The Fat Body (In)Visible

Director Margitte Kristjansson focuses on a pair of 25-year-old San Diego women who have learned to embrace their plus size. Both find that fashion helps. "When you look good," says Keena, "you feel good." As bookends to the interview segments, Kristjansson presents a series of tasteful photographs in which various women pose nude. Keena and Jessica—who met through an online forum—write about fat fashion and politics. Unlike many plus-sized women, the pair avoid shapeless or matronly garments in favor of body-hugging outfits. Keena explains, "I didn't want to wear baggy clothes to hide myself," although Jessica believes that her confident manner challenges some people. Neither understands why strangers would have a problem with their shape, yet both are occasionally the targets of critical comments when they're out in public. Jessica recalls that her mother used to introduce her to people as "my fat daughter" or "my fluffy daughter." She tried a personal trainer and several diets—including Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig—but nothing worked, so after leaving home she gave it all up. Keena, who also blogs about African-American issues, enjoyed greater acceptance within her family, and says she's never really dieted (noting that she still feels invisible sometimes and at other times "hyper-visible"). Aside from her blogging, she expresses her feelings through the clothes she sews and crochets (and her painting), but the tears fall freely when she talks about a humiliating experience with an airline that pressured her to pay double for two seats. For the most part, however, The Fat Body (In)Visible encourages women of all sizes to live life on their own terms. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)