Edith Bernier was born in Matane, Gaspésie, in the province of Québec. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Journalism (with a History minor) from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM-2003.) She is a registered member of the Union des écrivain·e·s du Québec (UNEQ – Quebec Union of Writers) and of the Association des journalistes indépendants du Québec (AJIQ – Quebec Association of Independant Journalists) since 2021.
Book Author
Her first published book, Gros·se et puis? Connaître et combattre la grossophobie (Trécarré), was published in September 2020. With a preface by Dr Benoît Arsenault, PhD, it is the first French-written reference guide of its kind. To this day, it sold over 2,500 copies in the province of Quebec. The book’s publishing rights were acquired by well-established French publisher Marabout and a European release took place in February 2022, under the title Gros·se, et alors?, giving her the chance to be featured in France, Switzerland and Belgium.
Her latest book, Grandir sans grossophobie (Growing without Fat-Phobia), a guide meant for parents, grand-parents and educators, was released on February 22, 2023. The foreword was penned by director, TV host and actress Jessica Barker; renowned psychologist Rose-Marie Charest and Claudia Houle, registrered dietician, also participated to the book. It was also made available in the audiobook format, narrated by the author.
She undertook the writing of a third project, to be published in October 2025 with Saint-Jean Éditeur.
Travel Blogger
It is through travel blogging that Edith started writing on the reality of size & weight discrimination. Her first blog, The Plus-Size Backpacker was launched in April 2013. it was mosty dedicated to bring to light the challenges plus-size women face when they are travelling. First travel blog on the topic, it still holds a special place in the plus-size blogosphere.
In 2016, she self-published The Ultimate Guide to Plus-Size Backpacker (in French : Le Manuel des routards taille plus) as an Amazon ebook. She was also a Guest Speaker at the MTL+ Fashion Week and was asked by clothes retailer Sportive Plus to be a spokesperson for the #NousPouvonsÊtre campaign, aimed at empowering plus-size women.
In March 2017, Canadian athlete and trainer Louise Green featured her written testimony on hiking as a way to channel and develop plus-size women athletic potential in her book Big Fit Girl. The same year, Edith started writing and taking position publicly on matters related to Fat-Phobia and Body Positivity.
Outreach Work
In a desire to go further in her outreach work and to better support the inclusion of fat people, Edith Bernier launched Grossophobie.ca in August 2019. It is the very first québécois reference web site on Fat-Phobia. In December 2019, her op ed letter Être gros n’est pas un choix, published in La Presse, was cosigned by over 60 public personalities from Quebec, from the entertainment, academia and scientific spheres.
In spite of numerous forced cancellations due to COVID-19 in 2020, Edith Bernier remains present in the news; all through the year, on top of online presentations, she was quoted in many publications, from the COVID-19 Fat-Phobia pandemic to the closures of plus-size clothing retailers AdditionElle.
In the past 10 years, Edith Bernier cumulated numerous appearances in the news, on the radio, on television and in the written press (over 100 to this day). She also took part to the documentary series J’t’aime gros and Ça ne se demande pas, the French Canadian version of the successful TV show franchise You Can’t Ask That. She was also among the featured guest on the show Louis T veut savoir.
Public Speaker
To this day, Edith has crossed path with over 5,000 people of all ages through over 70 public speakings and panels, both in person and online. She has presented in public and private schools, work places, community organizations and numerous other events.