Bill Fabrey, the founder of NAAFA, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, died peacefully in his sleep on January 10. He was 84.
Fabrey was one of the earliest and most influential advocates for fat acceptance and size rights. In the late 1960s, when few people were publicly challenging anti-fat bias, Fabrey began organizing to change the way fat people were perceived and treated in society.
His activism was deeply personal. Motivated by his love for his then-wife, Joyce, Fabrey brought together a small group of people who believed in dignity, fairness, and respect for people living in larger bodies. The group held its first meeting in June 1969, where attendees voted to name Fabrey the official founder of what was then called the National Association to Aid Fat Americans. The organization later became the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance and is now recognized as the world’s first documented fat rights organization.
Fabrey served NAAFA for more than three decades as a national leader, board member, and spokesperson. His work also extended beyond NAAFA. In 1991, he co-founded the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination, and later served on the board of the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH). Fabrey was an engineer by profession, supporting himself and his family through his day job while volunteering through his advocacy work.
In 1988, Fabrey co-founded Amplestuff with his then-wife Nancy Summer. The mail-order business focused on accessibility products designed specifically for people in larger bodies. Fabrey operated Amplestuff for nearly 37 years, an extension of his commitment to improving everyday life for fat people beyond activism and policy.
I would want people to know that it was motivated by the right reasons, to help your fellow man. Or woman!
According to NAAFA, Fabrey remained engaged in size acceptance and fat liberation work throughout his life, mentoring generations of activists, scholars, and community members. His influence shaped not only organizations, but the broader language and framework of the modern fat acceptance movement.
In a conversation last September with NAAFA Executive Director Tigress Osborn, Fabrey discussed how he hoped his work would be remembered. “I would want people to know that it was motivated by the right reasons, to help your fellow man. Or woman!” he said. “I was never motivated by making money or meeting the ‘right people’… It’s been an interesting life, and I can’t imagine any other at this point.”
NAAFA is working with Fabrey’s family and estate to honor his legacy while respecting their privacy. His estate has designated NAAFA as the organization to receive donations in his memory in lieu of flowers. Contributions may be made through NAAFA’s giving page using the “In Memory Of” field or by clicking here.
A GoFundMe campaign has been organized by Fabrey’s close friends to honor his legacy and help meet immediate family needs. The fundraiser is intended to cover end-of-life and memorial expenses, and to provide financial support for Fabrey’s adopted daughter, Chrysta, who was his caregiver for nearly 30 years and is autistic and chronically ill. Any funds beyond those needed for memorial costs will help Chrysta secure stable, affordable housing after leaving the family home.
Fabrey’s family will host an in-person memorial service near his home in New York later this spring, with details to be announced. NAAFA also plans to hold a virtual memorial service later this year.
Messages remembering Fabrey’s impact can be shared at naafa.org/billfabrey. Cards may be sent to ATTN Bill Fabrey Memorial c/o NAAFA, PO Box 61586, Las Vegas, NV 89160.
Fabrey’s papers and ephemera will be archived at Cornell University, ensuring his work and contributions to the fat acceptance movement are preserved for future generations.
