She will eat right in your face

I get off pretty easy when it comes to trolls, haters, and the like. The weirdest I’ve gotten lately was a male former neighbor who texted me a screenshot of an old newsletter issue with the comment, “This is bullshit and you know it,” and then told me it seemed like I hate men before wishing my husband and sons the best. (I didn’t respond).

This is nothing compared to what some of my colleagues and friends get. I’ve seen some people I know get sicced on by actual FOX news, and it’s scary. Then there’s . I’ve been a fan of hers since I used to follow her freelance career. I first got to know her personally when I interviewed her on how life is better when you realize family dinner will not make or break your family. Obviously, we became witchy friends after that.

Virginia edits the incredibly popular, insightful and delightful on diet culture and fatphobia, especially through the lens of parenting, and has a new book called Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture.

You already know this—people online can be horrible, typically on predictable themes. One of these hot-button issues that really sets horrible people off is fat people’s right to exist, maybe even live peaceful/enjoyable lives. Accordingly, Virginia’s been on the receiving end of some hot takes for her book in particular, and by hot, I mean unhinged and hateful.

Where some people would ignore this type of feedback, address it seriously, or go hide in bed and contemplate never writing again, Virginia has done something I don’t see a lot of moms do—she trolled right back. Fuck the high ground, and fuck not escalating. She said, “Let them watch me eat a brownie while NGAF.”