Extended sizing is almost always an afterthought, but why are sizes 0–10 still the baseline when they cover less than 30% of the US consumer base? — I see ads constantly in my social media feeds for clothing. Most of the time I just scroll by, because while the clothes often look cool, the chances they’ll have them in my size are slim to none. …

My journey to a fatkini begins with my first two-piece swimsuit — Despite the fact that the swimsuit bottom I wanted was already sold out in mid-May, ‘beach body’ season is just ramping up. After the reprieve of gloomy spring showers, Memorial Day signals the beginning of sprinkler, river, and beach season in the Pacific Northwest. I had big ideas about what…

Cute fats, skin rolls, and why I’m not the right kind of fat to be body positive — This summer, I posted photos of myself on Instagram in my first-ever two piece swimsuit. In some of the photos, a blindingly white triangle of belly is visible, and for the first time in my life I am okay with that. …

This weekend, I met Plum Kettle. With some time to myself, I decided to try out Dietland. I devoured the first 8 episodes like I would devour Plum’s chocolate layer cake were it in front of me right now. Plum’s experiences and feelings hit incredibly close to home. The heart…

There’s a difference between having health risks and having actual health problems. — Every day, I’m faced with constant reminders that my body is not the right body. Sometimes, they come in casual comments I overhear at the office or the grocery store; other times, in movies or on TV. …

I’m worth looking at, worth touching, worth loving. — I’ve gotten used to being the fattest girl in the room. I am the fattest one in my group of girlfriends, in my immediate family, in my office at work. Some days I look in the mirror, and I‘m perplexed. I see a woman taking up what seems like a…

*minor spoilers ahead!* I could write a dozen paragraphs about how much I loved Avengers Endgame. The story was wrapped up in a near-flawless manner. I loved the continued character development of Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, who is one of my favorite characters. …

When people make the assumption that fat girls don’t have bangin’ sex lives, I feel like I have some kind of amazing secret. What I know (that they don’t seem to) is that being fat doesn’t limit our ability to get it on. In accepting my body, I’ve also found…

Just another daily reminder my body is something to be laughed at. — Sometimes, I expect the moments and storylines that remind me that my body is the wrong kind of body. Sometimes the buildup to a fat joke is obvious. …

Framing weight loss as an easily attainable, end-all-be-all goal is bad medicine, misguided, and irresponsible. — When you’re fat, it’s not a matter of if people will decide you’re lazy, it’s a matter of when and how often. For years, I’ve dealt with people, including doctors, acting like if I just worked harder to lose weight, I could get it off and keep it off. …

How fat patients can reduce anxiety and stop avoiding the doctor — Going to the doctor while fat is a minefield of frustration, nerves, and self-doubt. Tending to your physical well-being is a good thing, but the majority of people don’t really enjoy going to the doctor. But taking time off work, never knowing how long your wait will be, and facing…

What happens when the body you learned to love is suddenly different? — Speaking out about fat acceptance and learning to love the bodies we live in is important to me. Over the last five years it’s morphed from a goal into a passion, a mission that doesn’t feel optional. I have infinitely more love for my body now than I did in…

It’s just that some days, I‘d like to put this heaviness down — It’s not that I want to be thin. It’s just that I am so, so tired of the Bill Mahers and their bully fans, telling me that I should be ashamed. I’m weary of being told I’m utterly worthless, disgusting, and deserving of whatever bad treatment I receive. I’m especially…

Concrete steps to being here for it as an ally — Having allies is often the difference between defeat and perseverance. Moving through this world as a fat person can be mentally and physically exhausting. One of the best things you can do for your fat friends is to learn how to be a good ally. Belonging to a marginalized group…

Your attempts to shame me for it only stoke my fire — When you walk through life in a body that society deems untenable, moments of imposed shame are so constant they become commonplace. It’s not that you get used to them exactly; more that when they happen there is a complete lack of surprise. Fat shaming comes in countless shapes and…

But not for the reasons you think — When is the last time someone told you that you were going to die? That your beliefs were invalidated and your opinions ignored because of some unrelated trait you happen to possess? When you’re fat, you get used to people telling you that you’re going to die. …

Women who are breaking the mold and changing the world for people of size. — The feeling of being ‘other’ is one of the most difficult challenges humans face. Looking at my life, the times I felt isolated and alone were some of the worst I had to muck through. …

Recovery from disordered eating is important work, but it’s not my work. — Body positivity has become a mainstream topic, and for good reason. Our culture has a lot of very damaging and unhealthy views on bodies, food, and nutrition. …

How to practice self care in the face of the resolution onslaught — The voice of diet culture during New Years is like the opening scene of Baz Luhrman’s Moulin Rouge: loud, bright, frantic, and all consuming. Aside from the May/June start of “beach body” season, January is when the voice makes itself most known. …

Naming a skunk Flower doesn’t change the fact that it stinks — Over the years, as I’ve struggled with my shape, my body, the image I have of myself, I’ve watched the fads and buzzwords come and go. Juicing, cleanses, Atkins, Keto, intermittent fasting, Jenny Craig, Slimfast, Medifast, Ideal Protein, and about 20 different iterations of Weight Watchers. …