In this rerun of episode 42 hosts Dana, Sirius, and Hilary welcome fat activist and researcher Ragen Chastain, author of the Weight and Healthcare Substack and founder of the Dances With Fat blog onto the podcast. Ragen discusses her entry into fat civil rights and healthcare advocacy and describes focusing her work on intersections of weight science, weight stigma, and healthcare practice, arguing that the weight-loss industry and drug companies manipulate healthcare and media with “science” marketing. She outlines how she evaluates studies (funding, conflicts of interest, methodology, dosing, outcomes, and comparisons to existing treatments), critiques GLP-1 claims and secondary-indication narratives, and emphasizes bodily autonomy, collective harm from anti-fat bias, and the necessity of ethical informed consent, including risks, limited long-term outcomes, and denial-of-care pressures.

RESOURCES

Weight & Healthcare Substack Newsletter by Ragen Chastain
Prediabetes: Dubious Diagnosis
Novo Nordisk Report: Building the Market from Scratch (see page 30)

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In this rerun of episode 36 hosts Dana, Sirius and Hilary discuss the importance of 'body stories,' defined as the narratives of living in one's own body, often shaped by cultural perceptions and lived experiences. The episode underscores the significance of these stories in body trust work, explaining how understanding them helps externalize self-blame, shame, and anger, ultimately contributing to healing and empowerment. They also touch on how oppressive systems impact body stories and suggest various ways to explore and reclaim these narratives. Additionally, upcoming events like the Body Story workshop and a GLP-1 webinar are highlighted. The episode features excerpts from body stories shared by members of their community, further illustrating the transformative power of this practice.

RESOURCES

Explore Your Body Story online workshop: January 31, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST

Annual Webinar on GLP1 Medications: February 6, 2026 from 10 a.m. to noon PST

Reclaiming Body Trust book (Chapter 2 on body stories)

A Letter from My Body by Sirius Bonner

Read some body stories on our blog here

Body story prompts

Men Unscripted Podcast

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In this rerun of episode 32 hosts Sirius, Dana, and Hilary delve into the topic of beauty through the lens of body trust, following a reflection on their recent menopause summit. They discuss the profound impact of the summit, how it broadened conversations around menopause beyond medicalization to include power, bodies, and gender. Transitioning to the podcast's main topic, they critique western beauty standards, the commercial and cultural forces behind them, and the societal implications, including gender norms and eugenics. They also explore the coping mechanisms people employ, such as shapewear and skincare, and discuss the deep-seated desire for desirability and safety, especially amongst younger generations. Along the way, they touch on regional differences, the impact of economic shifts on beauty norms, and the concept of the 'new chill girl' in current gender dynamics.

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Looking for Body Trust training? Our Groundwork training starts the day you purchase it. Learn more here.

For more on all of our offerings, click here.

RESOURCES

The Menopause Summit by Center for Body Trust

As boys shift to the right, we are seeing the rise of the “new chill girl”

Reclaim Ugly - Vanessa Rochelle Lewis

The MAGA Beauty Esthetic Tells the Story of America Today

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