from Friends. If you can, watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience! But I do also audio describe what we are watching :) TW: anti-fat tropes. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/196 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Fat Monica: https://youtu.be/4FsR2bjpWQU?si=_4keyVF1JS-LvSrg friends Fat Monica and Chandler for the first time: https://youtu.be/0YpxXy-iLwY?si=GzdOfM0Qc_wKuu9f Friends HD Thanksgiving Flashback- Monica and Rachel: https://youtu.be/4G2-QUqdpt8?si=UNqP6hAZmkxDDsbA Friends: Monica and Rachel dancing HD: https://youtu.be/4Ttwl2nfSqE?si=eVPrscNs70n6hs87 Se7en Gluttony scene: https://youtu.be/TQfWTwRbJ4A?si=HAORW-eIp7uLISWQ Seven (1995) First Victim's Body Examination: https://youtu.be/qBlQeq5oabg?si=eJ-Ypfmm3plEU55q Lucozade - Tracey & Sandra (1997, UK): https://youtu.be/rPwi-bUZuis

How can we convince healthcare providers to examine the harm they cause when they tell fat people to lose weight and deny us care? It can be pretty hard to realize that you haven’t been providing evidence-based care so it’s a challenge! That’s where the work of the disability community comes in with their medical and social models of disability. This lets us communicate how medicalizing fatness is not helpful in the same way it’s not helpful for many in the disability community. Alongside that, let’s talk about harm reduction ideas! We’re getting deep today, come join me :) Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/195 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Body Roundess index: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/p/reader-question-what-is-the-body?utm_source=publication-search Lancet article, TW BS and O Words https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/landia/PIIS2213-8587(25)00004-X.pdf Lancet iraphicnfog, TW BS and O Words: https://www.thelancet.com/infographics-do/clinical-obesity-25 How weight loss and pharma companies are scamming us into thinking they are advocating for fat people: https://www.canva.com/design/DAEvLxpBSdA/bOOUbgoQmhPGxC1ukae9Jw/edit Medical Model vs Social Model: https://eisforerin.com/2017/08/05/disability-101-medical-model-vs-social-model/ Access all areas about Medical Model vs Social Model : https://youtu.be/QT7cyMNDRh8?si=JRiZ6n2bzgWNBBw9 My examples (1st of mm vs sm, then harm reduction): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CTI2CJPU9d3a95ibFwsZkEPWH3XbZ5IgPn9bRB4bAe0/edit?usp=sharing Disability 101: Medical Model vs Social Model: https://eisforerin.com/2017/08/05/disability-101-medical-model-vs-social-model/

It’s NOT the most wonderful time of the year for a lot of fat folks because many will be spending time with anti-fat family and then once you survive that it’s into the “New Year New You” diet culture dog shit. Ugh. Want some tactics to overcome this stressful time? Tune into this episode for the salve to all this nonsense. Don’t forget: you’re worthy, you always were you always will be. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/194 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Link to the Your Fat Friend doc: https://youtu.be/VZ61fo1SJWs?si=1iNDEc33RW7powzX Link to healthcare survey: https://forms.gle/wVhrP5EjvyEX5Atx9 Boundaries song: https://youtu.be/rZ0ZUVXqJc4 New Year, Same Body, More Love: Resisting Diet Culture and Anti-Fatness in 2025 Thursday 16th January, 2025, 12pm PST: https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/new-year-same-body-more-love

Having a bigger body and trying to access healthcare can be a struggle at best and lead to mistreatment, misdaignosis and death at worse. I go over the 5 stages of subpar healthcare in this episode, talk about the root of the issue and share some stories. TW: mentions of death from anti-fat bias and other general anti-fat tomfuckery. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/193 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Link for training: https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/boundary-boss Take the Fat in Healthcare survey: https://forms.gle/wVhrP5EjvyEX5Atx9 Five Ways Health Care Can Be Better for Fat People: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/five-ways-health-care-can-be-better-fat-people/2023-07 In Plain Sight: Addressing Indigenous-specific Racism and Discrimination in B.C Health Care: chrome-extension://kdpelmjpfafjppnhbloffcjpeomlnpah/https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/613/2020/11/In-Plain-Sight-Summary-Report.pdf Viral stories show how 'fatphobia' has life-and-death consequences— even for babies and kids: https://www.upworthy.com/viral-post-shows-how-fatphobia-has-life-and-death-consequences-even-for-babies-and-kids Opinion  Doctors have fatphobia, too — which does serious harm to patients: https://archive.md/nhRFl#selection-447.0-453.65 My sister’s cancer might have been diagnosed sooner — if doctors could have seen beyond her weight: https://archive.md/CGdDf#selection-903.0-903.98 Ellen Bennett Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/timescolonist/name/ellen-bennett-obituary?id=40627610 How 'fat shaming' from doctors is leading to misdiagnoses for obese patients: https://cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-august-1-2018-1.4769487/how-fat-shaming-from-doctors-is-leading-to-misdiagnoses-for-obese-patients-1.4769569 Fat shaming in the doctor's office can be mentally and physically harmful: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/08/170803092015.htm Weighing the care: physicians' reactions to the size of a patient: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11477511/ Take the Fat in Healthcare survey: https://forms.gle/wVhrP5EjvyEX5Atx9

