The ideal human body has been commercialized, stigmatized, fetishized and, yes, even racialized. For women, trying to achieve the “perfect” body is an unattainable and often traumatic pursuit that never seems to end. On this episode, Sabrina Strings, PhD, an associate professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine, explains why this is and helps us understand its impact on our individual and collective sense of well-being. Drawing from her book, Fearing the Black Body, she dives deep into diet culture, fat phobia, body positivity and the unsettled debate: Is obesity a disease?