Brittany Gibbons is back and better than ever. The plus-size blogger, known for daring acts of courage that range from her viral bikini photos to her moving TEDxTalks striptease, has just released her first book entitled Fat Girl Walking. Inside, you’ll find a collection of honest, touching and hilarious stories about the issues Brittany has faced as a daughter, wife and mother in regards to her weight. We caught up with the author to talk “fat shaming,” body acceptance and what’s in store for book number two.
theFashionSpot: How did Fat Girl Walking come about?
Brittany Gibbons: I started out as a blogger and I always wanted to write a book. One of my posts went viral — the post I wrote about having sex every day for one year. I was approached shortly after that and it’s been a great experience.
tFS: Even though you’re a blogger, was it difficult to sit down and write a book?
BG: It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I actually googled “how to write a book.” A blog post is about 800 words and one chapter is 3,000 words. It’s daunting.
tFS: You wrote in the book that if someone says you’re “fat shaming” and your response is “am not,” you probably are. In what ways do people body shame that they don’t even realize?
BG: If you’re plus-size, you see a lot of shaming tied to health. People will comment about your weight and often say, “I’m just concerned about your health.” But it’s ridiculous because I’m very healthy. It really comes down to them not liking what I look like. I really hate the health excuse.
tFS: If Fat Girl Walking was turned into a movie, who would play you on the big screen?
BG: I’m such a fan of Rebel Wilson. And I love Aidy Bryant, who’s an actress on Saturday Night Live. But I just have one request — that whoever plays me will never be an actress wearing a fat suit.
tFS: Models like Stefania Ferrario have advocated for dropping the term “plus-size.” What do you think about that?
BG: I hate making any of these words derogatory because at the end of the day it’s going to be prevalent, especially in terms of fashion. Attaching a negative stigma to those words and making them something we whisper about is dangerous.
tFS: We noticed that people often like to call you a “body image advocate” instead of using the word feminist.
BG: This is 100 percent a women’s movement. I don’t know why we’re all the sudden calling it “body image advocates.” Body shaming happens to women of all shapes and sizes. Separating it only further instigates this weird war we’re at with each other.
