ALL BODIES DESERVE RESPECT REGARDLESS OF SIZE, SKIN COLOR, ETHNIC BACKGROUND, GENDER, SEXUALITY, AGE, HEALTH OR ABILITY STATUS.
ALEX: That is wonderful!
ability status. It’s not just about self- love, it’s about human rights. We’ve been treating fat people terribly, and weight-stigma intersects with other marginalizations to keep people dis- empowered. ALEX: Absolutely! For a long time I hated my body because of the hatred I experienced in dance spaces; it took its toll. During my research, I read the book Belly of the Beast: The Poli- tics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness by Da’Shaun L. Harrison. In it, they reject this idea that loving yourself will solve anti-fatness. They describe the body-positivity movement as a mask to the violent idea of thinness, robbing us of fat liberation. This stuck with me.
which is still very privileged compar- atively.
KAT: I also teach a monthly dance class for fat-identified folks called Big Thick Energy, which started in July of 2022. I was afraid no one would show up, but every class has been packed, with a waitlist! One thing is clear: there are so many fat people who want to dance, but need shame-free spaces where they are respected and celebrated. The class has been such a joyful and healing space. It’s been transformative for the dance studio. We now have more body diversity in all the classes. It’s beautiful! ALEX: I completely agree. We need more dance spaces that actively com- mit to making this radical transfor- mation. Da’Shaun L. Harrison writes, “In order to destroy anti-fatness and anti-Blackness, we must destroy Desire, Beauty, Thinness and White- ness.” They are referring to the mean- ing that society assigns to each of these words and who benefits from them— white, cis-gendered, thin and able-bod- ied individuals. In order to advance body inclusivity within the dance field we have to destroy this oppressive system and reimagine a world where everyone is valued equally. Sabrina Strings wrote a book called Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia where she talks about how fat phobia is rooted in racism against Black bodies, particu- larly Black women. The Black Danc- ing Body , written by Brenda Dixon Gottschild, dives deeper into how this manifests and affects Black danc- ing bodies. These authors and texts have been crucial in my fat liberation advocacy work. I am a queer, white Latina who has been treated hor- ribly because of the size and shape of my body. Still, it will never come close to the severity that Black and Brown bodies go through on a daily basis. My work is only scratching the surface and is only my perspective,
KAT: These are essential resources. I also have privilege as a white, cis-gendered, mostly able-bodied per- son. Even my relative size as a 2x/3x woman gives me privilege over larger fat folks. We should all be listening to and learning from people in the most marginalized bodies. Larger fat, Black, Brown, Indigenous, Disabled and Queer activists have been doing this work for a long time.
ALEX: Absolutely.
KAT: It’s not a coincidence that the most anti-fatness I’ve experienced in dance has been in very White spaces, where the emphasis was on perfec- tionism, uniformity, and strict tech- nique—all values rooted in White supremacy. A big part of this work is re-evaluating what we merit in dance. I don’t want to see dancers that look exactly alike with the same body type and technique. I want to see authen- ticity, creativity, embodiment, joy and expression. ALEX: I’m glad you mentioned embodiment. There is this big push in the dance community for more embodied practices like somatics, a field of movement practices that emphasizes internal physical percep- tion and experience. However, when you look at who is getting credit for this idea, it’s white individuals. These practices are not new. Black, Indige- nous and other People of Color have been practicing “embodiment” for centuries. Dance has given us a “cod- ified” method of healing but it is still a luxury that is afforded to white, cis-gendered, able-bodied individuals. I’ve written about how I think this could be radically overhauled in my thesis. What have you noticed in your work about how we, as individuals who benefit from this system, can begin to dismantle it?
KAT: We’re told to love ourselves, but with conditions!
ALEX : Exactly! Dancers are subjected to high rates of disordered eating, so as I worked through my own relation- ship with food and my body, I began to examine my own internalized fat- phobia. It made me want to share the stories of myself and others, which is why I opted to use interviews of danc- ers in bigger bodies within my thesis work. Fat dancers often are discred- ited when we draw from the fatpho- bic treatment we’ve received. I wanted to show that this treatment is still prevalent within the dance commu- nity. It’s great to connect with you, because you are actively fighting for fat liberation and joy in dance. Can you say more about what you do? KAT: I teach weekly classes at Hipline studio in Oakland. They are low impact, high energy, fol- low-along dance classes that cen- ter expression and joy. I’m also the studio’s Body Empowerment Con- sultant, helping our studio follow through on our commitment to com- bat anti-fatness and empower bodies of all shapes and sizes.
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In Dance | May 2014 | dancersgroup.org
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