Philly’s first-of-its-kind fat-focused convention to be held at Temple University

Donnelle Jageman, Adrienne Ray, and Kenyetta Harris want you to know there are a ton of fat people in Philly who are perfectly fine with who they are.

The three women behind Philly’s first-of-its-kind fat-focused convention are bringing more than buzzwords like “body positivity” and “body neutrality” to Temple University in October: They want everyone to celebrate being unapologetically themselves.

“We’re not into the buzzwords because we’ve seen how it affects and impacts people — it makes people feel either included or excluded,” said Ray, who runs an online plus-size shop called Curve Conscious.

“That phrase [body positivity] has become bogged down with relating to body image,” she said. “What people in larger bodies need is to step away from constantly talking about body image, because that can be very triggering for folks who have disabilities, chronic illness, have been dieting on and off all their lives and developed eating disorders because of it.”

Philly FatCon aims to be a judgment-free event focused on creating a community for fat people by fat people, recognizing those who are “often overlooked because of their size,” Ray said. The idea is to help others navigate “this fatphobic world and society in a different way” and provide clothing for people who need it, no matter what your body looks like.

The three-part convention was a dream that came about after the second annual the Plus Swap, Philly’s largest plus-size clothing swap founded in 2021 by Jageman. The pop-up, which meets at various locations in the city, previously included Ray’s Curve Conscious and Harris’ Curvy and Seductive, a plus-size lingerie brand.

Jageman, Ray, and Harris got to talking and decided they wanted to throw a bigger, weekend-long event to bring people together and celebrate fat bodies. They began planning in November 2022, and officially announced FatCon on social media in March.

“People just want to be able to be themselves — that’s the dire need for something like Philly FatCon,” Ray said. “Some people are not in love with their body every day, but this is the body that they exist in.”

The organizers invite fat Philadelphians to come for a good time and “connect with other people that look like you, think like you, feel like you, and that understand you,” Ray said.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Temple’s Howard Gittis Student Center on Saturday, Oct. 28, attend discussions with keynote speaker ”The Fat Sex Therapist” Sonalee Rashatwar and a featured talk with Joy Cox, author of Fat Girls in Black Bodies. Programming includes three panels discussing fashion, social media influencing, and how to navigate fatphobia.

Attendees can join fat-friendly fitness classes and shop an open market with up to 40 vendors, including Bawdy Plus, a plus-size thrift and vintage boutique, and Tailored Body Jewelry, a plus-size body jewelry shop. At 7 p.m., head to Fat Lady Brewing in Manayunk for the FatCon Halloween costume party, featuring a live DJ and burlesque performances.

On Sunday, Oct. 29, folks can score plus-size clothing items at the Plus Swap + Shop event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ADA-designated student center, which the three organizers picked to ensure the convention was accessible to everyone.

Early bird tickets will be available Aug. 1 for $250 VIP, $150 all access, $75 single day, and $30 clothing swap. Ticket sales continue in September.