Written by: Chris Wong
Weight stigma is pervasive and entrenched in today’s society. Being judged for your body size can be a traumatizing experience no matter when or where it happens, but it can be particularly harmful when it happens in a healthcare setting coming from a health professional. While weight stigma is a topic that is too complex to dismantle in one blog post, being aware of the impact of our words and using weight inclusive language is a good place to start.
Before we continue, here are the definitions for key terms used in this blog post.
Weight Stigma: discrimination and stereotyping based on a person’s weight or body size. Weight normative approach: puts an emphasis on weight and weight loss when defining health and well-being Weight inclusive approach: based on the assumption that health and well-being can be achieved by everyone, regardless of weight, when given access to non-stigmatizing healthcare.Weight inclusive language: Non-stigmatizing language that is inclusive of body size and weight.As prospective dietetics professionals, we will have the responsibility of building respectful and trustworthy relationships with our patients/clients, and at the core of this is using language and an approach that provides a safe and comfortable environment for them. It is also important to note that using inclusive language is not exclusive to the professional setting, and that it extends into our interactions with individuals in our everyday lives.
Pathologizing and Stigmatizing Language: what is it and why we shouldn’t use it
Pathologizing and stigmatizing language is commonly used in the weight normative approach. In the table below, we will look at common terms used in a weight normative approach, explain their pathologizing and stigmatizing implications, and give examples of weight inclusive language that can be used instead.
Terms | The Implications | Weight Inclusive Alternatives |
Overweight | Implies that there is a baseline “normal” weight, and anything outside of this appropriate range is bad. | Living in a larger body |
Obese/obesity | Implies a disease state, and reinforces the idea that health and fatness are mutually exclusive. | Higher/lower weight (when discussing weight changes with a patient/client) |
Fat* | This can be a neutral descriptor of body size, but for some it can imply shame or reinforce stigma. | |
*The term “fat” has more recently been reclaimed by some individuals as a way to honestly and directly talk about their body. It is important to respect everyone's personal preferences, and to ask, instead of assuming, what language people prefer to be directed towards them.
Microaggressions: the elusiveness of weight stigma
Weight stigma is not always obvious, it can be as inconspicuous as an unconscious bias hidden within a compliment such as telling someone “you’re not fat, you’re beautiful!” On the surface, this statement may seem to be an innocent compliment, however, it is actually a microaggression that reinforces the idea that being fat is a negative attribute, and that fat and beauty are mutually exclusive. Due to stigmatizing statements like this, it makes it difficult for someone to embrace fatness as part of their identity in a positive light, and not see one's own fatness as a negative attribute.
Another example of weight related microaggressions would be unnecessarily engaging in fat talk. For instance, the statement “You look great, you must have lost weight.” brings up a person's weight for no apparent reason. This statement reinforces the idea that beauty is directly related to thinness, as well as the fear of fat. It also gives the assumption that losing weight is ideal, which is not necessarily true as weight loss can occur for many different reasons and may or may not be intentional, safe, or healthy. Therefore, praising weight loss can have harmful implications, especially in cases when the weight loss is due things like health issues or eating disorders.
An alternative to this statement could be to not comment on weight at all and instead simply say “you look great!” By not engaging in fat talk, you can give a compliment without implying any assumptions or reinforcing any biases about weight and weight loss.
Do’s and Don’ts of Weight Inclusive Language
To summarize this blog post, here are some tips on how to use weight inclusive language in a healthcare setting and in your everyday life.
Do
Respect folks' personal preferences on what language to use.
Ask individuals what their preferences are, especially if uncertain on what language they prefer to be used.
Focus on health, eating behaviours, and how the patient/client feels, rather than weight and weight loss.
Validate health concerns, regardless of weight, and further assess the situation, instead of making assumptions.
Don’t
Use pathologizing or stigmatizing language.
Comment on someone’s body size or weight gain/loss, when it is not necessary.
Give unsolicited weight-loss advice.
Dismiss health concerns and blame it on weight or body size.
In a society where fat talk and weight stigma is very common, it can be difficult to understand how to incorporate weight inclusive approaches. But I hope this brief introduction has shown you the importance of our words, and helps you to feel more confident in using weight inclusive language.
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