Busboys and Poets Books Presents FAT OFF, FAT ON
Date and Time
Mar 15, 2023 6:00 pm
Location
450K
450 K St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20001
Mar 15, 2023 6:00 pm
450K
There was no easy way for Kent to navigate personal discovery and self-love. As a dark-skinned, first-generation American facing a myriad of mental health issues and intergenerational trauma, at times Kent’s body felt like a cosmic punishment. In the face of body dysmorphia, homophobia, anti-Blackness, and respectability politics, the pursuit of “high self-esteem” seemed oxymoronic.
“Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto is funny and smart as hell. Kent’s personal story is steeped in an incisive analysis of fatphobia, misogynoir, colorism, racism, sexism, and ableism. As always, listen to Black women, especially Clarkisha Kent.” —Alice Wong, author of Year of the Tiger: An Activist’s Life
Fat Off, Fat On: A Big Bitch Manifesto is a humorous, at times tragic, memoir that follows Kent on her journey to realizing that her body is a gift to be grown into, that sometimes family doesn’t always mean home, and how even ill-fated bisexual romances could free her from gender essentialism. Perfect for readers of Keah Brown’s The Pretty One, Alida Nugent’s You Don’t Have to Like Me, and Stephanie Yeboah’s Fattily Ever After, Kent’s debut explores her own lived experiences to illuminate how fatphobia intertwines with other oppressions. It stresses the importance of addressing the violence scored upon our minds and our bodies, and how we might begin the difficult—but joyful—work of setting ourselves free.
Clarkisha is joining us on the Busboys stage to share her debut memoir with the DC community! Purchase your in person ticket on our Eventbrite page, which comes with a copy of Fat Off, Fat On. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during and after the event, and Clarkisha will be signing following the program. For our viewers at home, signed copies of the book will be available for purchase before and during the event on the Eventbrite page, so make sure to order your signed copy before we’re out of stock! Your purchase of the book includes shipping anywhere in the United States via USPS.
This event is free and open for the public to view online, with the purchase of a copy of FAT OFF, FAT ON from this event page being your ticket to the live show at Busboys and Poets 450K for in person attendance. Our program begins at 6:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of FAT OFF, FAT ON will be available for purchase before, during, and after the event. Please note that this event is IN PERSON and will be livestreamed.
We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books. If you have any questions about the status of your book purchase, please contact us at <bookevents@busboysandpoets.com>
Clarkisha Kent is a Nigerian American writer, culture critic, former columnist, and author. Her writing has been featured in outlets like Entertainment Weekly, Essence, gal-dem, PAPER, BET, HuffPost, MTV News, The Root, and more. She is also the creator of #TheKentTest, a media litmus test designed to evaluate the quality of representation that exists for Black women and women of color in film and other media.
