Abstract

Obesity is a feared and loathed condition in North America. The psychological literature has focused extensively on the stigmatization of obesity, but it has been relatively ignored in sociology. Studies typically involve questioning thin people, usually college students, about their feelings towards fatness. However, obese people themselves are rarely asked to describe their experiences. This study was carried out to determine the extent to which sizeism, or discrimination against the obese, affects a person's life. In-depth interviews were held with 10 women and 10 men, living in various Canadian cities. The participants revealed victimization from multiple sources; e.g., family members, life partners, strangers, employers, colleagues, and the medical profession. All have dieted but none have been able to lose weight permanently. Eight modes of response to sizeism were discerned. Argument is made for the recognition of the obese as an oppressed minority group.