Necessary, timely, and liberating. Manfredi has curated a phenomenal selection of fat creators. This would have been a revolutionary read for middle school/high school me and I look forward to putting it in young hands at the library now.

We need more stories like this, talking about body image and fatness with young people, so that more young people can learn tools to love their bodies and feel seen in the world. This collection of holds some powerful stories from a diverse group of writers that can help young people to feel less alone and more understood in their world, which is one of the most powerful things that teens and young people need. I would definitely recommend this book for others to read and buy a copy for my library.

Let me preface my review by saying that as a fat queer woman, I am over the moon that this anthology exists. Fatness is a topic that I haven't seen discussed much, and it is amazing that there is an anthology for teens about fat positivity that includes many amazing authors. 

However, I found it a frustrating read. I would say 80% of the essays were extremely repetitive. While the messages of these essays were great - they were all about self love and fat positivity - I think that there were a lot of different areas that these essays could have explored. I didn't personally think that there was a need to have four different essays all about fat fashion, or middle-school shame. Yes, these are great topics, and many people have similar experiences, but it got to the point where I was bored by these particular themes. My ARC also didn't have any of the art, which I would have liked to have seen. 

However, I still wholeheartedly recommend this book, as I understand that I am older than the target demographic and there is a real lack of books that talk about fat activism and body positivity, especially for teens. The book should also be commended for the diversity of its authors, which included nonbinary people, people of colour, aromantic and asexual people, and Indigenous people. I personally loved 'Fatness & Horror: The Match Made in Not Heaven' by Hillary Monahan, 'For the Love of Ursula’s Revenge Body' by Julie Murphy, and all of the poems by Miguel M. Morales as these went further than many of the other pieces, and far less repetitive. 

So, even though I wasn't totally in love with the anthology, I still have to give it 5 stars, as it is so important. I might also be buying myself a copy, simply to further support the authors.

The (Other) F Word: A Celebration of the Fat and the Fierce is an anthology of body-positive essays, art, and poems-- although mostly essays. Manfredi has collected works by a variety of fiercely fat individuals: models, bloggers, authors, creators, and more. There are a number of essays written to the author's younger self about how to find confidence and acceptance; a handful that cover how to be fat /and/ xyz (queer, POC, etc.); and so on. Some of the essays feel repetitive, but different aspect of the creator's soul-baring will speak to different readers.

This book is mostly for those individuals who are fat and secondarily for those who need to overcome fatphobia.

The Other F Word is an incredibly diverse and powerful anthology of short stories celebrating fatness, queerness, and self-love. This is a book that I wish I had as an awkward chubby teenager to lift me up and teach me I am so much more than just my body. This collection is filled with short stories, poems, art, and fashion advice from authors ranging from NYT bestsellers to indie newcomers! Some of the pieces came off as self-promoting or more capitalistic but overall it was an incredibly empowering book! I am excited for the release date as I will definitely be suggesting this for my library's collection.

A much-needed book in the YA nonfiction genre that will appeal to young people who are frankly tired of being told they should hate their body. Told via memoir-vignettes, poems, essays, and visual art,  it takes a multi-voice approach to celebrating the miracle of the human body regardless of how much space it takes up or what shape it forms.

I would have liked to see more on the way body image is often weaponized against people of color (women in particular), or perhaps a discussion of body currency and the connection between fatness and loss of economic opportunity. It is also briefly mentions the Health At Every Size movement. More information would have better rounded the book, but at least it gives the reader something to research further.

(review does not include the book's visual art, which was not available in the ARC I received.)

I enjoyed this anthology very much.  Body positive books are on the rise and the voices in this speak to that well. I’m really glad there is such a diverse group represented as well.

I think that, like Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World, this is an important and necessary resource for young people today. The essays are written with heart and direction, in a way that is quite personal. I certainly appreciated the care that was taken to include a wide variety of voices - not every voice, but many types of people, including those who are often overlooked.

I think I was a little disappointed, however, by the somewhat repetitive nature of the material. Obviously everyone is writing their own experience, which can be similar to others' in many ways, and they are writing by themselves, without consultation to avoid overlap. But there are only so many pieces you can read about how allowing yourself to feel sexy regardless of size, or about how difficult but rewarding it can be to find clothing that expresses you the way you want to before you're wishing someone would take a new angle. The voices might be diverse, but a lot of it fell into the same sort of patterns.

