Fear of fat

This program examines the existing medical perspective on body size, the ideology of individualism/self-control, the weight and diet foods industry, and the powerful feeling that fatness arouses in us. The program includes interviews with fat and thin people, some of whom are authors and leaders in the new movement which challenges our myths about fat. Interviews with Judy Freespirit, an activist in the fat liberation movement; Marcia Millman, professor of sociology at UC Santa Cruz and author of the book Such a pretty face: being fat in America; Karen Bayliss, a psychotherapist who has led self-esteem groups for fat people; Margaret Mackenzie, professor of medical anthropology at UC Berkeley whose work centers on the attitudes of various cultures towards body image; Louise Wolfe, activist in the National Association to Aid Fat Americans (NAAFA); Dr. Susan Wooley, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and co-founder of the Clinic for Eating Disorders. Produced by Santiago Casal, Laura Finkler, Sarah Finklehor-Samuels, & Janice Berger. Production and engineering support by Philip Maldari. Musical assistance by Larry McCombs.