Fat & Faithful: Recent Episodes
Amanda Martinez Beck
Join fat acceptance activist J. Nicole Morgan and size-dignity activist Amanda Martinez Beck as they talk about faith, politics, and culture through the lens of fatness.
Amanda hosts guest Jessica Kantrowitz, fat author and leader of the Finding Your Voice Writing Workshop. They talk about what embodiment means to them, particularly in the context of their faith journeys. You can find Jessica's books and workshops at her website, jessicakantrowitz.com.
Amanda talks with Valerie Bojarski about her 3rd pregnancy in a fat body. Content Warning: Discussion of changes in weight and body size, clothing sizes.
In today's episode I am joined by Dr. Aubrey Buster, an Old Testament scholar who teaches at Wheaton College and is currently writing a commentary on the book of Daniel. She has quite a few bombshells to drop on why the so-called Daniel Fast is a bunch of bunk!
Don't forget to support the show at Pateron.com/fatandfaithful
I talk with Heidi Carrington Heath about her journey to embracing many identities--fat, queer, and femme--and how that is influenced by her faith. We also talk about who gets to be fat and how we hold people accountable for the sake of justice.
Today's episode is a preview of what we're doing over at Patreon--a daily podcast for the holidays for patrons at the $5 tier and above. It includes a daily meditation, touchstone, and practical tip to help free your holidays from food and body shame. Check it out at patreon.com/fatandfaithful
CW: discussions of miscarriage and weight loss
Amanda is joined by her friend and fellow fat woman Noelle Allison. Noelle shares her journey toward accepting her body, learning to listen to her body, and the freedom it has brought her, particularly in the area of sexuality.
Support Fat & Faithful by becoming a $5/month patron here: patreon.com/fatandfaithful
Happy season 5 opener, Fat & Faithful listeners! With J. Nicole Morgan taking a step away from public activism, I have invited a few guest cohosts to share bits of their lives with me. Today's episode is cohosted by Fayelle Ewuakye, my friend and fellow admin for my All Bodies Are Good Bodies Group on Facebook. You can follow Fayelle on Instagram @fayelle123 and on Twitter @FayelleEwuakye. Books I mention: Nicole Morgan's Fat & Faithful, and Tribole & Resch's Intuitive Eating.
Hey, fam. I wrote this song last night and got a chance to record it this morning. My voice has changed a lot because of my vocal cord injuries (self-inflicted--I extubated myself twice in the ICU). I'm definitely an alto now :) and I have been enjoying the personal side of relationship with Jesus recently. So, that is what this song is about. It's called "Jesus Tender" which IS NOT, in fact, a piece of chicken wrapped in Jesus. But I do enjoy a good poultry joke.
The words:
Jesus tender, you're my refuge
Jesus, my friend, you are my joy
Jesus, here, I'm secure
I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid
Jesus
And I sing for you're near me
And I cry, tears roll down my face in laughter
And I love your smile, bright as the sunrise
You are my one heart's desire, Jesus
You are enough for me
You are my joy
You never leave me
I am safe, safe here with you
Jesus
Peace,
~Amanda
Nicole and Amanda talk about how body changes have affected them over the years. Content warning: discussion of weight change and eating disorders. The discussion took place live on our Facebook page and you can watch here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=422077802097276
Music by The Many themanyarehere.com
Nicole and Amanda are back! This episode is the audio from our first Facebook Live event, which took place on our Fat & Faithful Facebook page (facebook.com/fatandfaithful). You can watch it here! We talk about our childhoods in larger bodies and how class and wealth affected us growing up. Our theme music is "These Bodies" by The Many. Check them out at themanyarehere.com.
Hear our conversation with our friend (and F&F transcriptionist!) Fayelle Ewuakye. Hire her! fayelle123@yahoo.com
Fat & Faithful: Learning to Love Our Bodies, Our Neighbors, and Ourselves by J. Nicole Morgan https://amzn.to/2oHi8oG #afflink
Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me by Amanda Martinez Beck https://amzn.to/2WH6hn5 #afflink
Become a patron: Patreon.com/fatandfaithful
Transcripts by Fayelle Ewuakye at jnicolemorgan.com/podcast
Theme song: "These Bodies" by The Many
Check out their This is My Body Liturgy at themanyarehere.com
Welcome to season 4!