This did not feel like a teen anthology at all, but rather something aimed at adults in their early twenties who had a rough go of it as fat teens. There is a lot of sizeism here (evidently people who are size 14 are not fat enough (who decides that???)) and some of the poetry was meh. I disliked the illustrations. Are the purple people supposed to be POC?

This anthology does a phenomenal job of bringing together authors from diverse backgrounds to address a singular topic. The resulting book is an excellent mix of body-positive stories from a wide range of perspectives. The mix of prose, poetry, and illustrations are fantastic. Highly recommended.

I love this book! Being in a society that fat-shames, it's hard for everyone and anyone to feel at peace in their own skin. I think this anthology could not possibly come at a better time, and should be read by teens and adults alike. I usually tend to skim anthologies, but I read and absorbed every page. I know my patrons will love this one, so I'll be ordering several copies. Thank you!!

This is a great, important, raw, real book. I loved every poem, essay, and illustration that was in this book. I usually tend to skim through anthologies like this, picking out titles that sound interesting and writers that I've heard of, but I had no desire to skim over or skip any of these entries. This is a great book for teenagers, but it's also a great book for adults. I particularly loved the poems and illustrations. I also loved the letters to past selves. 
I look forward to recommending this book to people.

The (Other) F Word takes on modern fatness with an intersectional eye and a spirit of joyful defiance.

I’m so happy this book exists. I’m only sad that it took so long.

Editor Angie Manfredi deserves credit for her careful selection of topics and contributors. This anthology includes a wide range of perspectives with a thoughtful, intersectional approach. Not only does it include essays that speak specifically to the male fat experience (still hard to find in fat activism) but most of the essays discuss the ways that fatness intersects with identities along other axes of race, sexual orientation and gender identity, class and upbringing, and more.

Considering the number of contributors, The Other F Word is quite an easy read. Longer, denser essays are spread out and buffered by shorter pieces, poetry, and a number of illustrations.

While the anthology necessarily tackles tough subject matter, including frank discussion of bullying, discrimination, and shaming directed towards fat people, it always comes back to a bracing, hopeful tone. Even when discussing internalized hate, the contributors come from an angle of growth and resilience.

The anthology’s greatest weakness is its uncertainty about its own audience. The contributors seem to agree that they’re writing for fat readers, but that’s about all they agree on. The description calls the book “crossover YA,” which sums it up pretty well if “crossover YA” means “we want to call this YA, but aren’t sure we actually want to be YA.” Some contributors, like S. Qiouyi Lu, Miguel M. Morales, and of course Julie Murphy, very effectively write towards a teen audience. Others seem to write for an adult audience, one with a great deal of life experience and fluency in online social justice terminology. A few don’t seem to have any idea who they’re writing for.

On that note, be aware that this is a very, very mixed bag. A good handful of pieces were poorly-written, meandering essays that felt like half-hearted twitter rants. It was frustrating to see those articles next to such thoughtful, personal works. Hopefully, those weak links will get some editorial TLC before publication.

(Full review planned for publication September 2. Will include reviews of selected essays.)

A stellar collection of essays, poems, prose poems, cartoons, memoirs, and other work on being fat and learning to love your body. I wish I’d had this book around when I was 12 and at the beginning of being continually fat-shamed by my family. The diversity of viewpoints, including men’s, women’s, and enby voices, queer, IPOC, ace, ace, aro, and others is fantastic and much-needed. In addition r the writings in the book, it offers links to shops, blogs, Twitter accounts, and more that are helpful for and supportive of fat people. Give this to fat kids and their parents. Give it to your fat friends and your not-fat friends. Let it help you teach folx that fat is not something to be ashamed of, that fat people deserve the same expect as thinner folx, and that being fat doesn’t mean you have to be unhappy or limited in what you do.

I'm so grateful that I live in a time that there are many books about the fat experience being published! Awesome!

Most of this book did exactly what it was trying to do. There were a few of the stories that were more self promotion and trying to sell their book/blog/etc. but overall, this was very powerful and empowering. I loved the LGBTQ+ representation of the authors in this anthology. A very enjoyable read.

