Fat in School: Applied Interdisciplinarity as a Basis for Consultation in Oppressive Social Context

Abstract

Children and youth in schools are subject to the effects of the larger culture's attitudes and values related to body size. When negatively biased, these attitudes and values can have detrimental effects and thus emerge as relevant to educational and psychological consultants. Drawing on the nascent field of Fat Studies with its focus on the cultural meanings attached to large bodies, we identify direct implications of fat phobia for school-age children and youth. Via a brief case example, an initial review of literature, and several examples of health-positive programming, we describe the social justice implications of fat phobia for consultants in school and community settings. In this consideration of the role of consultants for addressing fat bias and supporting health, we also suggest the merit of applied interdisciplinarity as a strong ground for consultation research and practice. The academic area of Fat Studies provides illustration of the integration of disciplinary perspectives (e.g., sociology, anthropology, biology, psychology). Educational and psychological consultation is ideally situated for systematically engaging such interdisciplinarity in support of practical outcomes that are healthy, sustainable, and socially just.Identification with and within one's body is an essentially creative act. From birth forward, each person's sense of self develops through embodied ex-

Positioning of Weight Bias: Moving towards Social Justice

“…Although limited, previous researchers have also called for increased interdisciplinarity with regard to weight bias research and activism [ 69 , 79 ]. Mansfield and Rich [ 79 ] stated that obesity discourse can be critically examined from multiple perspectives, but that those who critique discourse “are united by a common commitment and desire towards challenging dominant approaches to health which are solely weight-centric” (p. 359-360).…”

“…They argue that increased involvement with the knowledge and perspectives of diverse fields may benefit weight bias activism [ 79 ]. Clare and colleagues [ 69 ] proposed that such integration may be fostered through applied interdisciplinarity, which focuses on strategically utilizing the knowledge and skills of various areas regarded as stakeholders of a specific issue.…”

“…Nurka [ 55 ] asserted that a slender body is one of the demands of “good womanhood” and that it is connected with feminine identity and success (p. 168). Weight bias and its intersections have been described by researchers from the non-weight-centric perspective as contributing to an oppressive social context for individuals with large bodies, where large bodies are visual representations for immorality [ 49 , 69 ].…”

“…In recent years, few researchers have recognized weight bias as an important social justice issue to be addressed in research, policy, and practice [ 13 , 49 , 69 , 97 ]. In discussing weight bias as a social justice issue, van Amsterdam [ 31 ] recognized that differences in ability, race, and gender have previously been framed as solely biological in nature to justify systemic oppression and that social justice activism has resulted in the recognition of these categorizations as socially constructed.…”

Expanding notions of equity: Body diversity and social justice

“…Normalized shame and mistreatment of fat bodies with the supposed goal of “promoting health” fosters weight‐based oppression (Halse, 2009). Disruption of weight stigmatization is crucial to the health, dignity, and wellbeing of all—especially children (Clare et al, 2015). Herein lies an area of social justice with ample room for growth (Nutter et al, 2016).…”