Fatphobia as a form of gender-based violence: Fat women, public space and body belonging work

Mohr, Elizabeth; Jamie, Kimberly; Hockin-Boyers, Hester

Abstract

In this article we propose bringing together theoretical frameworks from fat studies and research into street harassment, as a form of gendered violence, to provide a novel lens for thinking about fat women’s experiences of public space. By focusing on the gendered politics of public space itself, we show how fears of fat-based and gender-based street harassment and abuse work together to create a complex sense of ‘non-belonging’ for fat women. Coupled with primary interview data gathered from twenty-one self-defined fat women, our approach brings together theoretical frameworks from fat studies and research into street harassment to provide a novel lens for thinking about fat women’s experiences of public space. Specifically, we identify and explore points of confluence where experiences of fatphobia and street harassment mirror each other – exclusion from public space, intrusion as a means of policing non-belonging bodies, and what we call body belonging work as an active process of accomplishing belonging. We suggest that current policy attention to gender-based violence represents a timely moment to address the intersectional nature of women’s experiences.

Citation

Mohr, E., Jamie, K., & Hockin-Boyers, H. (online). Fatphobia as a form of gender-based violence: Fat women, public space and body belonging work. Fat Studies, https://doi.org/10.1080/21604851.2025.2469357

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 14, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Feb 28, 2025
• Deposit Date: Feb 14, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 28, 2025
• Journal: Fat Studies
• Print ISSN: 2160-4851
• Electronic ISSN: 2160-486X
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21604851.2025.2469357
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/3481626