I LOVED this book and so wish that it had existed when I was an awkward, fat teen! There's such a great range of essays, poems, and art (in the digital ARC I had some of the art was still TK but what's in here is already great). I love how intersectional it is and how hopeful, helpful, and angry it is. Both affirming and eye-opening. I F-ing love it.

I am so glad this book exists and is aimed at fat teenagers in particular. My favourite essays were by Alex Gino, Amy Spalding, and Lily Andersen. Really great!

I'm so glad I read this book. It's incredibly diverse, examining the fat experiences of people of different races, genders, abilities, and sexualities. I think anyone reading this will learn at least one thing about the world and one thing about themselves. I hope fat people reading this can figure out the next step to loving themselves, and societally conventionally sized people can learn to be more compassionate and be an ally to the fat community. 

I also thought it was cute how a lot of the authors in this anthology cited each other as inspirations.

p.s. all the pieces written by miguel m morales were beautiful and amazing and i loved them so much!

I have a lot of time on my hands, so I did little reviews for each piece written in this book. I added content warnings to some of them, but only for the ones that really impacted me. If I missed important warnings I'm sorry.

Body Sovereignty: This Fat Trans Flesh is Mine by Alex Gino
A strong start to the anthologie that explains the importance of doing what you want with your body, not what others want you to do. The intersectionality of fat and trans is something I think more people need to know about. Creating awareness that there can be difficulties transitioning due to doctor prejudices against fatness is really important, but also knowing that that fat body is yours and you deserve to love it and do what you want with it is really powerful.

Chubby City Indian by Jana Schmieding
A beautiful essay on how surrounding yourself with your culture and people like you can help you shine and how european beauty standards are bullshit.

How to Be the Star of Your Own Fat Rom-Com by Lily Anderson
This was a fun and empowering step-by-step on being the main character in your own life and navigating the world of romance. After every step was a trope to avoid pertaining to the step. For example, Step 3 involves surrounding yourself with friends and family and the trope to avoid is The Frenemy.

The Story of My Body by Renée Watson
A poem about the author’s “fat, black, girl body” and how much it has experienced in life.
cw: mention of sexual assault

Brighter Than Starlight by Jiji Knight
Super cute illustration of a fat girl with a little blurb about the artists influence.

A Body Like Mine by Mason Deaver
Nonbinary author Mason Deaver laments the exclusivity of the fashion industry and what it’s like to be a fat clothes shopper. They also talk about how things are changing and suggests ways to help the change progress.

Fat, And by S. Qiouyi Lu
This piece talks about identity and how people often label themselves or others as fat without looking any further into who the person is. It stresses that fat is one aspect of oneself but people are so complex and multifaceted that it isn’t the only aspect or identity they have.

Write Something Fat by Sarah Hollowell
Sarah Hollowell writes a letter to her past self encouraging her to write fat characters and telling her she is capable of living any life she wants and she can do it while fat. This was really sweet to read.

7 Things I Would Tell Eleven-year-old Me by David Bowles
I loved this so much with my whole heart. David Bowles talks to his past self with so much love and compassion. It’s beautiful.
cw: mentions of an eating disorder

Black, Fat, Fem: The Weight of a Queen by Jonathan P. Higgins, ED.D.
I was a little confused by this one but I believe the author is speaking to the reader? Basically a reiteration of all the other contributors thus far about embracing your fatness and accepting yourself.

The 5 Things You Need to Start Your Own Rad Fat Babe Revolution (from Someone Who Knows) by Virgie Tovar
A fun guide that demonstrates how fat people are capable of having loud, joyful, glamorous, and loving lives, without losing weight.

I Wear What I Want ’Cause I Want To by P.S. Kaguya
A lovely message about finding confidence and loving yourself. I liked the way this was written in a tone that really encouraged the reader to find self-love. It was like “Hey! This sounds possible!”

Fatness & Horror: The Match Made in Not Heaven by Hillary Monahan
This explores the inequality and disrespect of fat characters in horrorー especially comedic horror. The message was super important but there were some graphic examples of horror that made me really uncomfortable. If you’re like me and don’t have the stomach for horror, maybe skip this one or just proceed with caution.
cw: graphic death and violence

A Poem That’s About Nature and Fatness by Miguel M. Morales
I love a good nature comparison and this poem delivers perfection. It talks about how people don’t judge trees and flowers, etc. and so fat bodies shouldn’t be judged either because both are natural and beautiful.

