There are less than four weeks to go until the long weekend of fat liberation, weight and size inclusiveness, and bringing down weight stigma. You may know about the International Weight Stigma Conference, you may even be presenting or already registered, but if you’ll be on the Gold Coast, Australia in early July, you need to know about both events.
On Saturday 5 July, the Public Health group at Griffith University is hosting the inaugural Fat Joy Festival, which will provide opportunities for joy, connection, and being in community for people with larger bodies. This community festival will include sessions on fat joy on the screen and in poetry, crafting workshop, dance class, friendship making, panel discussion, and a flea market featuring clothing, accessories, arts and crafts for people with larger bodies. ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program will record the panel discussion on the radical practice of fat joy for broadcast on radio and online.
Although it may sound confronting, the term “fat” has been reclaimed by the size and weight inclusive and fat liberation movements as a neutral descriptor rather than a pejorative term. We recognize that not everyone is comfortable with using the term fat to describe themselves or others, but we have chosen to use in the festival it as part of broader efforts to challenge weight stigma and enhance inclusivity and liberation, in a similar way to other communities who have chosen to reclaim descriptors used to try and hurt them.
Why a fat joy festival? Evidence shows that fat people face widespread exclusion from joyful opportunities due to societal stigma, systemic bias, and structural barriers. The Fat Joy Festival will actively counter these barriers by fostering a sense of community, representation, and belonging for fat people. This community-based health promotion event aims to enhance health and wellbeing by addressing some of the social determinants of health inequity for people with larger bodies.
The Fat Joy Festival is free to attend thanks to the support of sponsors, and fat allies are welcome. Register your attendance here. Find the Fat Joy Festival on Facebook and Instagram.
From the community health promotion event on Saturday, we transition to a professional development event on Sunday 6 July and Monday 7 July, when the Public Health group hosts the 11th Annual International Weight Stigma Conference. Weight stigma is present in almost every aspect of society and negatively impacts health, wellbeing, social, and economic outcomes. Only by addressing weight stigma can we hope to reduce the significant inequities that people with larger bodies face and create more weight and size inclusive health systems and society.
This year’s conference presents the largest program ever, and promises to be an inspiring and transformative event, bringing together national and international keynote speakers and experts, advocates, and professionals to discuss groundbreaking research, strategies, and solutions for addressing weight stigma and enhancing weight and size inclusiveness. ABC Radio National’s Big Ideas program will also record the panel discussion on reimagining weight and size inclusive health services and public health for broadcast on radio and online.
Go to conference site to register. The conference is a not for profit event and provides a limited number of bursaries that cover the registration fee are available for those with financial need. Find the Weight Stigma Conference on Instagram.
Finally, I would also like to request your assistance in helping others learn about these events by forwarding this post to your colleagues, networks, friends, and family.
I hope to see you at one or both events.
Lily O’Hara
Chair of the Fat Joy Festival and Weight Stigma Conference