Sitemap
Elemental

Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Member-only story

What You’re Telling Your Fat Friend When You Call Your Body ‘Average’

5 min readJan 7, 2020

--

Photo: Cedric Tyaglovsky/Unsplash

“How would you describe your size?”

I am being interviewed by a woman who has asked to speak with me as part of her academic research. She has taken issue with nearly every descriptive term I’ve used to describe my body — plus size, fat, thin, slim, straight size. So I’ve asked her what words she uses, and how she would describe her own body.

As an undeniably fat person, descriptors are often foisted on my body without my input or consent. So rather than stumbling around language as it applies to someone else’s body, I do what I have long wished others would for mine: just ask.

Why should I have to?” She bristles at my question, like so many straight size people before her. Her body has the privilege of disappearing, a cultural default that never needs to be named. Mine deviates, which others often read as an invitation to judge and discuss my size, often without my input or consent. She is baffled at the thought of having to name her size; I am perplexed at the thought of not having to name, explain, and excuse mine.

When it comes to defining average, bodies with privilege are…

--

--

Elemental
Elemental

Published in Elemental

Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Your Fat Friend
Your Fat Friend

Written by Your Fat Friend

Your Fat Friend writes about the social realities of living as a very fat person. www.yourfatfriend.com