Fat activist Cat Pausé says it's important to consider our language to make sure we're not engaging in fat shaming or oppression.
Dr Pausé, who is a senior lecturer in Education at Massey University, says the word 'fat' is now being reclaimed.
"We consider fat to be an 'F' word because we believe being fat is bad, immoral, disgusting - so of course we would not want to be called that word. But truly, fat is a descriptor - same as short or blonde or Kiwi."
The Panel's discussion follows a Stuff opinion piece on the reclamation of the word.