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Virgie Tovar

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Virgie Tovar
Tovar at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival
Born (1982-05-19) May 19, 1982 (age 42)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Author and podcaster
Years active2012–present
Websitewww.virgietovar.com

Virgie Tovar, (born May 19, 1982) is an American author, lecturer and weight-based discrimination speaker. She writes about fat acceptance, anti-fat bias, and diet culture.[1] She was the host of The Virgie Show on CBS Radio[2][3] and the podcast, Rebel Eaters Club (produced by Transmitter Media).[4]

Early life and education

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Tovar is of Mexican descent.[5][better source needed] She has struggled with weight issues since childhood.[6] In middle school she struggled with an eating disorder.[6]

Tovar received her bachelor's degree in political science from University of California, Berkeley in 2005[7][2] and her Master of Arts in Human Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University.[7][3]

Career

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In 2013 Tovar criticized the American Medical Association for classifying obesity as a disease.[8] She began the #LoseHateNotWeight campaign to highlight the impacts of diet culture and educate people about the importance of ending weight-based discrimination.[6] Tovar has advocated for legal protection against weight discrimination.[9] Tovar has been accused of downplaying the negative effects of obesity.[10][better source needed][11][12]

Tovar is an ongoing contributor for Forbes.[13] and has authored several books and articles. In 2014, Tovar appeared in the documentary Fattitude.[14][15] She has been profiled in the New York Times[16] and the San Francisco Chronicle[17] and has appeared on NPR[18] and BBC Mundo.[19] Tovar was also the host of the Webby Award-nominated podcast, Rebel Eaters Club, produced by Transmitter Media for three seasons.[17][20]

Tovar has received Yale's Poynter Fellowship in Journalism,[21] the Anne G. Locascio Memorial Scholarship from the Mendocino Coast Writers Conference,[22] the Inspire Award from Project HEAL,[23] and three individual artist commissions from the San Francisco Arts Commission.[24]

In December 2024, Tovar was hired for six months as a consultant on "weight stigma and weight neutrality" by the San Francisco Department of Public Health.[1]

Works

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Books

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  • Hot & Heavy: Fierce Fat Girls on Life, Love & Fashion. Seattle, WA: Seal Press. 2012. ISBN 978-1-58005-469-0. OCLC 818110486. Partial preview at Google Books.
  • You Have the Right to Remain Fat. New York, NY: Feminist Press. 2018. ISBN 978-1-936932-32-0. OCLC 1010588354. Partial preview at Google Books.
  • The Self-Love Revolution: Radical Body Positivity for Girls of Color. Oakland, CA: Instant Help Books, an imprint of New Harbinger Publications, Inc. 2020. ISBN 978-1-68403-412-3. OCLC 1153151114. Partial preview at Google Books.

Articles

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ho, Catherine (December 19, 2024). "S.F. taps 'body positivity' expert to work with public health department on reducing weight stigma". San Francisco Chronicle.
  2. ^ a b Seligman, Katherine (January 6, 2022). "Campaign for Fat Acceptance: Big Girls Do Cry, but They Grow Up and Fight Back". Cal Alumni Association. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  3. ^ a b "TEDxSoMa". TED. June 14, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  4. ^ "Rebel Eaters Club". Transmitter Media. May 17, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  5. ^ Tovar, Virgie (May 5, 2023). "The 'Thin Is In' Narrative Is Especially Harmful to People of Color". SELF. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Garfield, Leanna (April 4, 2016). "These Instagrams by fat activists are changing how we think about dieting". Business Insider.
  7. ^ a b Johnson, Sydney (August 9, 2016). "Fatspirational Author: Virgie Tovar". East Bay Express. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  8. ^ Brown, Kristen V. (June 26, 2013). "Debate grows over whether obesity is a disease". SFGATE.
  9. ^ "NYC could outlaw weight discrimination in housing, workplace: Activist explains what it could mean". www.wbur.org. April 24, 2023.
  10. ^ Ellis, Lauren; Cameron, Noël; Norris, Helen (September 5, 2018). "Letters". the Guardian. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  11. ^ Pluckrose, Helen (November 28, 2019). "Weight loss isn't genocide: Fat Activism risks lives". The Critic Magazine. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  12. ^ "Beverley Turner's Fiery Row With Activist For Staying Fat". LBC. September 9, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  13. ^ "Virgie Tovar". Forbes. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  14. ^ Shammas, Brittany (July 30, 2014). "Fattitude: Upcoming documentary aimed at promoting acceptance". articles.sun-sentinel.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  15. ^ Bahadur, Nina (April 25, 2014). "This Documentary Will Stop You From Making Fat People The Butt Of Your Jokes". HuffPost. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  16. ^ North, Anna (October 3, 2014). "Shamed, Flamed, Harassed: What It's Like To Be Called Fat Online". Op-Talk. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  17. ^ a b Phillips, Soleil; Ho, Justin (November 16, 2020). "Podcast: Virgie Tovar, host of the Rebel Eater Podcast, breaks up with diet culture". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  18. ^ Tagle, Andee; Schneider, Clare Marie (January 4, 2022). "Diet culture is everywhere. Here's how to fight it : Life Kit". NPR. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  19. ^ Díez, Beatriz (May 22, 2019). "Virgie Tovar, la activista que reivindica la diversidad corporal: 'Nadie me dijo nunca que podía ser gorda y feliz'" [Virgie Tovar, the activist who advocates for body diversity: "Nobody ever told me I could be fat and happy"]. BBC News Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved January 16, 2025.
  20. ^ "NEW Webby Gallery + Index". NEW Webby Gallery + Index. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  21. ^ "Author Virgie Tovar to discuss 'Diet Culture, Fatphobia & the New Sexism'". Yale News. March 26, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  22. ^ "Scholarship Winners Announced!". MCWC. April 21, 2023. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  23. ^ Thapliyal, Oshika (December 19, 2024). "Who is Virgie Tovar? San Francisco hires 'body positivity' expert to consult on 'weight stigma and neutrality'". MSN. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
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