Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness

In Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness, author Da'Shaun L. Harrison explores the deeply intertwined systems of anti-fatness and anti-Blackness, uncovering how these oppressive forces shape societal perceptions of bodies. Harrison challenges the dominant narratives that equate thinness with health and morality, arguing that these ideas are rooted in anti-Blackness, colonialism, and capitalism. They reveal how anti-fatness disproportionately affects Black people, particularly those who are queer, trans, or disabled, and show how it perpetuates violence and marginalization. This is a recent interview with Harrison that illuminates much of their ideas.