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Making the Choice: Fat Liberation through Community Food Work
At a Critical Dietetics conference back in 2014 I was asked if I’d mind sharing some facts on food poverty in the UK. At least that’s what I heard. When I asked, the next day, if there would be a roving mic when it came to my turn I found out I’d actually been invited to join a panel of speakers on the podium. Yikes. Here’s the gist of how I made my two facts last the distance:
“I work as a dietitian in England, UK where I developed an approach to food work that puts equity and respect at the heart of healthcare. I don’t have personal experience of, or academic knowledge on, food poverty. Instead, I’m going to share with you how the philosophy I use, Well Now, helps us to remain mindful of people’s real lives in nutrition talk, leading to effective interventions big on dignity. I’ll be drawing on my experiences of working with marginalized groups who feel guilty about their eating habits, who may feel out of control around food, and who get blamed and blame themselves for their many illnesses. I’ll explain how the stories that get told about food, weight and health typically eclipse social justice and end up victim blaming.
A few background notes: The largest food bank organization in England is the Trussell Trust, which accounts for about 45% of food bank provision. It last year reported a 163% increase in the…
