Fat and Proud: The Politics of Size [Paperback]

Charlotte Cooper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1999

In Fat and Proud, activist Charlotte Cooper charts the evolution of the fat rights movement. Demonstrating the extent of "fatphobia" in society, she explains not only how it affects fat women, but how the fear of being fat oppresses all women. She also looks at health issues, challenging the "medicalization" of fat people and exposing the myths and dangers of dieting and thinness. Throughout are the voices of fat women relating their experiences of discrimination and pain—but also their affirmations of positive self-image and esteem. Fat and Proud represents a coming to power of the fat rights movement; it calls for a greater appreciation of body-size diversity, so that all of us might live in and enjoy our bodies without fear or shame.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Women's Press (February 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0704344734
• ISBN-13: 978-0704344730
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,571,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fat and proud, shout it loud, February 20, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Fat and Proud: The Politics of Size (Paperback)

Cooper's book is a must-have for readers interested in the workings of fat oppression and, more interestingly, struggles to undermine such oppression. Her writing is accessible and her scope is wide. I especially liked her treatment of the state of the fat rights movement today; her decision to focus on a wide range of fun-oriented activist practices works well.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, February 26, 2003

By 

"cherbitter" (Middletown, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fat and Proud: The Politics of Size (Paperback)

I found this book to be engaging and empowering! I disagree strongly with those reviewers who claim that Cooper is irresponsible by celelbrating an "unhealthy life choice." Fat in of itself is not necessarily unhealthy. A fat person who excercises if far healthier than a thin person who does not. In addition, it has been proven that dieting and other dangerous weight loss methods (such as intestinal and gastric bypass surgeries) are far less healthy than simply trying to maintain one's normal body weight, even if it by definition "overweight."

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great body- (and mind- and spirit-) liberating book, September 12, 2007

By 

Peggy Elam, Ph.D. "www.peggyelam.com" (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fat and Proud: The Politics of Size (Paperback)

In response to the earlier reviewer who asked why shame is such a bad thing, I am reminded of researcher Susan Wooley's statement a couple of decades ago that "If shame could cure obesity, there wouldn't be a fat woman in the world." Thank goodness for activists and authors like Charlotte Cooper who are helping liberate body, mind and spirit from unhealthy, shaming fat stigma and prejudice.