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  • Fearing the Black Body

  • The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia
  • Written by: Sabrina Strings
  • Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
  • Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (36 ratings)

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Fearing the Black Body

Written by: Sabrina Strings
Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
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Publisher's Summary

How the female body has been racialized for more than 200 years

There is an obesity epidemic in this country, and poor Black women are particularly stigmatized as "diseased" and a burden on the public health-care system. This is only the most recent incarnation of the fear of fat Black women, which Sabrina Strings shows took root more than 200 years ago.

Strings weaves together an eye-opening historical narrative ranging from the Renaissance to the current moment, analyzing important works of art, newspaper and magazine articles, and scientific literature and medical journals - where fat bodies were once praised - showing that fat phobia, as it relates to Black women, did not originate with medical findings, but with the Enlightenment era belief that fatness was evidence of "savagery" and racial inferiority.

The author argues that the contemporary ideal of slenderness is, at its very core, racialized and racist. Indeed, it was not until the early 20th century, when racialized attitudes against fatness were already entrenched in the culture, that the medical establishment began its crusade against obesity. An important and original work, Fearing the Black Body argues convincingly that fat phobia isn't about health at all, but rather a means of using the body to validate race, class, and gender prejudice.

©2019 New York University (P)2020 Tantor
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What listeners say about Fearing the Black Body

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Necessary read.

This challenged fatphobia and points out the uncomfortable truth that it's rooted in white supremacy and eugenics. If you're white you have to read this.

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I had no idea...

My body acceptance journey led me to this book. I had no idea that fatphobia had its root in racism but it totally makes sense. I really enjoyed how the book navigates you through history to lay out how we came to fear and hate fatness. I would highly recommend!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

A great in-depth history and analysis of body image standards and fat phobia. Important historical context that is well worth the read/listen.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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boring narrator

I can't get through this book, the narrator is boring me to death. I can't even pay attention to the content! Just noise. Wasted money.

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