The term “fat” can be seen as derogatory or reclaimed by overweight activists. It’s important to think before using it, as it carries cultural weight. Some people prefer “overweight,” while others embrace “fat” to lessen its sting as an insult. Use with caution and consideration for others’ feelings.
The question of whether or not the term “fat” is a derogatory word has several answers. Some people say it’s just an adjective and attempt to reclaim the term and strip it of its heavy meaning. Other people find using this term to describe someone offensive, due to the cultural ideas surrounding the term, and prefer to use words like “overweight.” In general, it’s best to think carefully before using this word to describe someone, unless you’ve used it yourself, because it’s a very loaded term.
In the literal sense, fat is just a chemical compound, but the term has been used as an adjective to describe people who have large deposits of this compound under their skin. In some cultures, large deposits of fat are considered physically unattractive, and thus the adjective has become an epithet, because the assumption is that looking a certain way is not desirable. Calling someone fat should be offensive, even when it’s an accurate description of their body, because the name caller assumes the person is uncomfortable or perhaps unhappy with their appearance.
In the late 20th century, many activists and radical groups attempted to reclaim words that had historically been used as slurs. The idea was that instead of allowing people to use language as a tool for verbal violence, people could embrace those terms, making critics gross. Some feminists, for example, have embraced an epithet used to describe female dogs, while some people with non-heteronormative sexualities have begun to describe themselves as “queer.” Activists who focus on sizeism suggest doing the same thing with “fat.”
Many overweight activists describe themselves as fat and may refer to this in the materials they distribute. Some make a distinction between “fat” and “overweight,” arguing that “overweight” implies that there is an acceptable or normal weight beyond which people should not go. By using the word frequently, they hope to lessen the sting of the term as an insult and urge people of all sizes to use it as an adjective to describe overweight people. However, other people feel that even if a good attempt is being made to return this word to its linguistic place, the term should not be used without careful thought.
Some people believe that the term should only be used by people who make it clear they are comfortable with it, and that other people should avoid using this word to avoid giving offense if they are unsure how a person is feeling. Others feel that all people who are friends with the idea of body acceptance should be able to describe people as “fat” and discuss the issue of sizeism and body positive activism with people who question the use of this word.
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