First-ever 'Fat Con' to hit Philadelphia: A convention to help fat people navigate 'this fatphobic world'

A fat person convention, also known as "Fat Con," will be the first of its kind hosted at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The October 2023 "fat-focused convention" told the Philadelphia Enquirer that the event will be better than just providing buzzwords like “body positivity” and “body neutrality.”

“We’re not into the buzzwords because we’ve seen how it affects and impacts people — it makes people feel either included or excluded,” said Adrienne Ray, who operates a plus-size clothing site.

The idea of the convention, according to operators, is to help fat people navigate “this fatphobic world and society in a different way.”

The convention will include fat-centric fitness classes, such as "Curves N' Stilettos" hosted by an alleged professional dancer. The class claims it encourages "true self expression" by "challenging the status quo."

Additionally, attendees can take part in "Twerk-lesque," a class focused on celebrating "jiggles, rolls, and culture." This stripping-inspired class is hosted by a burlesque instructor.

Panels will discuss topics such as fat fashion, social media influencing, and how to navigate "fatphobia."

“That phrase [body positivity] has become bogged down with relating to body image,” one of the organizers claimed. “What people in larger bodies need is to step away from constantly talking about body image, because that can be very triggering for folks who have disabilities, chronic illness, have been dieting on and off all their lives and developed eating disorders because of it.”

The idea for the convention spawned out of what was descried as the "largest plus-size clothing swap" in Philadelphia, which featured the founders' brands, which included a plus-size lingerie company.

Other draws include a "fat sex therapist" named "Sonalee Rashatwar (they/he)."

"They are a superfat queer bisexual non-binary therapist and co-founder of Radical Therapy Center, specialized in treating sexual trauma, diet trauma, racial or immigrant trauma, and South Asian family abuse, while offering fat positive sexual healthcare," the alleged therapist was described.

Not for the risk-taker, the event also provided a COVID-19 policy, which recommended getting a booster vaccine and taking a COVID test 48 hours prior to the event.

Organizers invited "fat Philadelphians" to attend to “connect with other people that look like you, think like you, feel like you, and that understand you."

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!