Reviews with content warning for Racism - Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness by Da’Shaun Harrison

30 reviews

srgreen's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

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lizziaha's review against another edition

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4.0

This is an interesting lens to look through. Some of the arguments were more of a stretch for me than others, but given the lack of research in this particular field, this was a very well-written and well-supported thesis.

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monstrouscosmos's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

definitely a hard listen, but I'm glad to have done it. while there is some historical rooting I appreciate that it mostly stayed in the realm of contemporary experience (the author's own and those of others). I think it's a necessary read for anyone interested in embodied experiences broadly (but esp along intersections of race, gender, and age).

I did read the content warnings on Storygraph, but I really would have benefitted from content notes with chapters at the beginning of the book or at the beginning of chapters. I still would have listened, but I'd have been better prepared to do so.

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nahae's review

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5.0

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jess_always_reading's review against another edition

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challenging informative reflective tense fast-paced

4.75

A great read/listen that makes connections between anti-fatness/fat hatred, anti-Blackness, and transphobia. Harrison uses a blend of scientific and historical data and direct experience (their own and that of other Black Fat trans folks) to illustrate the breadth and depth of oppressions experienced by Black trans Fat folks, with a particular focus on the masc community. I highly recommend this for anyone working on challenging their internal biases!

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breadbummer's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

Take care with this one; this should be required reading for everyone, but it's incredibly hard-hitting. I'm sure this topic can be, by absolutely ANY means, completely covered in this short read/listen, but Harrison provides a hell of a lot of information on the topic. Their dedication to the topic is also very noticeable in how they write which, as someone who has had to read some of the driest academic texts imaginable, I appreciate tremendously.

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carbs666's review

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challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

Such a thought provoking and deeply researched book, using a combination of primary and secondary sources (including interviews with fat Black trans people). There was lots in here I connected with as a fat trans person and so much I learned as a white person. Strongly recommend to anyone who js ready to level up their fat liberation reading.

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chlo_po's review

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informative reflective fast-paced

4.5

Harrison gets to the core of our World (anti-fatness and anti-blackness) in damning detail and with painful and expansive arguments. They provide incontrovertible evidence about how and why we must all collectively build a new world without cages and the social constructs that continue to propagate violence. At times I had to pause to make sure I was getting everything, but this made me reflect and challenge myself, and is a must read for anyone with a body.

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historicalmaterialgirl's review

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challenging dark reflective fast-paced

4.75

If "You Just Need to Lose Weight" by Aubrey Gordon was talking, Belly of the Beast by Da'Shaun Harrison was screaming. This book challenges the assumptions and political possibilities of movements for (reforming) body positivity, desirability, gender and policing. In each one we see its failure to heal individuals and end the systems that hurt in the first place.

I was especially struck by the chapter on desirability, which writes about insecurity as a point of political possibility to turn against the system rather than ourselves. Obviously it's complicated! But it made me feel like I could embrace the parts of myself I feel insecure about by reminding myself these insecurities stem from something outside of myself that I can push back on.

Essential reading for studying Blackness, fatness, transness and abolition. Highlyyyyyy recommend.

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kaynova's review against another edition

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informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

Chapter 3 and Chapter 6 ruined me, in the best ways possible. This book has challenged my own beliefs, or at least what EYE thought was my beliefs, into what needs to be done to reform and reshape a system that was never with me in mind and how to navigate these spaces without conforming to those values. I was actually working out when I was reading Chapter 3 and it made me sit down and rethink what is the purpose of exercise when I have always been sought out as black queer fat person who needs tp "lose weight" or "reframe your shape to be more curvy". This book pushes the envelope on current mindsets and narratives that make us believe one thing because it's more acceptable, not remembering or knowing that it is harmful and extremely anti-black and anti-fatness. Fatphobia does align with anti-blackness and transphobia, especially for black fat trans bodies and Da'Shaun L. Harrison does a phenomenal job of informing the readers of this while piecing other great works and articles to back their claims and findings. Because of the multiple name drops they put in the book, my TBR has grown to learn more about black bodies, especially black fat bodies when I, myself, have these same identities yet never accessed these works. I can't wait to learn more.

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