Episode Details

Are you all for body positivity, as long as people stay healthy and don’t get too fat? Have you spent the last 3 to 45 years trying to lose 10 to 97 pounds? Welcome to fat liberation with Emma Lanza.

Emma Lanza is another crowd favourite in the Montréal storytelling community. Her stories dive into mental health and hypochondria, obsessions and crushes, body image and fat liberation, and her undying love for musical theatre, especially Stephen Sondheim. Recently, Emma has bestowed herself with the official certification of FAT BABE, and everyone agrees. She is committed to celebrating the beauty and power of fat bodies. And just when you think Emma couldn’t be any cooler, well, guess what? She launched a Fattie Book Club, a fat studies book club that she runs on Instagram. She is also a devoted cat and dog Mom to the adorable Scout and Oscar.

(Oscar the adorable white dog makes a few peeps during the first few minutes of the recording. Then we put him where all dogs belong­­–on my lap.)

Content Warning: Discussion of Weight Watchers, yo-yo dieting, binge eating disorder, and anti-fat issues. We do not mention specific numbers or calories. For more on eating disorder recovery, check out Erica’s 3-part essay Mammoth Complex.

Emma’s headshot Photo Credit: Thalie Photographe

Riveting Questions from Two Kindred Dorky Bombshells

Is there something about our neurodivergent brains that lead us to stay up all night making scrapbooks about our favourite celebrities?

What is it that is so delicious about having a crush? Is longing here to stay as our drug of choice?

How desolate is the online dating landscape? Is it possible to find a mid-life first queer love story? Can cis-het dudes be life enhancing?

What does a panic attack feel like? Is anxiety a habit? Can ADHD meds help?

Why don’t diets work? Why did Emma finally quit weight watchers? What is fat liberation and how can we sign up? What are some common anti-fat terms you might not even know are offensive?

Listener Question From “Too Ugly for a Fuck Buddy”

Our letter writer blames her appearance on the reason why she only seems to attract creeps on online dating. She’s close to tears and “just can’t anymore.” Erica and Emma can’t fix it­­­­–but we have thoughts.

Three cheers for Emma Lanza and her generous sharing. Big love to Oscar for the marvellous cuddle.

Follow Emma’s fat studies book club @fattiebookclub 

Check out Emma’s Confabulation stories:

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