By Andrea Ambriz, Staff Reporter
The Women’s Resource Center hosted its first workshop of the spring semester on Feb. 26—a panel discussion on the topic of “fatphobia.” The workshop aimed to help students understand social stigmas around weight and the effects of body shaming—particularly on women. Attendees explored strategies to challenge stereotypes of the “ideal” body and discussed the importance of creating inclusive spaces for people of all body types.
Fatphobia, or anti-fatness, refers to both implicit and explicit biases against individuals based on their weight. While societal attitudes toward body size have evolved over centuries, contemporary sociologists trace the origins of fatphobia in American popular culture to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, linking it to racism and anti-Blackness. Thinness, scholars argue, was often associated with whiteness and self-discipline, while larger bodies—specifically those of Black women—were considered “inferior.”
Organizers Jade Trejo and Natalia Moreno—a human services student and sociology student, respectively—told The Bulletin that they wanted attendees to reexamine their beliefs about body image and consider why they perceive themselves the way they do. Attendees openly engaged in the discussion, sharing their thoughts and experiences.
Moreno admitted that she experienced imposter syndrome while planning her first event and initially considered inviting a fatphobia expert. However, she ultimately decided that the voices of attendees, including her own, were just as valuable.
Trejo shared similar doubts but recognized that her perspective on the topic was important. “It can be a little scary as a non-thin person,” she said.
“We had more turnout than we anticipated,” Moreno said. “When we had people bouncing off of each other and then contributing, that’s what we wanted—so that was so exciting.”
Moreno shared that she struggled with an eating disorder nearly a decade ago, recalling that at the time, her mindset was “be thin by any means necessary.” Other attendees reflected on past social media trends that glorified thinness, such as the “thigh gap” obsession.
“That’s the problem and promise of social media,” said women’s studies professor Anat Schwartz. “It can bring awareness to many things, and yet, it can also just end up being sort of a pile on of negativity sometimes.”
Schwartz explained that societal expectations often pressure women to remain unseen or take up minimal space, reinforcing the idea that thinness is ideal because it aligns with that expectation.
Paige Henderson, a women’s studies and sociology student, echoed Schwartz. She noted that women are often more aware of their bodies than thinner individuals, but this awareness is largely shaped by external perceptions rather than personal insecurity.
“Why is it always groundbreaking that I am wearing a bikini when half the population at the beach is wearing it?” Henderson wondered.
Moreno and Trejo said they were both satisfied with the workshop. Trejo emphasized that self-confidence and self-love are key to pushing back against harmful societal expectations about body image.
“Actively challenge your why,” Trejo encouraged. “Appreciate yourself, love yourself for who you are, and don’t let society put you in a box.”
