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They Don't Make Plus Size Spacesuits
“They don’t make plus size spacesuits” is a sci-fi short story collection, featuring an introductory essay. It is written by long-time fat activist, Ali Thompson of Ok2BeFat.
This book is a incandescent cry from the heart, a radical turn away from utopian daydreaming of future body perfection to center a fat perspective instead.
Ali invites people to experience a fictional version of a few of the many ways that fatphobia can manifest in a life. The ways that the people closest to fat people can subject them to tiny betrayals on a near constant basis. The disdain that piles up over the years, until it all becomes too large to bear.
And while some of the fatphobic tech in these stories may seem outrageous and downright unbelievable, it is all based on extrapolations of so-called “advances” by the diet industry, as they search for ever more efficient ways to starve people.
The modern day worship of Health promises a future peopled only by the thin, a world where the War on Fatness is won and only visually acceptable bodies remain.
What will that future mean for the fat people who will inevitably still continue to exist?
Nothing good.
This book is a incandescent cry from the heart, a radical turn away from utopian daydreaming of future body perfection to center a fat perspective instead.
Ali invites people to experience a fictional version of a few of the many ways that fatphobia can manifest in a life. The ways that the people closest to fat people can subject them to tiny betrayals on a near constant basis. The disdain that piles up over the years, until it all becomes too large to bear.
And while some of the fatphobic tech in these stories may seem outrageous and downright unbelievable, it is all based on extrapolations of so-called “advances” by the diet industry, as they search for ever more efficient ways to starve people.
The modern day worship of Health promises a future peopled only by the thin, a world where the War on Fatness is won and only visually acceptable bodies remain.
What will that future mean for the fat people who will inevitably still continue to exist?
Nothing good.
38 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 21, 2019
12 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
August 18, 2019
The first two stories feel like they have a different form than the last two, but I loved them all. This is NOT an easy read and it isn’t supposed to be. If anyone reads this and is curious about the real-life policies, practices, and norms that are behind the sci-if, please let me know. I have articles, and blogs, and podcasts, and personal experiences to share that back up every single thing in this book. The real horror of the story is that this isn’t science fiction, it’s fucking real and it makes up large pieces of my life. I think this would make a great book club book if I could stomach the inevitable pain of facilitating a conversation with thin people on this material. These conversations are never easy, but they are so important. I’m grateful this book exists. So grateful!
August 18, 2019
Buddy Read with friends at WBtM. This was a thought-provoking collection, and it's obvious the author writes with true passion. The last story was the best, ending with a note of hope.
August 8, 2020
I wanted to like this. Really I did. The downside of reading this collection of short stories after reading a number of Hugo-nominated pieces is that I can see just how much better those stories are constructed than this is. Especially contrasting this to N. K. Jemisin's Emergency Skin, which makes many of the same points but is more nuanced in her characterization.
First off: there are not enough fat protagonists in science fiction and there need to be because the alternative is eugenics. I appreciate that the author took a stab at trying to write herself into her stories. I also appreciate how she included content warnings at the beginning as well.
But it's August 2020 and we're already living in a dystopia. I'm exhausted.
I think there's a good kernel in these stores that could have been fused into a longer, more subtle work. It's only the last story that really contains a plot and a more rounded character than in other stories. Maybe it's what the author was going for, but other characters don't really interact with the main character except to enforce weight-based policies of the state. I'm assuming that all the characters are white. They aren't really described as such, although there were enough signifiers to me that there were a number of queer characters. But that begs the question: if society is this shitty to the fat white women, what are they doing to the Black ones? Were they all killed? Is society so segregated now that white people don't even see Black people? Or is the author trying to be color-blind and equates the struggle of all fat women, femmes, and nonbinary people to be the same? Or is this just the anger of one woman at how her life is now?
There's a kernel of an interesting story about a woman who gets taken into the fat resistance and finds love. There's a possibility for the main character to change from a self-centered character to a more inclusive character. There is a possibility for people to be more than love interests or foes. But the author isn't there yet, and I'm sad for it.
First off: there are not enough fat protagonists in science fiction and there need to be because the alternative is eugenics. I appreciate that the author took a stab at trying to write herself into her stories. I also appreciate how she included content warnings at the beginning as well.
But it's August 2020 and we're already living in a dystopia. I'm exhausted.
I think there's a good kernel in these stores that could have been fused into a longer, more subtle work. It's only the last story that really contains a plot and a more rounded character than in other stories. Maybe it's what the author was going for, but other characters don't really interact with the main character except to enforce weight-based policies of the state. I'm assuming that all the characters are white. They aren't really described as such, although there were enough signifiers to me that there were a number of queer characters. But that begs the question: if society is this shitty to the fat white women, what are they doing to the Black ones? Were they all killed? Is society so segregated now that white people don't even see Black people? Or is the author trying to be color-blind and equates the struggle of all fat women, femmes, and nonbinary people to be the same? Or is this just the anger of one woman at how her life is now?
