Researcher(s)
- Jo Griffin, Women and Gender Studies, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Eric Layland, Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware
Abstract
Fat studies is the study of fatness as both a physical factor of human beings and the social construction of weight and weight-related biases. Theories on the construction of weight as a predominant factor of health and morality began to develop as an opposing force to the declared ‘obesity epidemic’ within the United States (Levy-Navarro, 2009). Since then, fat studies has blossomed into a field that analyzes the harmful mental and physical effects of fatphobia, from medical mistreatment to high eating disorder rates (Wykes, 2014). However, fat studies literature does not only examine disparities. More recent fat scholars, such as Dr. Francis White, Dr. Kathleen LeBesco, Dr. Sabrina Strings who all engage with queer theory in their work, continue to posit that there is a fat existence that is joyful and positive despite the historical build-up of negative connotations. Despite the inclusion of fat liberation as a part of fat studies, most research either examines fatness as an element separate from one’s identity that should be fixed. I suggest that it is not only a fundamental part of identity but, much like queerness, shapes one’s experiences, development, and joy. Taking an intersectional approach, I am proposing a case for the combination of fat/queer research on the basis of two hypotheses: 1, that being fat inherently influences one’s understanding of their own queer identities, and 2, since the experiences of being queer and fat cannot be separated from one another, queer and fat joy are intertwined. Using a fat-identifying subsample of UD’s national Queer Joy Survey (n= 80), both the Dispositional Positive Emotion Scale (DPES) as well as a LGBTQ+ Identity Pride Scale were used to assess the mental wellbeing of the sample. Further analysis will be conducted on the ways fat/queer uniquely view their own embodiment and joy.