On Learning to Teach Fat Feminism

As a feminist theorist who frequently teaches theorizing that starts from embodied experience, the author has begun to incorporate fat feminism into her teaching. As a neophyte and a relatively thin woman, she has been self-conscious about broaching issues related to fat bodies in her teaching, even though they clearly raise important issues about size bigotry, thin privilege, and body acceptance. Why should a feminist teacher want to teach about fat bodies? Why might she (and why did the author) find it scary and intimidating to do so? What approaches did the author take to teaching fat feminism, and what approaches will she take next time she teaches thinking from the body? By sharing her fledgling efforts, misgivings and breakthroughs alike, the author hopes to encourage feminist teachers to explore work on fatness and integrate it into their teaching. (Contains 1 note.)