Almost 2 years ago I released a 2 part podcast on Wegovy and so I think it’s time for an update! Is it true that semaglutide shows reduced cardiac event risk? What have been people’s experiences? Is everyone on it now and have we “cured” fatness?? Let dive in! Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/192 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Is Wegovy/Ozempic the Miracle Weight Loss Drug It’s Made Out to Be?: https://www.instagram.com/p/CxctjwOybEi/?img_index=1 Past Ozempic Fierce Fatty podcasts: https://fiercefatty.com/155 and https://fiercefatty.com/156  The Semaglutide (Wegovy) Cardiovascular Outcome Trial - Part 1: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/p/the-semaglutide-wegovy-cardiovascular?utm_source=publication-search Four-Year Outcomes of Wegovy (Semaglutide 2.4mg) Cardiovascular Study - Part 1: https://weightandhealthcare.substack.com/p/four-year-outcomes-of-wegovy-semaglutide New study ties weight-loss drugs Wegovy, Ozempic to serious gastrointestinal conditions: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/ozempic-wegovy-glp-1-1.6988122 Risk of Gastrointestinal Adverse Events Associated With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists for Weight Loss: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2810542 What it’s like to stay on Ozempic for years: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/ozempic-what-its-like-to-take-for-years-rcna93921 Wegovy now in Canada: Who should (and shouldn’t) use the weight-loss drug: https://globalnews.ca/news/10476494/wegovy-drug-canada-weight-loss-drug/ Why weight loss drugs stop working and how to break past the Ozempic plateau: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/why-weight-loss-drugs-stop-working-how-to-break-past-ozempic-plateau You’ve Lost Weight Taking New Obesity Drugs. What Happens if You Stop?: https://archive.md/zF3St#selection-4511.0-4514.0 She Shared Her Ozempic Horror Story. TikTok Users Tried to Silence Her: https://archive.md/pFNaE#selection-1635.0-1638.0 Who Can Bring an Ozempic Lawsuit?: https://lawsuitlegalnews.com/news/who-can-bring-ozempic-lawsuit/ Dozens sue saying Ozempic, other weight loss and diabetes drugs cause harmful side effects: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/03/21/lawsuits-ozempic-wegovy-weight-loss-drugs-diabetes-harmful/72947158007/ Can Ozempic Kill You?: https://www.motleyrice.com/diabetes-lawsuits/ozempic/safe-for-weight-loss/deaths#:~:text=As%20of%20April%201%2C%202024,as%20%22sudden%20death%22%20cases ‘It changed my life’: Ozempic patient shares her good, bad and scary side effects: https://globalnews.ca/news/9809465/ozempic-weight-loss-obesity-diabetes-user-experience-canada/ Dozens sue saying Ozempic, other weight loss and diabetes drugs cause harmful side effects: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/03/21/lawsuits-ozempic-wegovy-weight-loss-drugs-diabetes-harmful/72947158007/ 18 celebrities who've opened up about taking Ozempic or weight-loss drugs: https://www.today.com/health/celebrities-on-ozempic-rcna129740 Descriptive analysis of TikTok videos posted under the hashtag #Ozempic: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949916X23000130 Ozempic Defined a TikTok Era. Now the App Wants It Gone: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ozempic-influencers-tiktok-weight-loss-guidelines-1235029891/ When will the Ozempic shortage end?: https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/information-about-major-medicine-shortages/about-ozempic-semaglutide-shortage-2022-2024#:~:text=for%20other%20reasons.-,When%20will%20the%20Ozempic%20shortage%20end%3F,organisations%20to%20monitor%20this%20situation Update on the supply of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists: Notice: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-shortages/information-consumers/supply-notices/ozempic.html

Should we be listening to the seemingly reasonable advice from food journalist Michael Pollan who says “Eat food, but not too much.” How much power does what we eat and how we move our bodies have on our health? What about organic food?? Today I answer a juicy listener question, some join me! Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/191 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://kofi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Determinants of Health: https://www.goinvo.com/vision/determinants-of-health/ Food Science Babe Organic food: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xo-TqJ07AJs?app=desktop Fat at Work Webinar: https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/replay-webinar-fat-at-work Fat at Work Report: https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/fatatworkreport 134: How to Decode Alarmist Fatphobic News Stories: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/134-how-to-decode-alarmist-fatphobic-news-stories/id1481565570?i=1000571237442

  I'm on my holidays and so we have a replay for this episode from 2021 which is still super relevant. Let's listen! P.S. This is when I went by Victoria and she/her pronouns. "Self love means caring for your body which means losing weight!" Seems logical, but is it actually? Does being fat mean you've given up and don't give a sh*t about your body, your health and hate yourself? Let's put this statement to the test! TW: brief mention of sexual assault and I talk about getting a PAP/smear test. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/190 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://ko-fi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Instagram post on body love journey: https://www.instagram.com/p/CMk8EsOLA3w/ Let's continue the conversation in my free group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/fiercefattyfriends/ 

What would my life be like today if I had never worked to unlearn anti-fat bias? I was so fortunate to stumble upon the message “It’s ok to be fat” over a decade ago and it absolutely revolutionized my life. My life was being ruined by my worship of thinness and obsession with food restriction and body criticism. I’m sharing the 6 main ways my anti-fatness was really messing with me and what it’s like now that I’ve been on the ‘unlearning journey’ for 10 years. Episode show notes: http://www.fiercefatty.com/189 Support me on Ko-Fi and get the Size Diversity Resource Guide: https://ko-fi.com/fiercefatty/tiers Weight Inclusive Consulting Fat at Work Report: https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/download-the-weight-inclusive-consulting-report Training - How to Unlearn Weight Bias (and Be at Peace With Your Body and Other Bodies): https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/replay-how-to-unlearn-weight-bias-and-be-at-peace-with-your-body-and-others Silly song: https://www.instagram.com/p/CJZXf2tHwgu/ How to Unlearn Weight Bias (and Be at Peace With Your Body and Other Bodies): https://fiercefatty.my.canva.site/how-to-unlearn-weight-bias-and-be-at-peace-with-your-body-and-others