In A Fat Girl’s Confidence, Patrice Shavone Brown stands together with other fat girls of this world who have ever felt ugly. Filled with inspirational material, this book works to destigmatize and reclaim the word “fat”.
In our society, the word “fat” is often used to both shame a person and validate the assumption that they are unhappy. Brown preaches the opposite by urging readers to start correlating “fat and confident” and “fat and happy”. That being said, she understands why these do not easily come to mind and can relate first-hand to the feelings of hopelessness driven by society. This is precisely why she insists that achieving confidence means taking care of not only your body, but also your mind, soul, and spirit.
Brown first notes the distinction between being fat and being overweight, clarifying that the medical condition of being overweight has the potential to spiral into obesity. She recognizes that being overweight is a problem that must be overcome before one can begin practicing self-love.
For those that have been hurt by negative comments about their weight, she teaches that the word fat is just a word. In fact, it is simply a physical descriptor, such as “tall” or “brunette”, used to describe your beautiful body. By reducing the word “fat” to its innocent purpose, she reasons that you must instead ignore society and the negative connotations it has used to poison the word. Instead of shying away from the word, Brown believes that fat girls who are comfortable with being called fat are among the most confident she knows.
Since studies have shown that fat stigma and shame have a negative effect on health behaviors, Brown first guides you through a seven-day journey of working on both your inner beauty and physical appearance. Next, she advises journaling your thoughts and feelings while working through the activities. There will be varying amounts of positive and negative thoughts in the process and she wants you to track any patterns found. If you often find yourself wallowing in self-pity and seeking validation from everyone around you, this book may finally help you become aware that you are enough.
One of the best aspects of this book is the fact that Brown writes from the point of view of someone who has also struggled with weight and confidence. She describes the hurtful comments from family members, the confidence necessary to wear bathing suits, and the insecurities surrounding her thunder thighs. Framing herself as having gone through these struggles and coming out of them a stronger person, she shows how she wants you to stand with her against society’s toxic idea of the perfect body size.
Brown enthusiastically prepares you to accept your flaws and turn them into sources of strength. Instead of allowing society to associate your body size with “sloppy” and “lazy”, she encourages you to make the decision not to listen to society. Even if you are your worst critic, this book will help you imagine what you can conquer with your newfound confidence. Order A Fat Girls Confidence on Amazon