Fat Liberation: How Social Workers Can Incorporate Fat Activism to Promote Care and Justice

Abstract

Despite serious health and mental health problems associated with weight stigma and dieting, many health providers consider intentional weight loss to be a positive pro-health intervention. Alternatively, the fat activist movement challenges weight prejudice and advocates for the equitable treatment of individuals with diverse body types. Inspired by the work of fat activists, this article encourages social work educators and practitioners to critically deconstruct anti-fat social norms and to integrate body-positive interventions within micro, mezzo, and macro practice. Fat activism complements critical feminist, queer, and disability justice frameworks that are relevant to this special issue on critical feminist inquiry.