Acceptable Prejudice? Fat, Rhetoric and Social Justice

Fat prejudice is exploding in American society, yet even social justice advocates tend to deny fat individuals protection because fat is seen as unhealthy and permanently changeable -- concepts supported by a great deal of societal belief and very little scientific evidence. Using bell hooks' ideology of domination, Lonie McMichael explores the phenomena of fat prejudice -- from inception to resistance -- through a rhetorical lens. Looking at the actual experiences of fat people, she argues that fat prejudice is neither acceptable nor tolerable in our society. Publisher's Weekly calls Acceptable Prejudice? "a useful introduction to a burgeoning movement...will make readers question their attitudes about overweight people."