There's a kernel of an interesting story about a woman who gets taken into the fat resistance and finds love. There's a possibility for the main character to change from a self-centered character to a more inclusive character. There is a possibility for people to be more than love interests or foes. But the author isn't there yet, and I'm sad for it.
October 8, 2019
I want to save the next book club from making a sad mistake.
My SciFi book club selected this book because of all the great reviews. We are all plus size so I think think this also contributed to the choice.
Here are the issues with the book:
1. It is super short
2. The characters are not engaging
3. There are no new insights
4. There were no plots
5. It was not entertaining
If want to read a plus size book that has none of the flaws of this book, read Lindy West's Shrill. It is not SciFi but it is entertaining and insightful.
If you want an awesome plus size character in a major science fiction book - check out Gunnery Sergeant Roberta "Bobbie" W. Draper in the Expanse series. She is plus size and kicks ass!
My SciFi book club selected this book because of all the great reviews. We are all plus size so I think think this also contributed to the choice.
Here are the issues with the book:
1. It is super short
2. The characters are not engaging
3. There are no new insights
4. There were no plots
5. It was not entertaining
If want to read a plus size book that has none of the flaws of this book, read Lindy West's Shrill. It is not SciFi but it is entertaining and insightful.
If you want an awesome plus size character in a major science fiction book - check out Gunnery Sergeant Roberta "Bobbie" W. Draper in the Expanse series. She is plus size and kicks ass!
Read
January 5, 2025Ali Thompson is doing crucial activist work with Ok2BeFat, so I was excited to read this brief collection. Lots of strong ideas, but very little in the way of plot –– the stories are quite short, so they are mostly spent describing semi-speculative procedures done to eradicate fatness (semi-speculative because these eugenic efforts are increasingly becoming a reality) and very predictable internal self-talk, both in terms of internalized fatphobia and noncompliance with medical dictates. Ultimately, while these stories draw attention to crucial issues both present and future, they're also, well, not very good.
June 4, 2019
They Don’t Make Plus Size Spacesuits is a powerful collection of short stories from characters in the same dystopian society, where they try to “fix” fat people with medical procedures and technology.
It is a very interesting, and scary look on the world, and what the world could be. There is a lot of difficulties in being a bigger person in this word. From difficulties finding clothing to feeling shameful for eating. Ali Thompson touches on all of this in a unique way.
I recommend checking this one out. It’s definitely worth a read.
* I recieved a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Sage's Blog Tours. All opinions are my own.*
It is a very interesting, and scary look on the world, and what the world could be. There is a lot of difficulties in being a bigger person in this word. From difficulties finding clothing to feeling shameful for eating. Ali Thompson touches on all of this in a unique way.
I recommend checking this one out. It’s definitely worth a read.
* I recieved a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Sage's Blog Tours. All opinions are my own.*
October 18, 2019
Exceptional book. I rarely do 5 stars -- this one had the ingredients of a good book. Engaging story, superb writing, and The latter isn't absolutely necessary, but strongly encouraged for my piece of mind. I just read a five star book without the , and it is still messing with me. I have no idea how to review it.
The writer of Plus Sized Space Suits takes on body image, which most writers don't dare go anywhere near. She does it with style and class and brutal honesty, and the protagonist truly deserves the Very satisfying read.
The writer of Plus Sized Space Suits takes on body image, which most writers don't dare go anywhere near. She does it with style and class and brutal honesty, and the protagonist truly deserves the Very satisfying read.
September 27, 2019
I purchased They Don't Make Plus-size Space Suits by Ali Thompson, a fat activist known as Ok2BeFat, just recently. Her stories, however, reiterate all the vitriolic garbage society says about fat people. Why not use her stories to create fully-realized, empowered fat characters? The ideas are simplistic, too. Instead of a family working to make their daughter less fat, she eats diet food and exercises to be less...tall. Just why? DNF for feeling horrible while reading. Her content warnings don't excuse the abusive thoughts and actions in the stories, they simply tell you they exist.
June 19, 2019
(I received an ARC, for which there were no conditions.)
This is the best thing I've read this year. A beautiful, heart-rending piece of work. I scarcely drew breath while I was reading. There's something incredibly cathartic about They Don't Make Plus Size Spacesuits; it's as though all my experiences of fatphobia are being *seen*, and understood. That's so rare in fiction, and so precious.
