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Ashley Gullickson
Bryson Newhart
English 1010-131
16 September 2013
Fat is a Feminist Issue
In the article Fat is a Feminist Issue, Susie Orbach outlines a radical perspective on
women, their desire to belong within social context, and the intent of breaking the stereotypes
surrounding "fat" in women. These feminists proposed women become fat as a means to break
the social mold, and negate the pressure to change themselves with popular trends. Orbach
illustrates an exaggerated point of view; she does so through the use of a logical fallacy in order
to appeal to a popular opinion. The viewpoints presented in Orbach's article seem slightly
hyperbolic. That being said, her method of justification does well to appeal to the intended
audience who share her perspective on women in society. I believe that what Orbach expresses
as a rebellious act, may in fact be an exaggerated feminist belief.
Orbach presents her issue by stating to the audience the overwhelming truth that women
in this day and age are unconsciously raised to conform to the patriarchal view that a women's
body should be thin. She informs the reader of the idea that women are born and bred to believe
they need to be physically thin to reach the overall goal of obtaining a man, and then in turn
become a mother." The media present women in a sexual context or frame them in family
settings, reflecting a woman's two prescribed roles, first as a sex object, and then a mother.
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Orbach writes, “she is brought up to marry by ‘catching’ a man with her good looks and pleasing
manner"(450-451). This concept is seen as oppressing to women and leads to Orbach's next
argument regarding the female body and trends.
The idea that women should not conform to the standards of society and that the female
body is not meant to change as a trend are key components of Orbach’s argument. She provides
examples of previous trends women have followed, such as starvation and ironing ones hair to
conform to the ways of the 1960's. In order to support her claims about women conforming to
society's changing fashion trends, Orbach could have used examples of fashion magazines or
studies to support her claim. Throwing these supposed facts into her article without validity and
proof shows lack of reason behind her claims.
It seems in today’s modern society, women are no longer trying to conform to styling
trends, women are more or less simply trying to obtain one common goal; a thin figure that is
also pleasing to the eye. Trends seem to change almost weekly, yet women are more independent
than ever. According to Dr. Naomi Crafti, moderately obese women(BMI 30-35) are three times
more likely than men to experience weight discrimination and research shows reported males
having significantly less desire to work with a fat female (Crafti). My question to Ms. Orbach
would be if fat is indeed a way to rebel against society, why would a woman want to be fat if it
means lowering her chance of success in society? Women in today's day and age are encouraged
to be independent, this however does not mean that women have lost site of the common goal of
maintaining a slim physical body.
A common belief held by feminists is the idea that the body of a woman has far more
importance than to be visually appealing. An apparent feminist herself, Orbach expresses how
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feminist perceive fat in today's society. "Feminism argues that being fat represents an attempt to
break free of society's sex stereotypes" (449). In other words women who are fat are purposefully
rebelling and saying "no" to the feeling of being worthless. Feminists oppose the idea of a fixed
body figure and believe it is a woman's way to rebel against society to in turn say "screw you" to
those who oppose a woman’s individual physical self. This statement may seem a bit radical to
those in opposition of feminists. There are many reasons a woman could be considered fat. Being
overweight is not necessarily the most realistic reason on the list. Many women could be
considered overweight to society, yet perfectly comfortable and confident in their own skin.
While Orbach presents her article with arguments to appease her feminist readers, she fails to
include the possible opposing views. Her direct audience consists of first and second wave
feminists, when it should also include the voice of anti-feminists. While Orbach makes some
credible points, the central point of view is feminist. The fact that Orbach herself is a feminist
and an advocate for women's rights, makes this article biased read. In the context of this
manifesto, one can conclude that the desired audience is feminist however a reader with no
background of the author, no access to the internet, or higher education could not obtain critical
perspective of the author, which could potentially persuade the author in an uninformed
direction. In order for the common reader to understand Orbach’s writings, one would need to be
provided with background information about the author. In this particular case the authors of
“They Say, I Say”, provide a short historical description of Orbach’s conquests.
In her opinion the intended audience of the article likely shares the same perspective on
the issue, the so called twisted logic does not seem odd to them. In general, feminists are going
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to agree with the stance that Orbach has taken, fueling the fire and creating a false sense of truth
regarding the issue.
Proponents of Orbach's article are right to argue that society has a large and controversial
influence on a woman's weight in addition to the way she views herself, but is exaggerated when
Orbach claims that weight is a purposeful act. However, non-feminist such as myself, would
more than likely interpret women as being overweight for multiple reasons. Genetics, lack of
exercise with the addition of a higher calorie intake, and physical illnesses such as cancer or
diabetes are just a few reasons one may be overweight. These previously stated reasons of
obesity do not always pertain to women. Men are equally as likely to be overweight due to the
fact that many men overeat in celebratory circumstances whereas women may indulge due to
emotional reasons. "Men are more likely to use food in celebration... whereas women use
comforts foods to cope with negative experiences"(Ihrig). Obesity is not limited to being a
feminist issue, which Orbach again fails to educate her reader about the other affected sex. Men
can also find themselves suffering at the hands of weight and body image issues. To add to the
defense of critics, women who are proud of gaining weight seemingly would go to greater
lengths to flaunt their weight openly in society, which today is not often seen. More women are
trying to get rid of their curves with black clothing, body wraps, and expensive fad diets. While
being overweight in today's society has its medical negativities, it may also be that a woman is
simply confident and comfortable with herself, along with the possibility that she has already
succeeded in finding a man and no longer needs to live up to society beliefs.
It is pertinent to consider is that Susan Orbach published this book in 1978. There is no
doubt that a woman’s role in society today is different than 30 years ago. However, woman are
still expected to change their bodies to fit societies social expectations, the gender roles have
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taken quite an evolutionary shift. One has to wonder how Orbach would address the issues of
being fat in today's society, where a women's role is no longer limited to a homemaker, but
instead is extended to breadwinner and businesswoman.
This essay works to disrupt social norms. However, after careful evaluation on the
effectiveness of Orbach’s writing, I found this manifesto to be radical. Keeping in mind the
importance of credible writing, it lacked the opposing views that may have made her argument
stronger. As a critical analyst, of this particular excerpt, I felt she had considerable opportunities
to add the provisions of the opposing party. As a reader I felt she neglected to do so, in order to
strengthen her feminist stance. As an author, she was extremely knowledgeable, of the topic she
was writing on. Her writing was clearly driven by her emotions. It is obvious that this is a topic
she is passionate about. It seems her goal is to spread awareness through the reading of her essay.
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Works Cited
Crafti, Naomi. "The Scavenger." The Scavenger. N.p., 15 Apr. 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.thescavenger.net/>.
Ihrig, Charles. "Obesity Action Coalition." Obesity Action Coalition Home Comments. N.p.,
2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013. <http://www.obesityaction.org/>.
Graff, Gerald, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel K. Durst. "Fat is a Feminist Issue." "They say/I
say": the moves that matter in academic writing : with readings. 2nd ed. New York:
W.W. Norton & Co., 2012. 299-309. Print.