Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society Episode: The Dark History of BMI & Fatphobia
Host: Kate Lister
Guest: Amy Farrell
Release Date: February 18, 2025

Introduction to the Dark History of BMI and Fatphobia

In this compelling episode of Betwixt the Sheets, host Kate Lister delves deep into the intricate and troubling history of the Body Mass Index (BMI) and the pervasive culture of fatphobia. Joined by Amy Farrell, author of Fat Shame, Stigma, and the Fat Body in American Culture, the conversation unpacks how BMI became a standard health metric and examines its roots in discriminatory ideologies.

The Origins of BMI and Its Flawed Foundations

Amy Farrell begins by tracing the BMI's origins back to the 1830s in Belgium, introduced by mathematician Adolphe Quetelet. Farrell asserts that the BMI was not originally intended as a health indicator but rather as part of a broader, problematic effort to define the "perfect" human being based on physical proportions.

Amy Farrell [05:57]: "So the body mass index... it's your height and weight ratio is what it is... it actually was the invention of a mathematician in the 1830s in Belgium."

Farrell emphasizes that Quetelet’s BMI was rooted in a time when scientific racism was rampant. The metric was designed to reflect the idealized proportions of white European men, inadvertently excluding a vast array of body types and perpetuating a narrow standard of beauty and health.

BMI’s Connection to Scientific Racism and Eugenics

The discussion highlights how early proponents of BMI, such as Georges Cuvier and Cesare Lombroso, used pseudoscientific methods to rank human beings based on physical attributes, often correlating body size with moral and intellectual worth. Farrell discusses the case of Sarah Baartman and how her body was misused to justify racist and sexist theories.

Amy Farrell [12:53]: "We have a scientist by the name of Georges Cuvier... he was really talking about her fatness, too."

This historical context reveals how BMI and similar metrics were tools to enforce racial and gender hierarchies, categorizing non-white and non-male bodies as deviant or inferior.

The Perpetuation of Fatphobia in Modern Society

Kate Lister shares personal anecdotes about the stigma of being overweight, particularly during her adolescence, underscoring how fatphobia remains deeply embedded in societal norms. Amy Farrell echoes this sentiment, noting that fatness is still a primary reason for bullying among children today.

Kate Lister [08:21]: "Being fat was literally the worst thing that you could be. It was the worst insult."

Farrell explains that the BMI has continued to reinforce fatphobic ideologies by being misrepresented as a definitive measure of health, despite lacking empirical support linking it directly to health outcomes.

Amy Farrell [18:37]: "He's putting it there on the top and then everyone else is falling in below that."

The Intersection of BMI, Health, and Social Constructs

The conversation delves into how BMI's flawed premise affects perceptions of health, particularly for women and black women. Farrell points out that BMI does not account for factors such as muscle mass, bone density, and fat distribution, making it an unreliable indicator of an individual's health.

Amy Farrell [21:14]: "Women and it's black women in particular."

Kate Lister brings up the issue of age, highlighting how societal expectations devalue women as they age, associating weight gain with decreased femininity and worth.

Kate Lister [37:37]: "Fat is also about devaluing women as they age."

Feminism, Fat Activism, and the Battle Against Fatphobia

Amy Farrell discusses the dual movements within feminism—mainstream feminism, which has often upheld thinness as an ideal, and fat activism, which seeks to reclaim space and dignity for individuals of all body types. She highlights the role of black feminists and the "Fat Underground" movement in challenging fatphobic standards.

Amy Farrell [35:16]: "There were white feminists who were active in, like, the Fat underground... specifically, a movement of the fat underground."

The episode underscores how fat activism emerged as a direct response to the marginalization and stigmatization of fat individuals, advocating for body positivity and inclusivity.

The Future of BMI and the Ongoing Struggle Against Fatphobia

As the discussion draws to a close, Kate Lister and Amy Farrell ponder the future of BMI in a society increasingly aware of its limitations and biases. Farrell expresses skepticism about the BMI disappearing entirely, suggesting that new metrics may simply replace it without addressing the underlying fatphobic ideologies.

Amy Farrell [48:07]: "It's about mapping our individual bodies, and somehow our individual body needs to be then treated and targeted as opposed to..."

The conversation concludes with a call to rethink societal definitions of health, moving beyond simplistic and discriminatory metrics like BMI to embrace a more holistic and inclusive understanding of wellness.

Notable Quotes

• Amy Farrell [05:57]: "It's something that can work out how healthy someone is just by looking at how tall they are and how much they weigh is... kind of bonkers."

• Kate Lister [18:36]: "Every time I've been to the doctor and I've been told that my BMI is in the very obese category, really what I'm being told is I don't have the physique of a 19th century Belgian male teenager."

• Amy Farrell [25:34]: "The war on fat is really a war on fat people. It's about a desire to eradicate the existence of fat people."

Conclusion

This episode of Betwixt the Sheets offers a thorough and critical examination of BMI and its roots in historical prejudices. Through an engaging dialogue with Amy Farrell, Kate Lister illuminates how BMI has been used to perpetuate fatphobia and marginalize certain groups, emphasizing the need for more nuanced and equitable measures of health.

For those intrigued by the historical and societal implications of BMI and fatphobia, this episode provides a thought-provoking perspective that challenges commonly held beliefs about body size and health.

Further Exploration:
Listeners are encouraged to explore Amy Farrell's work, including her book Fat Shame, Stigma, and the Fat Body in American Culture, and her upcoming publication Intrepid: The Complicated History of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

This episode was edited by Tom Delaghi and produced by Stuart Beckwith, with senior production by Charlotte Long.