How to recognise your internalised fatphobia to deal with a photoshoot

We all have internalised fatphobia that we need to work on dismantling and when you are about to pose for pictures, it can manifest in many different ways. Fatphobia is damaging on many levels and working on our conditioning is extremely important to be more empathetic people and heal.

When we book photoshoots quite often it tends to come to the surface, particularly if you’ve been socialised as a woman. Recognising fatphobia in yourself will help you recognising it in others and advocate for fat people.

Calling yourself fat as a slim person

If you are using fat as an insult whether is for yourself or others you are actively participating in marginalising an oppressed group that just want to exist. You are contributing in associate a system of binary value (good/bad) to what are simply descriptive words and shouldn’t bear any stigma ((eg : fat, chubby, big).

Denying yourself events, clothes or photoshoots until you lose x amount of weight

By doing this you are sending the message that life is only worth living for only a certain type of people, even if that is something you only acknowledge for yourself. If you suffer from body dysmorphia loving your body is going to be a difficult task but you can perhaps join me in working on dissociating value on your perceived attractiveness, and instead start living for experiences regardless of what you look like.

Fatshaming yourself - criticising size, rolls, weight, bloat...

You might say that it is only wrong when it is on you but you might want to question what you REALLY think, and acknowledge that shadow within you. The day you accept your own body to grow big without resenting it is the day you relinquish fatphobia. Are you there yet? It's ok, me neither.