How Health Inequity and Fat Stigma are Experienced

If you, as a healthcare professional, thought an interaction felt icky, it probably was for the client as well.

Presented by Kimberly Dark

How are fat patients treated as less credible, compliant, and autonomous, and how does that relate to diabetes care? Fat stigma (including high weight bias) is a barrier to care for many patients. It’s also a danger to patients who do access care. This session explores stigma in medical settings from a sociological perspective, using stories, discussion, and discovery-based activities.

Kimberly Dark is a writer, professor, and storyteller. She’s the author of Fat, Pretty, and Soon to be Old, most recently, and her writing is widely published in academic and popular online publications alike. She teaches in Sociology at Cal State San Marcos and Writing/Arts at Cal State Summer Arts. This presentation is from the 2021 WN4DC symposium archives. No CPE are available for this program.

Kimberly Dark has no financial relationships to report.

Learning objective

1. State how the patient  (and each provider) is both the subject of their own story and also the object of the other’s gaze – and how this affects care. 

2. State two ways “the bodies in the room” communicate about diabetes and how providers can guide care (away from stigma) using language and self-reflection.

3. List 1-way inequalities that can remove barriers to care and empower patients.  

4. Share how storytelling and other holistic approaches to learning can lead to more nuanced care and practices that restore trust and lead to greater bodily sovereignty.