GORDOFOFIA: What is it and how to fight it

The language is changing with the new times and now, every day we use words that either did not exist or were not used. For example, nomophobia (irrational fear of spending a period of time without a mobile phone), a term currently used and that 20 years ago was not in our vocabulary nor did we have any anticipation that it would be.

The dictionary is including new terms from other countries or related to new technologies and is eliminating others that fall into disuse for obvious reasons.

One of those terms that is unfortunately very fashionable, and I say unfortunately because it does not favor anyone, is gordofobia. In Psychology-Online we want to explain what is gordofobia and how to fight it.

Index

1. What is gordofobia?
2. How to fight gordofobia
3. Gordofobia and feminism

We can define the gordofobia As the rejection or revulsion towards people considered fat according to the current beauty canons of our society.

We see that although the term includes the suffix "phobia" it is quite far from phobias treated in psychology. Usually phobia refers to the irrational fear caused for example by a situation, for example the claustrophobia which is the fear of closed or limited spaces, an insect or animal (arachnophobia) or an object (chronometrophobia: fear of clocks). However, people who have gordofobia do not have a fear but disgust or contempt towards people considered fat, curvy or who do not have the physique that they consider appropriate in terms of excess weight or volume.

In relation to gordofobia, two groups have appeared:

• Those who comment on the overweight of those who consider fat, reject, ridicule and insult them.
• Those affected who, fed up with being treated with contempt, have decided to raise their voices and denounce this harassment. In addition to expressing how comfortable they feel with their physique.

In relation to the group that expresses it, it is a question of tolerance. We each have individual tastes and we cannot change or force them to like the same as we do. In what we can intervene is in education in values ​​and beliefs. Teach and encourage tolerance helps us to live together. In a tolerant society, no one is rejected for their ideas, their physique, their sex, their sexual identity, their origin or the way they dress.

Again, modifying irrational thoughts and replacing them with more rational ones will be the most effective treatment. In the case of gordofobia we will also focus on give the physical a proper importance and in relation to health and not to appearance. Since an excess of importance and concern for the physical could lead to self esteem issues, unsafety, depression or Eating disorder.

On the other hand, within the group that suffers the consequences of this fashion concept, there are two subgroups: those who do not feel comfortable with their physique and those who do. Whether they belong to one or another subgroup the rejection suffered is painful for them, they and for your loved ones. Both would benefit from psychological therapy.

In both groups the base will be work self-acceptance Y promote self-esteem. This will increase your confidence and self-assurance and the way in which third-party comments affect you. Complementing with rational emotional behavioral therapy (A-B-C / D-E) for the identification of irrational beliefs and the modification of harmful thoughts associated with those beliefs by other more rational and adaptive ones.

Society has imposed on women some ideals of beauty to which she has been subjected. Before we had to have white and cared skin, wear a corset, enhance some curves, then hide them... Today society in general (from the family to television) tells us that we must appear youthful, reduce our wrinkles as much as possible, have firm breasts, a flat stomach, be very thin and take care of ourselves to please others.

What we have not been taught at any time in history is to accept ourselves. To accept the passage of time and understand that wrinkles are nothing more than signs of having lived and felt. And so now thefeminism vindicates the real equality and freedom of women in all aspects including the physical. Fight because our body is ours and not for others. Because we feel comfortable with ourselves. For making people understand that beauty is not only in impossible bodies. For equal opportunities regardless of physique, sex or ideology.

Feminism is helping to show the real woman and eliminate the impositions that a predominantly macho society has perpetuated. And it is succeeding. You will find more information about feminism, its aims and principles in this article on What is being a feminist.

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to Gordofobia: what is it and how to fight it, we recommend that you enter our category of Social psychology.

• Piñeyro, M. (2019). 10 cries against gordofobia. Barcelona: Vergara