230 - The Harms Behind The Word "Ob*sity" Thrive Beyond Size podcast

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230 - The Harms Behind the Word "Ob*sity"

4d ago 30:37

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Today, Michelle dives into why she has chosen to remove the words obse and ob*sity from her vocabulary—both as a physician and as a coach—and why she believes it’s time for all of us to question the language we’ve been handed about bodies. Starting from a Facebook scroll that sparked a wave of anger, she unpacks the history behind the term, including insights from Dr. Sabrina Strings’ Fearing the Black Body, the role of BMI in medicalizing body size, and the very real ways weight stigma harms health. Michelle shares how hearing or using this word changes the energy in the room, the systemic discrimination it quietly justifies, and what becomes possible when we let go of pathologizing language and focus instead on actual well-being.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

Why the words obse and obsity don’t just describe bodies—they pathologize them
The racist history of fatphobia and how it shaped our modern “ob*sity epidemic” narrative
How BMI became the primary definition of “ob*sity” despite being a poor measure of health
The many ways weight stigma directly harms health, independent of body size
How the label “ob*se” blames individuals for complex, systemic and biological factors
The ways this term is used to deny care, justify lower-quality treatment, and exclude people from opportunities
Why centering weight derails conversations about actual health behaviours, trauma, nervous system regulation, and quality of life
Alternatives to weight-based labels and how Michelle now talks about bodies in her medical and coaching work
Reflection questions to help you notice how this word has shaped your view of your own body and others’

If this episode brings up big feelings or “aha” moments for you, Michelle would love to hear from you—and invites you to share this conversation with someone who has been harmed by weight stigma or is wrestling with the language of health.

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