Our books:
Fat & Faithful: Learning to Love Our Bodies, Our Neighbors, and Ourselves by J. Nicole Morgan https://amzn.to/2oHi8oG #afflink
Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me by Amanda Martinez Beck https://amzn.to/2WH6hn5 #afflink
Become a patron: Patreon.com/fatandfaithful
Transcripts by Fayelle Ewuakye at jnicolemorgan.com/podcast
Theme song: "These Bodies" by The Many
Check out their This is My Body Liturgy at themanyarehere.com
On the closer for season 3, Nicole and Amanda talk about the joy they experience as fat women, specifically about joy that is unique to fat bodies.
CONTENT WARNING: child abuse and death
Nicole and Amanda discuss the burden of grieving in a fat body and grieving for other bodies.
Mentioned in episode:
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire
Fat and Fertile group on Facebook by Nicola Salmon
Amanda interviews her fellow Catholic working mother JoAnna Wahlund, whose book comes out at the end of May.
Best line from JoAnna in this episode: "We need to change the concept of the male wombless body as being normative" [in the workplace].
Nicole and Amanda talk about how they have been brave lately and also how they still have things they are afraid of.
Amanda gets to talk with Nicola Salmon about fertility, bodies, and how stigma against fat people affects fertility issues.
You can find Nicola at these links:
facebook.com/groups/fattofertile
nicolasalmon.co.uk
instagram.com/fatpositivefertility
And you are always welcome at our All Bodies Are Good Bodies group on Facebook: facebook.com/groups/allbodiesaregoodbodies
In this episode, Nicole and Amanda talk about the new Hulu show Shrill, loosely based on the memoir of fat journalist Lindy West. Starring SNL's Aidy Bryant, Shrill tells the story of Annie, a fat woman finding herself for the first time.
TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode, Amanda & Nicole discuss their experiences with religious fasting. The conversation includes mentions of restriction, bingeing, and weight loss. Please know your limitations and feel free to skip a week of listening if that is safer for you!
Links to our books:
Fat & Faithful: Learning to Love Our Bodies, Our Neighbors, and Ourselves by J. Nicole Morgan (Fortress Press, 2018)
Lovely: How I learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me by Amanda Martinez Beck (Our Sunday Visitor, 2018)
Nicole and Amanda discuss 4 aspects to being an effective fat ally.
Thicc, Not Sick skit by Samantha Bee
Check out our books:
Fat & Faithful: Learning to Love Our Bodies, Our Neighbors, and Ourselves by J. Nicole Morgan
Lovely: How I Learned to Embrace the Body God Gave Me by Amanda Martinez Beck
Nicole chats with artist Kathryn Hack about her faith, her art, and her journey to embracing her body.
Make sure you're following Kathryn on Instagram: @kathrynhack
Nicole and Amanda talk about the phenomenon of fat erasure and how it has affected them as fat women.
How we have missed y'all! You know that life happens and things get away from you--well, in August, Nicole released her book (Fat & Faithful) and in December, Amanda's came out (Lovely), and the first episode of season 3 of the podcast got lost in the shuffle. So here it is, in all its belated glory! (We recorded in October, just fyi!) We have a great season planned for you, so make sure you subscribe, rate & review on iTunes and that you head over to Amazon to check out our books!
Theme music "Oak and Apple" by Wilder Adkins
Produced by Amanda Martinez Beck
Nicole and Amanda talk about the three most common myths that people believe about the fat acceptance/size-dignity movement.
Amanda has a conversation with registered dietitian and host of the Love, Food podcast, Julie Duffy Dillon, about intuitive eating. Julie's website is juliedillonrd.com and you can find her podcast wherever you get this one!
What is fitness virtue signaling? Nicole and Amanda talk about the difference between virtue signaling and bearing witness to life in a fat body.
Nicole and Amanda share listeners' experiences of being the fat kid, along with their own experiences. Also, they discuss childhood obesity campaigns and how they are problematic.
