fatphobia

American  

[fat-foh-bee-uh] / ˈfætˈfoʊ bi ə /

noun

1. an aversion or hostility to, disdain for, or fear of fatness and fat people.

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Usage

Is it okay to use -phobia to mean bias against? See homophobia.

Other Word Forms

• fatphobic adjective

Etymology

Origin of fatphobia

First recorded in 1970–75; fat ( def. ) + -phobia ( def. )

Example Sentences

West, one of the grande dames of the movement, got her start at Seattle alt-weekly the Stranger and spent years excoriating fatphobia, online misogyny, and male entitlement for the ur-millennial-feminist site Jezebel.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

The “Pitch Perfect” alum’s tell-all book narrates her rise to stardom amid personal struggles, including fatphobia and infertility.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2024

Even though fatphobia is not a specific crime, it can be pursued under existing legal categories such as libel, slander and moral harassment, explains Ms Oliveira, who is now a human rights lawyer.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2022

And I know how much my internalized fatphobia owes to oppressive patriarchal forces — the forces that tell girls and women in particular to be small, meek, slight, slim and quiet.

From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2022

Midway through the season, "Shrill" unpacks the concept of internalized fatphobia with a tremendous amount of nuance.

From Salon • May 8, 2021