Ragen Chastain

Ragen Chastain

Bio

Ragen Chastain is a professional speaker, writer, and real live fat person.  She has spoken everywhere from friend's living rooms to Google Headquarters to Cal Tech and Dartmouth.  She will not stop until we live in a world where the full diversity of body sizes is respected, and fat people are able to live in fat bodies without shame, stigma, bullying, and harrasment, regardless of why they are fat, what being fat means, and if they could (or even want to) become thin. She lives in Los Angeles with her partner Julianne and their adorable rescue dogs, and is training for her first (and hopefully only!) IRONMAN triathlon. If you can't get enough of her on Ravishly, you can check out her blog www.danceswithfat.org

Ragen Chastain Articles

"A thin-obsessed world perpetuates eating disorders and fat phobia."

The Eating Disorder Community Has A Fat Phobia Problem

Suggesting that we should figure out how to apply a deadly illness to fat people is ludicrous on its face for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that THERE ARE FAT PEOPLE WITH ANOREXIA.

Read...
Honor the work and time of participants and registrants.

The Truth About Those Telesummits — Insights From An Insider

You’ve probably received an invitation to an online telesummit - fabulous speakers and it’s free, all you have give is your email address.

Read...
This show didn’t just do irreparable harm to its contestants, but also to the viewers of all sizes who tuned in every week to see supposed healthcare professionals model the idea that fat people need to be screamed at.

The Biggest Loser Might Be Cancelled And This Is Why That's Great News

NBC's The Biggest Loser might be cancelled after allegations of abuse and fat-shaming. Here's why it would be a GOOD thing if the show never aired again!

Read...
Let’s take a moment and soak this in: women make up half the population and only 1/13th of the Doctors from Doctor Who, and there are actually men out there deluded enough to claim that this is unfair to men. (Image Credit: Instagram/nymag)

The Misogyny Of 'Dr. Who' Fans - Dudebros Are NOT HAPPY With A Female Lead

Ms. Whitaker is a white woman, so obviously 'Dr. Who' is still desperately behind and lacking in their Doctor diversity. But the show has finally introduced a woman as the main character and men (and a few women, because internalized oppression is a thing) are flipping out.

Read...
Let’s stop all this one-size-fits-all, unrealistic expectations approach to pregnancy, and let’s put our energy into making sure that pregnant people have the support and resources they need for themselves, their fetuses, and their kids. (Image Credit: Instagram/stylish_bump)

Please Don't Expect All Pregnant People To Be Serena Williams

The last thing pregnant folks need is the message that they can (and should) be able to work at the level of professional athletes and actors while they are dealing with the life-altering symptoms that happen when you are growing a fetus.

Read...
In what world would a superhero's priorities be in this order?

Are You A Housework Superhero? Target Fails Again

You may be assuming that we’re going to be seeing pink, and if so, then you are partially correct. But they took that gender stereotyping and walked it right off a cliff. Instead of the logo and belt, the “bat girl” shirt has a four item to-do list.

Read...
image credit: Lady Gaga via Instagram

Lady Gaga, The Super Bowl, And Half-Assed Body Positivity

Too often people claim that they are practicing Body Positivity when in fact they are perpetuating fatphobia and/or using healthism and ableism to justify sizeism.

Read...
Lush issues a half-baked apology that should never have been necessary in the first place. (Image Credit: Instagram/@lush)

Lush: More Bathbombs, Less Fat Shaming

The pictures Lush posted are media that was created by the film company — and the film is inherently problematic in terms of “diversity and inclusion justice.” Lush re-posting them is a problem. That they were created in the first place is a problem.

Read...
Come for the fat girls and the internet will smack you down!

Come For The Fat Girls, Get No Girls At All

As a fat woman on the internet I know, “Don’t read the comments. Never, ever read the comments.” But this time was different and it was awesome!

Read...
Men, however uneducated or inexperienced, consistently feel that they know better than we do how about our bodies work.

What I Call Them: Men Tell Women About Our Bodies

Mansplaining is rampant in our culture, and nowhere is it mansplain-ier than when men explain women’s bodies to us.

Read...