Links: Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign
Georgia's Strong4Life Campaign ads
Nicole and Amanda share listeners' experiences of being the fat kid, along with their own experiences. Also, they discuss childhood obesity campaigns and how they are problematic.
Links: Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign
Georgia's Strong4Life Campaign ads
"If only we loved our bodies as much as our children love our bodies."
Valerie Bojarski talks with Nicole about her experience as a fat pregnant woman and a fat mother.
Valerie's Reflection on Nicole's blog: https://jnicolemorgan.com/2017/07/05/a-mothers-body/
Sign up for the Fat & Faithful Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cXK1RL
Amanda talks with Celeste Smith about therapy, eating disorders, the myth of food addiction, and the need for Christians to be mindful of how we talk about food and bodies.
Resources:
Celeste Smith Therapy
Celeste Smith Therapy on Facebook
Marci Evans
Communities:
All Bodies Are Good Bodies Facebook Group
Fat Faith Facebook Group
Books: (these are affiliate links that support our podcast)
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
Health At Every Size by Dr. Linda Bacon
Body Kindness
Podcasts:
Food Psych
Food Peace
In part 1 of episode 2 of season 2, Nicole and Amanda talk about what gluttony actually is from a scriptural perspective.
Part 2 deals with an article that appeared in Kentucky Today about a pastor who lost a lot of weight, and they go nearly line-by-line to discuss the problems with the assumptions therein.
The poem we talk about: The Fat Joke by Rachel Wiley
The article on the Baptist pastor who lost weight: http://kentuckytoday.com/stories/half-the-man-he-used-to-be-kentucky-pastor-drops-240-pounds,12835
In part 1 of episode 2 of season 2, Nicole and Amanda talk about what gluttony actually is from a scriptural perspective.
Part 2 deals with an article that appeared in Kentucky Today about a pastor who lost a lot of weight, and they go nearly line-by-line to discuss the problems with the assumptions therein.
The poem we talk about: The Fat Joke by Rachel Wiley
The article on the Baptist pastor who lost weight: http://kentuckytoday.com/stories/half-the-man-he-used-to-be-kentucky-pastor-drops-240-pounds,12835
Nicole and Amanda talk travel as fat women as well as address the intersectionality of traveling while Middle Eastern and disabled.
There is room in the Gospel story for the care of bodies.
Spoken word by J. Nicole Morgan
Music by Zachary Beck
Amanda and Nicole share experiences they've had with doctors and specific ways they have learned to advocate for themselves.
In the episode, we mention Ragen Chastain's resources for doctor visits. You can find them here: https://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/what-to-say-at-the-doctors-office/.
Advent is a time in the weeks before Christmas to prepare ourselves for the coming of Jesus and the reality of the Incarnation--God taking on a body forever. If you need some help wrapping your heart and mind around the goodness of bodies, maybe this will help.
Prayer by Amanda Martinez Beck
"O Come, O Come, Immanuel" arranged and performed by Zachary Beck
Nicole and Amanda discuss the ramifications--political and personal--of fat shaming in our culture.
Amanda interviews author, baker, and scholar Kendall Vanderslice on the intersection of food, faith, and culture.
Follow Kendall on Twitter and Instagram (@kvslice for both) and be sure to buy her book when it comes out in Winter 2018/19! (You can read more about it here.)
Nicole and Amanda discuss their experience with fat shaming and the consequences of it, especially in the Church.
Check us out at the podcast website, on Facebook, and on Twitter. You can email us at fatandfaithful@gmail.com
and sign up for our monthly newsletter here.
J. Nicole Morgan and Amanda Martinez Beck talk fat fashion, modesty, and growing up in the conservative Christian purity culture as fat women.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and check out our website.
Nicole J. Morgan and Amanda Martinez Beck's first conversation about faith, politics, and culture as it relates to fatness. We give our backstories and tell how we got into fat acceptance and size dignity activism.
Fat acceptance activist J. Nicole Morgan and size-dignity activist Amanda Martinez Beck are launching the podcast Fat & Faithful in August.