"You Just Need to Lose Weight" cover art

"You Just Need to Lose Weight"

And 19 Other Myths About Fat People

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"You Just Need to Lose Weight"

By: Aubrey Gordon
Narrated by: Aubrey Gordon
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About this listen

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

AN INDIE BESTSELLER

“One of the great thinkers of our generation . . . I feel fresher and smarter and happier for sitting down with her.”—Jameela Jamil, iWeigh Podcast

The co-host of the Maintenance Phase podcast and creator of Your Fat Friend equips you with the facts to debunk common anti-fat myths and with tools to take action for fat justice

The pushback that shows up in conversations about fat justice takes exceedingly predicable form. Losing weight is easy—calories in, calories out. Fat people are unhealthy. We’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic. Fat acceptance “glorifies obesity.” The BMI is an objective measure of size and health. Yet, these myths are as readily debunked as they are pervasive.

In “You Just Need to Lose Weight,” Aubrey Gordon equips listeners with the facts and figures to reframe myths about fatness in order to dismantle the anti-fat bias ingrained in how we think about and treat fat people. Bringing her dozen years of community organizing and training to bear, Gordon shares the rhetorical approaches she and other organizers employ to not only counter these pernicious myths, but to dismantle the anti-fat bias that so often underpin them.

As conversations about fat acceptance and fat justice continue to grow, “You Just Need to Lose Weight” will be essential to ensure that those conversations are informed, effective, and grounded in both research and history.

©2023 Aubrey Gordon (P)2023 Beacon Press
Anthropology Racism & Discrimination Self-Esteem Mental Health Fat Myths

Critic Reviews

“Will appeal to anyone interested in discrimination based on body size and other similar forms of systemic oppression.”—Library Journal, Starred Review

“An excellent tool for those working to end anti-fat bias. Perfect for fat and thin readers alike, ‘You Just Need to Lose Weight’ is smart and informative—and will spur many important conversations.”—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

“Gordon tackles pervasive myths about fatness and provides the truth about them and the people they impact…[the book] couldn't have come at a more apt time.”—Teen Vogue

What listeners say about "You Just Need to Lose Weight"

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A MUST READ!!

This is an excellent book, which clearly outlines all of its relevant arguments. Everyone should read this book and reflect on the points made.

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Excellent book

Well-presented and well thought out book. Well-researched and interesting. Intersectional, which I loved.

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Important book

Anti-fatness is just one way society marginalises and excludes people of size. In this book Aubrey examines 18 myths about fat people and constantly challenges readers to examine their own biases.

It's a well researched book with many reflection questions and suggestions for actions we all can take to advocate for equality for fat people, and to work towards ending body shaming for people of all sizes.

Some of the indignities and discrimination fat people are truly abhorrent, and sometimes actually life-threatening. Late diagnosis of chronic or terminal illnesses because every single symptom, no matter how alarming, was blamed on the patient's weight. So diagnosis came far too late for patients to access effective treatment. As a cancer patient myself, I found this particularly enraging.

Aubrey argues that t should be a neutral descriptor just like "tall" or "red -haired". Aubrey consistently advocates not just for fat people but other people with marginalised identities, including trans people, indigenous people, people of colour, black people, disabled people, immigrants and others l.

I really respect Aubrey as a person. Her writing and advocacy through her books and the Maintenance Phase podcast is thoroughly researched, science based, and a great contribution towards a more inclusive and egalitarian society.

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A necessary read

Aubrey is very astute and knowledgeable. Such a well researched and explained book. Wonderful lady. Loved it and all her work. Thank you Aubrey 🤩

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Educational and deeply personal

Aubrey hits it out of the park with this new book. It is both educational, and emotional.

I would, perhaps, recommend reading her previous book first as I think that is a little more beginner friendly for people new to the fat activism space, but this is a stellar follow up.

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Vital piece of the puzzle on my fat liberation journey

Awesome work here from Aubrey. Covers so many topics, dismantles shoddy research, and thoughtfully takes into account BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities, and looks at the intersections of our communities and how with anti fat bias affects everyone, and affects everyone differently.

Only thing was it’s quite research/data/numbers heavy so not a super easy listen, but still very worthwhile.

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Well researched and thoroughly educational

Gordon offers plenty of practical tips to identify and combat anti fatness in yourself and to challenge it in public spaces and with others. I will be recommending this book to my colleagues (teachers).

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Excellent

Before I listened to this, I wondered how much more there was for me to learn, as a long time listener of Maintenance Phase, but there was definitely much more to learn in there!
Aubrey’s research is considered, inclusive and impeccably laid out.
I so, so appreciate the calls to action in each chapter, it sets this book apart from others that ask us to do better: it shows us the way.
Aubrey Gordon makes me want to be a better advocate and ally, I am so glad she shares her voice with the world.

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A deep perspective compelling the need for change

Thank you for this insightful, well researched and presented work Aubrey, I thoroughly enjoyed despite the sometimes uncomfortable truths. I'm working toward being a better family member, friend and advocate whilst working toward a career in the health industry. This book is such a wonderful tool with in-depth well researched information and captured experiences that are coupled with reflection questions and solutions to incite thought and internal change on a deep level. - Jessica

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Love Aubrey Gordon

Eloquent and informative audiobook by Aubrey Gordon. Such a nice listen. I love her! Excellent as always!

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