There are some who believe fat people shouldn't even have access to the necessary clothes to move their bodies. For example, researchers at Flinders University found that 'teasing and body image concerns may contribute to adolescent girls' reduced rates of participation in sports and other physical activities.' I believe these experiences of stigma directly influence the accessibility of movement and movement spaces. In a study of over 3,800 fat people, 57 percent of them experienced weight stigma, including weight-based discrimination, body-targeted teasing, and harmful beliefs about fat people.

My progressive parents pushed me to marry at 18īy the time I turned 18, I had sworn off movement in public, even at one point writing 'lose enough weight to do yoga in public' as a goal for myself.My husband's dementia taught me a valuable lesson.It was no longer about connecting with friends or building something, but instead about specific movements that I could not achieve-I'm looking at you, layups-or discipline and even punishment, especially for me as a fat teen. Movement stopped being about having fun and feeling good. In winter, I reveled in the construction of snow forts with long and complex tunnels.Īs I grew older, the focus on exercise, athleticism, and 'being the best' alienated me from the idea of physical movement as a joyful practice. I loved swinging super high and flipping backward off the swings to see how far I could jump. I loved climbing on top of the monkey bars and hanging upside down.

When I was in elementary school, gym was my least favorite class, especially during Presidential Fitness Week.Įach year I dreaded going to the front of the class to demonstrate how many pull-ups I could (not) do or how long I could hold my chin above the bar while my classmates watched, and my teacher clicked a stopwatch. Davidson is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Indianapolis and a qualified yoga teacher.

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