Best-selling American author Roxane Gay says she's been humiliated and has slammed her "cruel" treatment by an Australian publisher which introduced the writer for an interview as having an “imposing physical presence” and “super morbidly obese”.
Gay was interviewed by Mamamia founder Mia Freedman in a podcast about the author’s book Hunger, a memoir about food, weight and self-image.
But it was how Gay’s interview was introduced in the podcast, and details of preparations ahead of the visit from the best-selling author that has been the source of controversy.
"Will she fit into the office lift? How many steps will she have to take to get to the interview?” the introduction to the podcast reads.
“Is there a comfortable chair that will accommodate her six-foot-three, 'super-morbidly-obese' frame?"
"None of this is disclosed with a mean spirit, it's part of what Roxane writes about in her new book."
Related reading
Comment: How body shaming affects men too
Opening the interview, Ms Freedman describes Gay’s “imposing physical presence” and explains that normally she would not breach the confidence of what goes on behind the scenes organising an interview.
“But in this case I’ve thought a lot about it and it’s a fundamental part of her story and what her book is about," she said.
"And I brought it up in the interview, so it’s not news to Roxane. She writes about it in the book, so I’m sure she won’t mind me telling you any of this.
"You see, Roxane Gay – well … I’m searching for the right word to use here. I don’t want to say fat - even though she uses the word fat about herself - so I’m going to use the official medical term - super morbidly obese," Ms Freedman continues.
“There’s obese, then there’s morbidly obese, and then there is super morbidly obese. I don’t think the scale goes beyond that, quite literally.
“This is a logistical nightmare for her, there’s no other way to put it. The requirements that we had to go back and forth with her publishers … were extremely detailed.”
Ms Freedman later brings up the preparations for the interview in the podcast.
“Before you came we had to make sure we did a bunch of stuff that would make you feel comfortable. Stuff that I would never have even thought of which I was so grateful to be warned about.
Ms Gay replies saying it’s very stressful.
“You just never know, is there a space that’s going to accommodate me? Are there going to be sturdy chairs, are the chairs going to have arms? How wide are the arms, how low is the chair? It’s just a constant series of questions that you’re asking yourself every single day before you go into any space.”
On Tuesday, the author said she was appalled by the descriptions in the podcast.
"Can she fit into the lift?" Shame on you @Mamamia,” Ms Gay tweeted.
"I have never once in my life worried about fitting into an elevator nor have I made such a request.
“This situation is disgusting and shameful and frankly it speaks for itself.”
Mamamia later issued an apology saying any hurt caused was unintentional.
The website said it went into details about preparations for the interview to allow listeners to empathise with Gay.
"In no way did Mamamia ever intend to make Roxane Gay feel disrespected and we apologise unequivocally that that was the unintended consequence, including to her publishing team who organised the visit and made the requests in good faith," it said in a statement.
"We are mortified to think she would ever believe this to be the case or that we have upset someone we so deeply admire and respect.
