Happy Fat: Taking Up Space in a World That Wants to Shrink You by Sofie HagenMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Happy Fat is a stunning book about body image, self worth, societal oppression and above all, about fat. About being fat; what it's like to be fat; the problems, issues and discrimination that fat people endure on a daily basis. It's about learning to love the fat. To tell yourself if you are fat that it's okay to be that way. It's about becoming a better friend to the fat people in your life. It's about changing the world we live in, controlled by corporations intent on selling dieting products to a fat world by encouraging active Fatphobia among society. Fatphobia is real and just another form of discrimination, only encouraged by how fat is portrayed in the media when actually in this day and age we should be striving for an inclusive society where everyone is catered for and accepted for being who they are.
Easier said than done, perhaps, but Sofie Hagen does a superb job of explaining how we can start to change our own perspectives around fat and how to improve the world around us. Of course, being Sofie Hagen, this is done in an extremely likeable and often hilarious fashion.
Not only is the writing style excellent, but it's well researched. This isn't just one persons view on being fat and the problems that the world imposes on this, but everything is referenced and looked in to. The science speaks for itself when discussing specialised diets designed to fail. The popular belief that fat automatically equals unwell, dismissed by credible sources through Sofie's entertaining, charming and truthful dialogue.
Sofie is honest, drawing on her own life experiences throughout the story. I related heavily to this from my own experiences with body image issues and being overweight and was able to pinpoint exact events that Sofie talked about that I had experienced. I'm not sure I'm in the frame of mind to grab what's left of my stomach and be genuinely okay with it, but reading this felt like a good step in the right direction.
Peppered throughout are interviews with fellow fat people; fat activists and more, and with Sofie's detailed and well thought out questioning, these provide a variety of insights into different peoples perspectives on fatness in modern society.
I really recommend this book to anybody who may have been or is fat, or have had body image issues but I'd also recommend to anybody interested in another perspective on the fat situation in the world at the moment. The tone of voice is so well informed, likeable and funny that you could do a lot worse when expanding your horizons.
Finally, the physical book is really pretty, from the bright hardback cover to the pretty illustrations throughout. Go and buy this book, now. Thanks.
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