Fat and Queer: An Anthology of Queer and Trans Bodies and Lives

Blurb

We’re here. We’re queer. We’re fat.

This one-of-a-kind collection of prose and poetry radically explores the intersection of fat and queer identities, showcasing new, emerging and established queer and trans writers from around the world.

Celebrating fat and queer bodies and lives, this book challenges negative and damaging representations of queer and fat bodies and offers readers ways to reclaim their bodies, providing stories of support, inspiration and empowerment.

In writing that is intimate, luminous and emotionally raw, this anthology is a testament to the diversity and power of fat queer voices and experiences, and they deserve to be heard.

2021 Reads Rainbow Awards Winner in Nonfiction
2022 AASECT Book Award Winner

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My Review

I’m trying to work my way through my ‘currently reading’ pile before starting any new books. I have a shelf double stacked already, and that’s just downstairs. I’ve had this book a while and took it on holiday to Skegness with me earlier this year, and got 70+ pages in while I was away. I struggled to read it, not because of the book, but because I was worried my Dad would get upset at seeing me reading it. Last night I went up to bed at half eight (I’m ill, feeling tired by 8pm is part of it) and took this book up to read. Finished the last 250 pages four hours later at 12.45 am. I stayed up way past my bedtime because I wanted to read everything in this book. Including the acknowledgements at the end.

I’m fat and queer. There’s a lot of anti-fat bias in the Queer community. To be fair, there’s anti-fat bias in every community except the fat acceptance/advocacy community. It’s ridiculous; people who hate anyone for not being thin, white, abled, neurotypical, cisgender, middle/upper class, etc. are not going to hate a person less for being thin because they have a long list of other things they’ll hate them for. I have yet to find a community in this area, except my Autistic community.

The essays in the book are about a variety subject from people in many intersections we like to classify people as. All the writers are from the Americas, giving the reader an interesting insight in to the culture and practices in that part of the world. I enjoyed reading about the experiences of fat, Queer people trying to work out who they are, what their journeys have been and the emotional impact life has had on them. I discovered reading this book, that there is such a thing as ‘gainers’ and ‘encouragers’. I’d vaguely heard of feederism as a kink, but never read anything by a ‘gainer’. That was really unexpected; I think I learnt something.

I loved the poetry! I enjoy poetry and occasionally write poetry myself. I’ve never written about being fat, my gender identity or my sexuality. I have written about being autistic, my often unstable friendships, and my mental health. And potatoes, because why not? I might give writing about my big belly a try.

It’s a good book, a collection of poetry and essays that will make you think, and, in my case at least, cry like a little baby!