Fatphobia and Capitalism
Ragen Chastain is a speaker, writer, dancer, marathoner, ACE Certified Health Coach and functional fitness specialist, activist, and is training to be an iron-distance triathlete. Her blog, “Dances with Fat” explores the intersections of health, fatness, goodness, beauty norms, and body acceptances. Her blog’s tagline, and the theme at the center of her work, reads. “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness Are for All Sizes.”
Chastain is a self-described “fathlete,” as well as a dancer. She has performed at Carnegie Hall, won three National Dance Championships, and holds the Guinness World Record for Heaviest Woman to Complete a Marathon. In 2011 she left a successful consulting career to speak and write full-time about size acceptance and health at every size. She has also published a book on navigating life and health, titled, “Fat: The Owner's Manual – Navigating a Thin-Obsessed World with Your Health, Happiness and Sense of Humor Intact.”
She also hosts monthly workshops on health, body neutrality, and self-love. She has spoken at numerous conferences and colleges, including nearby Pitzer College, CalTech, and USC.
Ms. Chastain is the featured speaker for recognizing February as the disorderly eating awareness month.