fat / plus-size
What to know
“Fat” and “plus-size” refer to people who live and occupy space in larger bodies. There are movements to reclaim “fat” as a neutral, matter-of-fact term. Following the way a person self-identifies can be especially important for a term like this one, whose meaning is transforming. People may self-identify with a range of language options, including “fat,” “plus-size,” “thick,” “curvy,” and “big.”
Weight-related terms are subjective and often fraught, having been used to reinforce stereotypes, stigmas, and misinformation. Discrimination on the basis of weight has adverse consequences for economic equality, health care, media coverage, style offerings, job security, wellness, and the courtroom.
“Plus-size” is a term typically used in the fashion industry to describe garments marketed primarily to women who are larger than a size 12, though a 2016 study found the average American woman wore a size 16-18.
medical terminology
When used in a medical context, terms like “overweight” and “underweight” have specific definitions. Providing that detail is important for accuracy and to avoid implying that there is one right weight for any body. Even when quoting experts, it’s helpful to note biases in medical communities with respect to fat bodies: Doctors have shorter appointments with fat patients and show less emotional rapport in the minutes they do have. Because many doctors don’t see past the person’s body while providing a diagnosis, other health issues can be compounded. Studies have also found patients are less likely to trust physicians perceived as overweight or obese.
Obesity is a complex and often misunderstood weight classification used by medical professionals to identify health risks. When citing the term, providing information on its limitations and misuses is necessary for context. For example, the Body Mass Index (BMI) used to determine obesity was created in the 19th century during the era of social Darwinism by an academic who tried to determine the “ideal” height-weight ratio and who based all his measurements on white, European men. Because of this, the measure is increasingly criticized as racist and sexist. When it’s necessary to use this term, for example when citing medical research, person-first language (“individuals affected by obesity”) acknowledges the condition and recognizes its impact without reducing individuals to a stigmatizing category. Thoughtful coverage recognizes the wide range of factors that contribute to weight gain and loss.
body positivity/body neutrality
Body positivity is a movement to empower people with larger bodies and amplify their experiences in a fatphobic society. Body neutrality is the idea of freeing people to focus on what their body does and how it feels rather than what it looks like.
GLP-1 medications
Since 2017, there has been a striking rise in use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications to lose weight. GLP-1 was originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes and related metabolic disorders, and has been highly effective for these and other conditions. Common brand names include Ozempic and Wegovy. The massive media response to celebrities and ordinary people using GLP-1 medications has both highlighted positive outcomes and raised concerns that the coverage could reinvigorate unhealthy body image trends and obscure potential medical issues, mental health implications, and side effects that can sometimes come with GLP-1s.
Context and framing are key when you report on GLP-1s, so as not to spread misinformation, stoke stereotypes, or fuel harmful behavior. There are several measures that journalists can take for responsible reporting on GLP-1s, including: discussing both benefits and risks, being specific about what they can and cannot do, closely examining published trial results, hearing directly from people with experience using and opting out of them, and representing a range of credible medical perspectives (for example, “weight-neutral” care). Consideration of high costs and other barriers to accessing GLP-1 drugs is necessary for coverage to be representative across diverse populations.
Additional resources
- Fat Is Not a Bad Word (Teen Vogue)
- 15 plus-size people tell us how they really feel about the word ‘fat’ (CafeMom)
- Everything You Know About Obesity Is Wrong (HuffPost)
- We’re barely using the best tool we have to fight obesity (Vox)
- Hold the soda, hold the fat shaming (Harvard)
- Five Ways Journalists Can Help Temper Hype Around Weight Loss Drugs (Association of Health Care Journalists)
- As a Reporter, I’ve Covered All Things GLP-1. Here’s What I’ve Learned (Yahoo)
Summary
“Fat” and “plus-size” are terms often used to refer to people who live and occupy space in larger bodies. There are movements to reclaim “fat” as a neutral, matter-of-fact term that describes one aspect of some people’s bodies. Following the way a person self-identifies can be especially important for a term like this one, whose meanings are transforming. “Plus size” is often used in the fashion industry as a marketing term. In general, body descriptors should only be included when necessary and relevant.