For the Love of Ursula’s Revenge Body by Julie Murphy 
I actually really liked this essay. Murphy’s complicated feelings towards Disney’s Ursula and ultimately finding her an empowering figure was really interesting. Also, the fact that Ursula was inspired by a drag queen has always been one of my favourite facts, so, shout out to Julie Murphy for letting the world know!

Fat Prom by Shelby Bergen
Another illustration. This one depicts a multitude of fat teens dancing at a prom. It’s fun and has a lot of energy. The artist briefly talks about being a fat artist and giving herself and others fat people in drawings that are out in the world having an awesome time.

Fat and Thriving by Isabel Quintero
This one went a little over my head, but I believe it had the continuous message of this anthology of loving yourself and owning your beautiful fat body

Can’t Find Your Community? Create Your Own by Bruce Sturgell
This was super cool. I’ve never heard of Chubstr (fashion blog for fat men) before and the whole idea and story behind its creation is pretty neat. I love the idea of just going online and creating such an awesome community and resource. It’s kinda inspiring.

Your Journey to Being #fatandfree by Saucyé West
Not sure if I’m totally on board with the self-love activity Saucyé West recommends. Honestly I think basic cognitive behavioral therapy to change your negative self-talk would be better than putting up negative Post-it notes to remind you of what you don’t like about yourself. I get the idea was to keep it in mind so you want to change it, but many therapists I’ve talked to say writing down negative thoughts without writing an immediate challenge can be more harmful than good. It would probably be better to write challenging Post-it notes. Like instead of writing “my belly is too big” write something like “my belly is soft and comforting” so every time that negative thought comes into your mind you can remember your positive note.

Confidence by Corissa Enneking
Yeah this was awesome. This essay talks about how you should prioritize self-love over confidence because once you’ve got the self-love part down, the confidence will follow. I especially liked the author’s take on non-judgmental thinking. It’s so true that once you stop judging others you judge yourself less!

Make Your Own Self-care Kit by Rachelle Abellar
Super cute and helpful illustrations of what to put in a self-care kit. 

Losing My Religion by Jess Walton
This poem is about how unhealthy losing weight can be for your mental health and how beautiful your body can be when you accept it.

You Are Loved by Ady Del Valle
Some positivity about how fashion makes one feel fierce and how the author is out there living his plus-size male model life, so don’t give up on dreams. Fat people can do anything.

Fat Acceptance is (Really) Real by Evette Dionne
This was so cool. This article explains what the fat acceptance movement is. What made this so awesome were the amount of facts used. There was an honest-to-goodness reference page after the article, so you know this is the good stuff.

50 Tips from a Fat and Fabulous Elder by Miguel M. Morales
Mr. Morales is out here dropping some sage wisdom and I’m loving it.

Does this poem make me look fat? by Miguel M. Morales
Another beautiful poem. I had to read it out loud the second time I read it just to hear how well the words flowed.

Elephant, Hippo, and Other Nicknames I Love by Jes Baker
I love reading people’s personal journeys to loving themselves. This one was really neat because it talks about reclaiming and reframing words people try to use as insults. Hippos really are crazy awesome animals!
cw: mentions of eating disorders 

Love You by Mel Stringer
An illustration of popular big bodied characters from various media and a little message about finding curvy bodies in media and creating your own fat media.

To All the Pizzas I’ve Loved Before by Laina Spencer
This one was about being fat and aro-ace. Short but affirming. 

From Your Fat Future by Adrianne Russell
Another letter to the past. This included the struggles the author experienced with accepting her weight and saying how it won’t be like that forever.

Fat. Boy. Walking. by Miguel M. Morales
Gorgeous little story of walking while fat and all the wonderful movements of the body.

Reasons to Hang in There by Samantha Irby
Funny but also totally real and valid.

Baltimore… and Me by Amy Spalding
One of the previous pieces in this book mention Tracy Turnblad from the 2007 movie Hairspray, but Amy Spalding goes much deeper into the impact and inspiration Tracy had on her and the positive representation she brought to the screen. Also I just have to say Amy’s cat dress in her author photo is stunning!

This was absolute perfection in e-arc, black and white form. I cannot wait for it to be finished and see how beautiful it is.