Ragen Chastain, the popular blogger behind Dances With Fat and columnist for Ms. Fit magazine, will speak at The University of Olivet Wednesday, April 8 at 1:30 p.m. in Mott Auditorium. The event, which is hosted by the college’s Betsy Dole Women’s Resource Center (BDWRC), is free and open to the public.
Chastain will speak about “The Positive Body,” pointing to what research really says about health and weight, and what society can do to create more happiness, health and self-esteem. In addition to the public presentation, Chastain will address the college’s Sociology/Anthropology and Health and Human Performance students during their respective seminar classes about health and fitness at any size.
Chastain is a trained researcher, three-time national champion dancer and marathoner who writes and speaks full-time about body image and health. She writes the blogs Dances With Fat and Iron Fat and authored the book, “Fat: The Owner’s Manual.” She also serves as editor of the multi-volume anthology, “The Politics of Size – Perspectives From the Fat Acceptance Movement,” columnist for Ms. Fit magazine, and blogger for today.com.
Chastain has been a guest on programs including Fox News, HuffPost Live, NPR and BBC. Her work is regularly translated into multiple languages and her blog is read by audiences on all seven continents. She is a feature interviewee in the documentaries, “America the Beautiful 2 – The Thin Commandments,” “A Stage for Size,” and “Ragen’s More Cabaret.” A movie about her time as a ballroom dancer is currently in development, and she is training for her second marathon and her first IRONMAN.
For more information on this event, contact the BDWRC at .269.749.7144.