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

The idea that everyone's weight depends upon their choices is not backed up by science. 'The Big Fat Truth' refuses to recognize that. (Image credit: Instagram/@biggestlosernbc)

'The Big Fat Truth' Should Be Called 'The Big Fat Lie'

The fact that fat people are so thoroughly and constantly lied to by diet culture, and so profoundly oppressed by fatphobia, that they would submit themselves to this is not a justification for it. But that isn’t stopping J.D. Roth, the show’s creator. Not satisfied with exploiting fat people once, he is launching a new show called The Big Fat Truth in which he’ll bring back six former contestants for another round of exploitation, false promises, and weight cycling.

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Giles Coren's most recent column is full of fat-shaming

Every Justification For Giles Coren’s Fat-Shaming Debunked

Giles Coren writes a column about fatherhood for Esquire UK. His most recent column is full of fat-shaming including shaming is own son.

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If your doctor isn’t willing to provide compassionate care, including reassuring and supporting you, then they are incompetent and undeserving of you as a patient.

If You're Feeling Uncomfortable With Your Gyno, It Might Be Time To Fire Them

A recent article claimed there are certain behaviors that gynecologists don't like in their patients. Here are some myths debunked about your trip to the gyno and some tips on when to fire them!

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Photo by Annie Gray on Unsplash

No, You Shouldn't Ditch Your Fat Friends ​

Slimming World (UK version of Weight Watchers) is telling those who have reached their “target weight” to ditch their fat friends.

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(Image Credit: Thinkstock)

The War On Obesity – Dead Or Alive

In the face of funding shortages, Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has decided that patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, as well as smokers, will be barred from most surgery for up to a year. But don’t fool yourself, this isn’t about health, or healthy behaviors – this is about money, and it’s about the people in charge deciding whose blatant oppression the general citizenry will tolerate. Years of campaigns suggesting that it’s fine for people to stereotype fat people and blame us for their problems have led to a situation where people are comfortable with us being denied the same medical care that they receive. And that should horrify you.

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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.

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Hey There Fatty Game via Kickstarter

Hey There Fatty: The Game None Of Us Need 

There is a new game on Kickstarter called Hey There Fatty! It comes packaged in a stereotypical Chinese food delivery container.

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image mashup: Mariah Aro Sharp @mightymooseart

Is Wonder Woman On A Diet?

We are passing our unhealthy obsession with thinness onto girls and it’s causing them to have issues with food, movement, self-esteem, and body image that can last a lifetime.

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Reporters should be able to dress, at the very least, in accordance with the dress codes of their actual employers.

Question For Paul Ryan: Should Female White House Reporters Have The Right To 'Bare Arms'?

Recently, Paul Ryan decided that “appropriate attire” for women will exclude sleeveless dresses and open-toed shoes, and pretty soon thereafter, several women reporters were refused entry to the Speaker’s Lobby for showing their arms.

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Unfortunately, Spirit oversold Mr. Cordova's flight and, apparently to accommodate one more thin person, they kicked him off the flight.

Fat Passengers Can't Win With The Airlines

Spirit oversold Mr. Cordova's flight and, apparently to accommodate one more thin person, they kicked him off the flight. This, despite the fact that Cordova had purchased two seats.

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