This post contains affiliate links.
This month’s selection for RWR Book Club Fearing the Black Body by Sabrina Strings

Summary

This academic yet accessible book lays bare the racist origins of fatphobia. Sabrina Strings takes readers through centuries of art, religion, science, and culture to expose how anti-fatness was used to reinforce anti-Blackness, long before modern diet culture.

It’s essential reading for anyone serious about dismantling systemic body oppression.

This Book Is Great If You…

• Want to understand the racial history behind fatphobia
• Are looking for a well-researched, challenging read
• Believe that liberation requires unlearning deep societal myths

Need a Copy?

Click here to grab your copy on Amazon

Why I Chose This Book

Understanding where fatphobia comes from changes everything. This book doesn’t just talk about beauty standards, it talks about white supremacy, power, and control. It’s a critical perspective in our book club, especially if you’re doing deeper anti-racism work alongside body liberation.

Suggested 4-Week Reading Plan

Week 1: Intro + Chapters 1–2
Week 2: Chapters 3–4
Week 3: Chapters 5–6
Week 4: Chapters 7–Conclusion

Journal Prompts

1. What surprised you most in the history shared in this book?
2. How has your understanding of fatphobia shifted?
3. What systems do you notice around you that uphold this bias?
4. How can you practice anti-racist body liberation?

FAQ

Q: Is this book academic or personal?
A: It’s academic but written in a way that’s accessible to general readers.

Q: Do I need a background in anti-racism to understand it?
A: No, but it will likely deepen your current learning if you’re engaged in that work.
You might want to also read How to Be an Antiracist(One World Essentials)  by Ibram X. Kendi 

Keywords: racial origins of fatphobia, fatphobia and white supremacy, body justice, book club Fearing the Black Body