Episode #2: Healthism and Fat Phobia with Hilary Kinavey
I’ve been doing work around the Imposter Complex for a long time now, but my goal with this podcast is to shed light on folx who experience the Imposter Complex differently, depending on how they had experienced marginalization in the dominant culture. Because sometimes it’s the Imposter Complex that's in the way, but many times it’s a lived experience of racism or sexism, colonialism, micro-aggressions, trauma, anxiety, chronic pain, alcoholism or fat phobia... and Hilary Kinavey’s work with body compassion and weight inclusivity really adds to this conversation—so I had to have her on the show.
Hilary is a professional counselor, facilitator, educator, speaker, writer, and activist. She co-founded Be Nourished, LLC with Dana Sturtevant in 2006. Her work encourages movement toward a liberation-based model of care to heal internalized body shame and associated patterns of chronic dieting and disordered eating. She is a sought after speaker on topics such as weight-inclusive approaches, weight bias, Body Trust, and the intersections of activism and therapy. She offers individual counseling and coaching, consultation, and trainings for organizations and professional groups.
Hilary and I talk about how we experience the Imposter Complex differently based on our lived experiences in marginalized parts of culture, inclusion of conversations about size and fat phobia in social justice circles, healthism and the social determinants of health, fat. vs. obesity vs. overweight, why we are so afraid of being fat and of other fat people, and the importance of recognizing and naming our privilege and how this affects our credibility.
“The majority of us that move towards an authentic expression of ourselves are not going to find our best mirrors in mainstream culture.”
-Hilary Kinavey
Resources mentioned:
Ready Enough Episode #1: Liberatory Consciousness with Desiree Adaway
“Healthism and the Medicalization of Everyday Life” by Robert Crawford
More from Hilary Kinavey:
CHECK OUT MY FREE TRAINING ON THE 5 SHIFTS OUR CLIENTS USE TO OVERCOME THE IMPOSTER COMPLEX AND GROW THEIR INCOME AND THEIR IMPACT
Where I pull back the curtain on five shifts to start raising voices, rates, and hands all while being the kind, congruent, and authentic leader I know you to be.