Summer in a Fat Body

Our latest Fat Narrative Project, Summer in a Fat Body, brought the fat community together for an evening of stories about what summer can look and feel like when fat people get to experience it on their own terms – with joy, vulnerability, bikinis and plenty of time in the water.

This show was especially meaningful because we partnered with Cake Plus-Size Resale in celebration of their Fat Splash pool parties that are created specifically for fat people. Pools and beaches can be incredibly vulnerable spaces for people in larger bodies. Fat Splash turns that experience on its head, creating a space where fat people can be themselves. This spirit carried into the stories we heard throughout the night.

We heard from Cat, the owner of Cake Plus-Size Resale and creator of Fat Splash, about the importance of creating spaces where fat people don’t have to shrink themselves to belong.

We heard stories about genuinely loving summer, especially those magical moments in the water. We heard about bodies, family, changing relationships with ourselves and the complicated messages about weight that can follow us through different seasons of our lives.

There was summer romance, too. Including a story about a dog named Shimmer who helped bring two people together. Because even dogs understand the assignment when it comes to a good summer romance.

And then there was the bikini moment (insert dramatic pause).

One of our storytellers stood onstage and took off their clothes to reveal a string bikini underneath. Hello?! Who doesn’t love a good reveal? It was epic. It was bold. It was unapologetically fat and it was awesome.

For fat people, something as simple as wearing a bikini can become an act of defiance. We’re taught to cover ourselves, minimize ourselves and wait until our bodies are somehow more acceptable before fully participating in summer.

Summer in a Fat Body was a reminder that summer BELONGS TO FAT PEOPLE! The pools, the beaches, the swimsuits, the sweaty thighs, the summer flings, the cannonballs, the bare arms, the long days - we are allowed to enjoy it. We don’t need a “summer body.” We already have one. And it’s fat and glorious!

Thank you to all the storytellers who shared their stories with us. Thank you to Cake Plus-Size Resale for helping to create spaces where fat people can experience joy without judgement. And thank you to everyone who showed up to listen, laugh and celebrate alongside us.

Now, let’s take up space and enjoy the last remaining days of summer.

P.S. Thanks to Connor Mattison Photography and our sign language interpreters.