Fat Liberation Book Club

A Transformative Group Experience

We are thrilled to announce the Fat Liberation Book Club—a unique opportunity for individuals in larger/plus-size bodies to dive deep into body liberation, fat activism, anti-diet culture, and self-care within a supportive community. This in-person group is facilitated by Celia Lugo, LPC, and Monica Jurado Kelly, LCSW-S—two fat, queer, Latine psychotherapists based in the Austin area. Our goal is to create a space that centers and honors the experiences of folx in larger/plus-size bodies.

We’d love for you to join us.

  • Deep Discussions: We will be reading and exploring two powerful books, You Have the Right To Remain Fat by Virgie Tovar and What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon. We’ll deepen our understanding with weekly journaling questions.

  • Community Building: Engage in meaningful conversations with others who are committed to unlearning harmful ideas about fatness and dieting. We’ll learn and experience liberation-focused practices together.

  • Safe Space: This group is designed to foster an inclusive and affirming environment where all participants can share, reflect, and grow together.

Monica Jurado Kelly, a Latine, femme person sitting against a teal wall with wavy brown and purple medium length hair, brown skin, a marigold shirt, and black and white striped skirt
Celia Lugo, a Latine, femme person sitting in a yellow chair smiling with long wavy brown hair, light skin, pink rimmed glasses, wearing a red blazer and a rainbow t-shirt that says "life is a spectrum baby"

More than just a book club.

It’s an opportunity to connect, learn, and deepen your understanding of critical issues that impact the well-being of folx in the plus-size/fat community. We’ll learn through experiential activities, weekly journaling questions,  and liberation-focused practices. If this resonates with you or someone you know, we invite you to join us on this transformative journey.

October 2024 Group Highlights

  • In-person group for fat folks held in north central Austin

  • Up to 8 participants

  • Thursday evenings, 6:30-8:00 PM

  • 5 meeting commitment, November 7th - December 12th

  • $70 per meeting, due in 3 payments (limited sliding scale availability)

How to Join

STEP 1: Contact us to express your interest in joining the Fat Liberation Book Club

Interested in joining? Please complete the form at bit.ly/FatLibBookClub.

STEP 2: Schedule and complete a 20-minute interest phone call

Celia or Monica will contact you to schedule a brief phone call. You’ll learn more about the group in this call and be able to ask any questions you have. 

STEP 3: Work towards Body Liberation in a supportive community

We will confirm your participation within 2-3 business days after the call and provide details for attending the group.

Attendance Information

The Fat Liberation Book Club meetings are held weekly on Thursdays from November 7, 2024 to December 12, 2024 from 6:30 PM to 8 PM. We will not have a meeting on Thursday, November 28th.

Due to the limited number of meetings, we ask that participants commit to attending at least 4 of the 5 meetings. If you are not able to commit to this, that’s okay! Please express your interest anyway and we will keep you informed of upcoming group opportunities.

Group Dates

November 7

November 14

November 21

December 5

December 12

Pricing Information

We are working towards providing more equitable care and are offering a sliding scale to increase accessibility. Standard pricing ($70/meeting) is for those who have sufficient resources and don't need assistance in covering the cost of the group. Equity pricing ($60/meeting) is available for 25% of participants and is reserved for those with financial need or who hold historically oppressed identities.

Meeting fees will be collected in three payments. 

  1. A deposit of $100 is required upon signing up to hold your space in the group. 

  2. Payment 1 is due by the first meeting on November 7, 2024.

  3. Payment 2 is due on November 21, 2024.

Meeting fees will be collected through Venmo. Fees are non-refundable and missed meetings will not be refunded. 

Deposit: $100 (Due at signup)

Payment 1: $125 (Due 11/7/2024)

Payment 2: $125 (Due 11/21/2024)

Standard Pricing

Deposit: $100 (Due at signup)

Payment 1: $100 (Due 11/7/2024)

Payment 2: $100 (Due 11/21/2024)

Equity Pricing

FAQs

  • Though all of us have to deal with the negative effects of diet culture and fat phobia, this group is meant to support those who have to deal with the impact of weight stigma in their day-to-day lives. Some examples of this include lack of appropriate seating at stadiums or on airplanes for your body size, less or no access to your size clothing in brick and mortar stores, medical, weight-based discrimination in the workplace or doctor's office, etc.

  • We will be reading and discussing You Have the Right To Remain Fat by Virgie Tovar and What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon. We encourage participants to purchase the books directly from the authors or from an independent/local bookseller. That said, we absolutely won’t judge if you need to purchase from a larger supplier due to cost or other reasons. 😊

  • Because this is an informational and learning group, it is not covered by insurance. 

  • We ask that participants be able to commit to a minimum of 4 of the 5 meetings. If you aren’t able to do this, please contact us anyway and we will inform you of any new group opportunities.

  • We will be meeting in-person near the Windsor Park neighborhood in Austin, Texas. The location will be shared with participants prior to the first meeting.