New Book Display: All Bodies Are Good Bodies

Posted March 7, 2025 in Exhibits, General Collections News, JMU Libraries News

Our newest book display, All Bodies are Good Bodies, is now online and in Rose Library.

Whether we realize it or not, we often see messages that there is a singular body type that is healthy, more desirable, more virtuous, and that anything perceived of as “fat” is inherently bad. Almost half of New Year’s resolutions have to do with exercise, diets, and weight loss, but these goals are notoriously hard to stick to; it is thought that the majority of people who lose weight gain it back within a few years. Negative body image and a high concern for weight increase risks of disordered eating, especially in young women and girls. Forty percent of U.S. adults have reported experiencing stigma related to their weight at some point in their life. This stigma—known as sizeism—often impacts health behaviors, such as seeking medical care and mental health care. It can be exhausting.

Visit this display, selected by Liz Chenevey, to find books and other resources on how we think and talk about our bodies.