katie0528's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

I've been a huge fan of Aubrey Gordon since finding her podcast Maintenance Phase during the early months of the COVID pandemic in 2020, and this book is a consice, easy-to-follow recap of that podcast. Gordon breaks down myths used to discriminate against and shame fat people. Her no-nonsense approach includes painful personal anecdotes, amazing levels of research from places like the CDC and American Medical Association past and present, and the words and voices of other fat people. Gordon is quick to point out her own levels of privilege and every chapter directs readers to books and stories from disabled, queer, trans, or BIPOC authors to explore the intersection of fatness and other forms discrimination. Each chapter also includes self-reflection questions that are nonjudgement but encourage readers to really delve deep into their own biases and how they behave around fat people, including directly challenging the reader to explore if they are a safe person to be around. 

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obfuscatress's review against another edition

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challenging informative sad medium-paced

3.25


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claudiajanette's review against another edition

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challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.5

I’m a big fan of Aubrey’s work, especially the podcast Maintenance Phase, so I had a feeling I would enjoy this book! I specifically wanted to read (listen to?) the audiobook version as I also really appreciate her voice and narrating style. Parts of the book felt a bit repetitive to me, but I assume that’s partially because it can be read out order and/or because some of the content overlaps with discussions I’ve read of hers elsewhere. I thought the reflection questions and calls to action that accompanied the end of chapters were a nice addition! I also really appreciated the intersectional lens of the book.

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lalalauren_'s review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.0


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fionamclary's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

As a longtime avid Maintenance Phase fan, much of the information and ideas in this book were not totally new to me, but I appreciate having them all in book format. Especially the story of Katherine Flegal and her ostracization from the scientific community after publishing research on fatness and mortality that countered societal narratives -- that was one of my favorite MP episodes, and I'm very pleased to have a brief written summary of that story to easily refer to at any time. Aubrey is so smart and excellent at synthesizing research and expressing points in a captivating and inspiring way. I appreciate how consistently she brings the reader into the conversation. With all the reflection questions and opportunities for action at the end of most chapters, the book never feels preachy or self-righteous.

I sometimes struggled with how some chapters were very dense and data-heavy while others relied mostly on narrative rhetorical arguments. While both were good and effective, the contrast was sometimes jarring. Aubrey also has a minor issue with word proximity for certain words ("troubling," "brutal," I'm looking at you).

The final chapter, "Anti-fatness is the last socially acceptable form of discrimination," was a pleasant surprise and a reminder of why I respect Aubrey Gordon so much. After meticulously outlining the myriad manifestations of anti-fatness and the myths that perpetuate it, she can't let us go out into the world without the reminder that as much as we may be outraged and energized toward fat activism, anti-fatness is not the only thing we need to be considering, seeing, and uprooting in ourselves and society. Fat activism is next to useless if it's not intersectional.

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princessdana36's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5


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miayukino's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

After avidly listening to Maintenance Phase, hearing Aubrey Gordon lay down the facts on anti fat bias without the ironic interjections of Michael Hobbes talking about “skinny shaming,” and subsequently getting fired by Gordon,  is different but of course a welcome different. Aubrey Gordon is an organizer for our times and this has been a great jumping off point from Maintenance Phase into other fat liberationist media. I appreciate that Gordon always makes room to emphasize intersectionality and the importance of continuing reading the works of fat authors in various genres and especially of multiple marginalizations. I put every book recommended in my TBR and I can’t wait to check them out! Very excited to watch Your Fat Friend, as well. 

Overall, I had a some good moments for discomfort and several points of confrontation with my biases. Particularly appreciate the emphasis on no longer using “phobia” to describe forms of bigotry. That makes so much sense and I will be factoring that into my vocabulary.

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hexedmaiden's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I loved this book. While I have come a long way in my life as a fat person and having been so a vast majority of my life, there was still so much in this book that I took away. I feel like this is another book that I would say that everyone needs to read. It doesn't matter if you're fat, average, or skinny, everyone could learn something from this book. Because fatphobia doesn't just have an affect on fat people, fatphobia hurts everyone.

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quasinaut's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

I appreciated Aubrey Gordon as author and narrator for the audiobook. 

My biggest complaint: I'm not sure who the audience is. If you already recognize the harm of antifatness (or listen to Maintenance Phase), some sections might help you reflect deeper, but overall you'll already be familiar with the content. If you don't - or you're someone new to the idea of fat activism - then I'm not sure this book is written in a way that will change your mind. The book is repetitive at times - perhaps as a way to try to convince readers who need these points to be driven home again and again for them to start sinking in - but I'm not sure that repetition alone is enough to be convincing.

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chantplant's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

The best book i’ve read on this topic so far. has a nice split of personal detail vs intellectual research and never got dry for me like in some other books on fatphobia. I also truly appreciate how Gordon inputs calls to action on how to actively challenge fatphobia within oneself and when witnessed externally. 
additionally, i like how she made it a point to say that having body image issues is not an excuse to be fatphobic to others. the quote “all of us have a responsibility to get support in a way that doesn’t threaten someone else’s dignity or healing” really stuck out to me - and called me out. i have definitely been guilty of this type of behavior in my past. and it needs to be spoken about more: body dysmorphia is a horrible thing to endure yet the things it can sometimes make us say or think about fat people is also deeply damaging and dehumanizing. even fat people themselves can be fatphobic to those larger than them and it is still just as hurtful. 
i’m very excited for Gordon’s film to release to the public - her thought processes and way of breaking down ideas is easy to digest and immersive all in one. 
highly recommend this book to people of all body types looking to erase stigmas they may not even know they upheld. 

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