Media Empathy Foundation

The Media Empathy Foundation is proud to present our new 30-minute webinar on Weight Stigma in Popular Media, featuring Dr. Rebecca Puhl, Deputy Director for the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health at UConn; Patty Nece, J.D., past Chair of the Obesity Action Coalition and consultant to The Whale; and moderator Bruce Littlefield, bestselling author and Good Morning America lifestyle contributor. Please click the link below to watch on our website.

Weight stigma is a critical issue that persists in our society with often unintentional but harmful stereotypes that marginalize people of higher body weight. This discussion explains the problem, differentiates between portrayals that inspire empathy and those that are often subtly stigmatizing, and offers some suggestions to challenge the norms and encourage more inclusive and compassionate representation of people of all body sizes.

We look forward to announcing our upcoming Q4 2023 panel event in NYC, where we will discuss groundbreaking study results on how individuals of higher body weight perceive stereotypes and narratives across various media platforms.

Fighting Disease-Related Stigma - Media Empathy Foundation A nonprofit organization fostering a culture of empathy and support for people struggling to overcome health and disease-related stigma.

Research clearly shows the physical and mental health benefits of providing safe and accessible spaces where children can unleash their creativity, stay active, and simply be kids. Let’s come together to build a future where all children can enjoy the freedom of play without judgment.

Kids Need More Places to Play, Not Fat Shaming We should pay less attention to children’s weight and more to their overall health by encouraging outdoor play

These innovative companies are redefining the travel experience for all bodies and creating a more inclusive world. Check out this inspiring article from The New York Times!

New Tours Mean No More FOMO for Plus-Size Travelers Five companies dedicated to size-inclusive travel aim to bring community and reassurance to people in bigger bodies.

The American Medical Association has adopted a new policy that addresses the limitations of using body mass index (BMI) as a measure in clinical settings.

"[T]he new policy supports AMA in educating physicians on the issues with BMI and alternative measures for diagnosing obesity." Check out their full statement below on the new guidelines for doctors to take a more comprehensive view of health indicators.

AMA adopts new policy clarifying role of BMI as a measure in medicine Policy aimed at clarifying how body mass index (BMI) can be used as a measure in medicine.

New York City recently passed legislation that prohibits weight discrimination in the workplace, as well as in housing and accommodations like public transport.

“In most places in the United States, it’s legal to discriminate against someone because of their body size,” Rebecca Puhl, PhD, professor and director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health at the University of Connecticut, told Health. “[This law] is really important because it may serve as building momentum for other states and cities to do the same.”

Experts agree that these kinds of laws are helpful in reducing weight stigma, but more work is needed to change unconscious biases and opinions that perpetuate size-based discrimination in this country.

Read more here from Julia Landwehr.
https://www.health.com/weight-discrimination-bill-7507916

What New York’s New Weight Discrimination Bill Means for Weight Stigma Certain areas of the United States have implemented legislation against discrimination based on someone’s height or weight—New York City is the most recent to do so. This means people will no longer be denied employment, housing, or public accommodations because of their size.

We had the great privilege of attending the NY premiere of A24's last night. We were deeply moved by the extraordinary and powerful performances of the stellar cast. A !

In USA Today's 6-part series on America's Obesity Epidemic, leading obesity medicine physician-scientist, Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, sheds light on the harmful effects of the shame and blame associated with obesity on the patient experience: "We treat them as if we obviously don't care because obesity must be their fault."

To hear her perspective on weight stigma and the role of media, watch our Spotlight on Weight Stigma Panel Discussion at https://vimeo.com/733204510 and a soundbite of her interview on the topic below: https://vimeo.com/733249827

Media Empathy Foundation's Spotlight on Weight Stigma - Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford: Change in Media is Long Overdue Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, outlines her three key takeaways from the Spotlight on Weight Stigma panel discussion. For…

USA Today just released its 6-part series on America's Obesity Epidemic by Karen Weintraub. In part 2, she highlights the damaging impact of weight stigma, citing the world's expert on weight stigma and bias, Dr. Rebecca Puhl (UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health) and obesity expert, Ted Kyle (conscienhealth.org). As both have made clear, the stigmatizing portrayal of people with a higher body weight in media is particularly damaging and needs to end. The Media Empathy Foundation is working with media to do just that: to stop the blame and shame and to start treating people of all sizes with dignity and respect.

Watch Dr. Puhl's presentation on weight stigma and its harm from our Spotlight on Weight Stigma panel discussion here: https://vimeo.com/733222111

For more on our Spotlight on Weight Stigma initiative, visit www.weightstigma.org.

Media Empathy Foundation's Spotlight on Weight Stigma - Dr. Rebecca Puhl: An Overview of Weight Stigma and its Harm In this 10-minute presentation, Dr. Rebecca Puhl, Deputy Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Health, defines weight stigma and outlines the harmful…

We are so excited to be launching our Spotlight Series with a first of its kind solutions-driven panel on weight stigma in popular culture! Stay tuned tuned for more!

Thank you to Novo Nordisk Inc and our panelists for making this come to life! Visit our website to find out more about our Spotlight on Weight Stigma initiative www.weightstigma.org

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-report-by-media-empathy-foundation-reveals-disparaging-weight-stigma-across-all-popular-media-channels-301574662.html

NEW REPORT BY MEDIA EMPATHY FOUNDATION REVEALS DISPARAGING WEIGHT STIGMA ACROSS ALL POPULAR MEDIA CHANNELS Deborah Roberts (ABC News Producer), Mike Paseornek (Founder, Lionsgate Motion Picture Production), David Sloan (Senior Executive Producer ABC Primetime), Jeff...

We are so proud to be partnering with the “It’s Bigger Than Me” Movement and its spokesperson Queen Latifah to break down societal barriers, debunk misconceptions and remove stigmas surrounding weight and body image. It's well documented that stigma and bias are barriers to care in many disease states but there is none greater than obesity. This movement creates a safe space for people to connect, reflect and inspire change through open, respectful dialogue that never shames. Let’s change the conversation together. Join the It’s Bigger Than Me Movement by visiting https://ItsBiggerThan.com and sharing your own story using .