The Tyranny of Thinness
Understanding and Resisting the Pressure to Be Skinny
by Celine Leboeuf
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Pub Date 6 Oct 2026 | Archive Date 5 Aug 2026
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Description
Informed by personal narrative, cultural studies, and the work of luminaries from Simone de Beauvoir and Mary Wollstonecraft to Audre Lorde and Roxane Gay
In this timely and unflinching manifesto, Dr. Celine Leboeuf unpacks the philosophical and oppressive systems that sustain our cultural obsession with being thin—why it’s framed as something to “achieve,” how it’s predicated on exclusion, and that the goalposts are racist and misogynistic—and always moving.
Drawing on memoir, feminist theory, and cultural analysis, The Tyranny of Thinness is a wide-ranging and erudite treatise on how the skinny ideal shapes our earliest memories and experiences—and steals joy, agency, and self-determination from our adolescences, our social identities, our ambitions, and even our sense of moral worth.
- Part 1 traces the origins of fatphobia in anti-Black racism, unpacking how thinness as an ideal is both carefully constructed and state-sanctioned. Dr. Leboeuf shows how self-objectification is instilled in young girls and diverted toward activities that enforce objectification.
- Part 2 offers a path forward. Through embodied practices like intuitive eating, joyful movement, sensual awareness, community care, and the philosophical exercise of world-remaking, The Tyranny of Thinness outlines compassionate, realistic, and self-empowering strategies for resisting the lies and pressures that we’ve been programmed to strive for.
From the resurrection of heroin chic and thinspo to the rise of #SkinnyTok and Ozempic, Dr. Leboeuf exposes how thinness becomes a political weapon—and shows how the body positivity movement has been coopted and repackaged. This book is an elevated must-read for anyone struggling with body image—and every reader searching to understand what the culture dictates about beauty and perceived worth.
A Note From the Publisher
For more information or to request a physical ARC, please contact: publicity@northatlanticbooks.com.
Advance Praise
“Bold, intimate, and philosophically rich, The Tyranny of Thinness is an essential guide to how the thinness ideal got its claws on us, and how to get free. Leboeuf conveys the pain of eating disorders, the punitive beauty norms of modeling, and the self-care that facilitated her recovery with lucidity and verve.”
—Kate Manne, professor of philosophy at Cornell University and author of Unshrinking and Down Girl
“If you think philosophy has no relevance to life, read this book. If you think there’s nothing new to say about eating disorders, you'll find, with delight, that you're wrong. If you are a teacher trying to bridge the gap between ‘theory’ and lived experience, put this book on your syllabus. If you struggle with eating and body image issues and are tired of the same prescriptions—both from medical professionals and from the culture—that have been offered to you so far, I promise you will finish this book feeling refreshed and hopeful. I did!”
—Susan Bordo, professor of gender and women's studies and Otis A. Singletary Chair in the Humanities at the University of Kentucky and author of Unbearable Weight
“The Tyranny of Thinness is a clear and deeply humane account of why being slim still carries such power and how we might loosen its grip. Leboeuf’s approach is philosophically serious and tender. Moving effortlessly between memoir and critique, she offers ideas and practices that can help us see ourselves and others more lovingly. Vivid, nuanced, and gently radical, this timely and optimistic book is exactly the kind of guide we all need to revalue our values about bodies, beauty, and freedom.”
—Skye Cleary, PhD, MBA, philosopher and author of How to Be Authentic and Existentialism and Romantic Love and coeditor of How to Live a Good Life
“The Tyranny of Thinness offers an engaging look at the pressures cis women and girls face around body image and dieting. Leboeuf weaves personal stories with cultural critique to explore how society shapes our relationship with food and with ourselves. You'll find historical context and feminist analysis alongside practical tips for building a healthier relationship with your body. It's a valuable guide to breaking free from our culture’s obsession with thinness.”
—Carol Hay, professor and department chair in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and author of Think Like a Feminist
“Part memoir, part self-help, and part-philosophy, The Tyranny of Thinness confronts the reader with the reality of the overwhelming pressures to be thin in contemporary society. Pressures that are deep-rooted, almost impossible to resist, and yet often normalized. Leboeuf explains how the thin ideal has captured our minds and bodies, shares her experience of living with, recognizing, and overcoming anorexia, and offers solutions. She suggests practices to help us live from the inside out, including self-care, reclaiming pleasure, and communal resistance. This searingly honest book is a must-read for academics working on beauty, those suffering from and recovering from eating disorders, and anyone who has ever worried about their weight.”
—Heather Widdows, professor of philosophy at the University of Warwick and author of Perfect Me
Marketing Plan
- Advance print and electronic galley outreach
- Early outreach to national media
- Outreach to major women’s media
- Outreach to mainstream health media
- Online outreach to websites, blogs, and forums in health, feminism, and social justice
- Select bookstore events
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9798889844068 |
| PRICE | $21.95 (USD) |
| PAGES | 288 |