jbronderbookreviews

They don’t make plus size spacesuits

By Ali Thompson

Genre: Sci-fi short stories

“They don’t make plus size spacesuits” is a sci-fi short story collection, featuring an introductory essay. It is written by long-time fat activist, Ali Thompson of Ok2BeFat.

This book is a incandescent cry from the heart, a radical turn away from utopian daydreaming of future body perfection to center a fat perspective instead.

Ali invites people to experience a fictional version of a few of the many ways that fatphobia can manifest in a life. The ways that the people closest to fat people can subject them to tiny betrayals on a near constant basis. The disdain that piles up over the years, until it all becomes too large to bear.

And while some of the fatphobic tech in these stories may seem outrageous and downright unbelievable, it is all based on extrapolations of so-called “advances” by the diet industry, as they search for ever more efficient ways to starve people.

The modern day worship of Health promises a future peopled only by the thin, a world where the War on Fatness is won and only visually acceptable bodies remain.

What will that future mean for the fat people who will inevitably still continue to exist?

Nothing good.

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About the Author

Ali Thompson is the Bill Nye of fat girls.

She is the creator of Ok2BeFat, which by an amazing coincidence, is the name of her YouTube channel.

She’s a fat activist, writer, YouTuber, and collage artist. She is a bisexual queer who lives in Philadelphia with her husband Josh and their many cats.

You can find her on Twitter at @Artists_Ali, where she probably just said something weird.
Find out more here.

Twitter     Facebook Author Page     Goodreads

My Review

5 Stars

This is a collection of four stories that revolve around being fat, obese, and unwanted. The basic idea is in the future fat has been punished and is trying to be destroyed. The narrator talks about being fat and the different “helpful” ways that have been created to help encourage these people to lose weight and fit into the perfectly thin society.

This is a touching and heartfelt expression of someone that has been deemed fat and them trying to follow the rules and please those that are trying to help them. But no matter what is done they are not losing weight and will never be accepted. This reminds me of real life today and how everyone looks down on the overweight.

It’s hard not to read this collection of four short stories and not feel sad. I can relate because I myself an overweight and feel just like the author. How we are judged by our appearance and looked down on because no matter what we do it seems we will never fit into the surroundings.

I really liked this small collection and think most people could relate to the stories not so much just because they focus on weight but because this applies to everyone that doesn’t fit into that perfect utopia.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

I would like to thank Sage Adderley-Knox for the opportunity to read and share this book.