A wonderful book.
This is the best thing I've read this year. A beautiful, heart-rending piece of work. I scarcely drew breath while I was reading. There's something incredibly cathartic about They Don't Make Plus Size Spacesuits; it's as though all my experiences of fatphobia are being *seen*, and understood. That's so rare in fiction, and so precious.
A wonderful book.
August 24, 2019
The first story in this (very short) book was truly amazing. It seriously wowed me. I said "wow" out loud a couple of times, and then I wrote it a couple of times in my book group discussion. It should win an award. What a unique idea! I am not sure that I agree with the author's implication
The rest of the stories were every good.
Recommended for all who are a little different than normal. (And aren't we all here? After all, we read books! Who does that anymore?)
The rest of the stories were every good.
Recommended for all who are a little different than normal. (And aren't we all here? After all, we read books! Who does that anymore?)
August 9, 2023
Excellent short stories about how society makes overweight people feel. The author's points made me realize how closely fatphobia resembles the ways in which all sorts of marginalized communities are treated, especially the unhoused. These are all quick read science fiction stories, the author's first-love genre. I'm ashamed to say that although I had noticed a lack of diversity in sci fi, which seems to be improving, I had not thought about inclusion with a wide enough aperture. We are just now seeing more representation of different body sizes in the clothing industry. We need to see this everywhere else. Everyone deserves to see themselves reflected.
The stories are well-written and purposefully designed to enrage the reader on the character's behalf. I definitely want to read more by this talented author.
The stories are well-written and purposefully designed to enrage the reader on the character's behalf. I definitely want to read more by this talented author.
August 1, 2021
4.5 stars.
An impactful, short collection of short stories (but basically vignettes) about fat people in futuristic sci fi worlds and what it means to be fat in those worlds. Damn, these hit hard and even though they were short, they packed a punch. I really loved them, even though they were darker and more mature, I can see what the author was trying to do and her ideas are based in real life fatphobia that exists. Yes, the concepts are exaggerated, but they’re based in truth, and could quite possibly happen in the future, which is the terrifying. Adding this to the list of fat books I love, because I feel like everyone needs to read this at some point to understand the extent of how fatphobia works, even if the concepts in these stories are taken to an extreme.
Also, shout out the author for including content warnings at the start of this anthology. I’ll put them here as well, but we need more authors doing this.
Trigger Warnings (General): Fatphobia, fatphobic discrimination, discussions of weight loss/weight, body image and diets.
Content Warnings (for stories): Child abuse, abuse by parents, verbal abuse, ED behaviours, suicidal ideation, surgery/surgery reference, medical/self harm, coercion, emotional abuse within a romantic relationship, abusive job environment, medical coercion, physical abuse, body horror, public humiliation, medical trauma, state violence, public humiliation, burning, pain, PTSD, knives/cutting, mention of sleep sedatives & nightmares.
An impactful, short collection of short stories (but basically vignettes) about fat people in futuristic sci fi worlds and what it means to be fat in those worlds. Damn, these hit hard and even though they were short, they packed a punch. I really loved them, even though they were darker and more mature, I can see what the author was trying to do and her ideas are based in real life fatphobia that exists. Yes, the concepts are exaggerated, but they’re based in truth, and could quite possibly happen in the future, which is the terrifying. Adding this to the list of fat books I love, because I feel like everyone needs to read this at some point to understand the extent of how fatphobia works, even if the concepts in these stories are taken to an extreme.
Also, shout out the author for including content warnings at the start of this anthology. I’ll put them here as well, but we need more authors doing this.
Trigger Warnings (General): Fatphobia, fatphobic discrimination, discussions of weight loss/weight, body image and diets.
Content Warnings (for stories): Child abuse, abuse by parents, verbal abuse, ED behaviours, suicidal ideation, surgery/surgery reference, medical/self harm, coercion, emotional abuse within a romantic relationship, abusive job environment, medical coercion, physical abuse, body horror, public humiliation, medical trauma, state violence, public humiliation, burning, pain, PTSD, knives/cutting, mention of sleep sedatives & nightmares.
March 1, 2023
A short but sweet collection of 4 tales that was a tantalizing look into all kinds of dystopian worlds and I wanted to see more of what those worlds were like. I have so many questions! I enjoyed this. The stories go dark, but there is always a bit of light shining through.
September 17, 2019
i liked the intro more than the stories themselves. these were very angry stories. and yes, fat people in this world in this time deserve to be angry, but i just didn't love these stories as much as i expected to.
November 17, 2020
This book is important, but also hard, but makes no bones about being hard, with the most detailed content warning I have ever seen.
