Your Fat Friend

Author and podcaster Aubrey Gordon keeps it real when it comes to her life. She is insightful, straightforward, and not afraid to literally throw her weight into her words…yet she wasn’t always ready for the world to know who she was. Prior to writing her book What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon was simply known as “Your Fat Friend.” But today she is so much more than that. Written and directed by Jeanie Finlay, the documentary Your Fat Friend is a reminder that all bodies are meant to be acknowledged and appreciated…even when it is hard to relate. 

For a long time Aubrey Gordon felt comfortable writing in her anonymity. After years of sharing stories about her body and the way the world has viewed her under the moniker “Your Fat Friend,” she receives the opportunity to write her first book and decides to bring down the wall between her and the rest of the world. And slowly but surely, Aubrey brings the viewer into her world as writing a book and creating a podcast called “Maintenance Phase” with Michael Hobbes brings the spotlight more on her personal life.  

Jeanie Finlay gives Gordon the acknowledgement for her courage in Your Fat Friend. Aubrey is unapologetic and honest about her experiences, taking the stigma out of the word “fat” and creating a dialogue. Even when sharing painful stories about her family and the reactions that her body has elicited from those around her, Gordon remains authentic in sharing her story and breaking the stereotypes about being fat. Additionally, through the hatred and backlash from people who Dox her and want nothing more than to break her down, Aubrey picks herself back up and keeps pushing forward in her mission to make fat more of a household word.  

What was truly a touching moment in the story was how Aubrey’s parents were involved in the documentary. However, her father’s real moment came in realizing just how much her writing impacted others yet her mother Pam shares a deeper experience. As a mom who was into dieting, Pam recalls the many versions that mother and daughter tried through the years with little to no success. Ultimately, Pam feels some form of responsibility for Aubrey and size…but still holds a sense of pride at how she has raised a daughter who has come to terms with who she is and what she hopes to accomplish by sharing her story. The parents are flawed and feel “less than” at times, yet Aubrey continues to involve them in her life and strengthen her own relationship with each of them. 

At her first book signing Aubrey Gordon feels that she has finally made it. Her parents are in the audience, proud of everything she has accomplished. Eager readers and fans are ready to meet the woman who has inspired them. And for Aubrey, it’s knowing that her words and strength to share her narrative with her readers helps motivate a new generation to stop looking down at physicality and start focusing on what’s inside. Words can be heavy, but true beauty is skin deep….something Gordon has in spades.