Essentially a few very short stories, the first substitutes height reduction for weight reduction, and the overly familiar becomes shocking.
The next two are dystopian nightmares, that again sound far too familiar, but the next and final story gives hope, and all of them could each be happening to the same person, going through stages of fighting, and an acceptance that feels like defeat but is leading to better things.
The book does not really take us to space battles and aliens where fat people are just treated as people. Given the level at which the horrifying here feels too close to current, maybe that is still too much fantasy.
Essentially a few very short stories, the first substitutes height reduction for weight reduction, and the overly familiar becomes shocking.
The next two are dystopian nightmares, that again sound far too familiar, but the next and final story gives hope, and all of them could each be happening to the same person, going through stages of fighting, and an acceptance that feels like defeat but is leading to better things.
The book does not really take us to space battles and aliens where fat people are just treated as people. Given the level at which the horrifying here feels too close to current, maybe that is still too much fantasy.
December 19, 2019
They Don't Make Plus Size Spacesuits is a collection of stories that center on what kinds of dystopian futures 'big girls' might one day face. Most of the stories include some sort of operation, whether chosen or forced and overlords bent on policing the bodies of others. I was expecting more of a science fiction element to it, but most of it was speculative and only one story took place in space. It's not a spoiler to say that there are no happy endings in this book, but it's still worth the read.
April 14, 2022
TW: Fatphobia/ED
I really really liked this book. I wasn't sure if this collection of stories was supposed to be connected but I think they came together nicely. As much as I think this is a story for fat people to commiserate I really think thin people would benefit from reading it as well. The feelings that get brought up from the systemic and medical fatphobia are translated really really really well IMO. I definitely cried a few times while reading because the elements really hit hard for me.
I really really liked this book. I wasn't sure if this collection of stories was supposed to be connected but I think they came together nicely. As much as I think this is a story for fat people to commiserate I really think thin people would benefit from reading it as well. The feelings that get brought up from the systemic and medical fatphobia are translated really really really well IMO. I definitely cried a few times while reading because the elements really hit hard for me.
May 22, 2020
This book was shorter than I expected but impactful all the same. Ali Thompson imagines a very clear future where there are even more ways in which fat people are harmed and discriminated against, a future that feels very possible.
This book is difficult to read, but worth it. One that those who have thin privilege (myself included) should read, and think deeply about.
This book is difficult to read, but worth it. One that those who have thin privilege (myself included) should read, and think deeply about.
August 26, 2024
I both really liked these short stories and was very disturbed and saddened by them. Being in a body that can do an awful lot, but is round to the point people think I do nothing is an experience that isn't always shown. While I don't think this one was the big one for me, I see where for some people reading this would be a revelation of feelings.
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June 11, 2025I really, really wish this was a novel or a novella. There is so much promise here, such excellent grounds for a dystopian sci-fi story to sharply criticize popular sci-fi ideas of utopia and humanity, and I don't think the short stories fulfill that promise, solely due to length. What there is is excellent; it only needs more material to fully bring out its potential.
October 29, 2020
This is a short, quick read with fewer space suits than the title led me to expect. However, the stories are heartfelt and poignant, and elements of them definitely ring true with things that are happening today. It was worthwhile for the time I spent with it.
September 23, 2023
This book is amazing and touches me every time I read it. Comprised of science fiction short stories, this book will make you think about the way we treat fat people in society, and make you wonder how close to some of these dystopian realities we already are. Gives me Black Mirror Vibes.
June 15, 2024
I wanted to like this one, but honestly, I was kind of bored and not entertained. The stories were short and felt more high level than I could understand (like important message was there, but I couldn't wrap my head around it). Maybe I just couldn't connect with the characters...
September 7, 2019
it took me a minute to realize this was like short stories but wow.
this was smart and intense and so well written and at times really sad and a bit disturbing
this was smart and intense and so well written and at times really sad and a bit disturbing
April 20, 2020
Amazing short stories about fatness being "cured" in various future settings. While I recommend this whole-heartedly, also take care. These stories are emotionally brutal.
May 17, 2020
This is a slim volume about fatness. The stories in it are very brief, almost snippets, but what is there is very evocative and honest.
September 17, 2021
The stories were very short but very compelling.
June 4, 2024
I appreciate the sentiment, but these stories read like one long story—with the exception of the first one—so I’m not sure why they’re separated.
June 15, 2025
Actual rating 2.5 stars
Some interesting concepts but generally stayed too shallow for my taste.
Some interesting concepts but generally stayed too shallow for my taste.
July 11, 2019
Read as part of the Popsugar Reading Challenge, prompt #20 A book set in space.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews