Fat Acceptance Movement

Motorsheen

Leave them alone, remember...

Obesity - Saving Social Security One Chicken Wing at a Time

CSARdiver

Shaming is wrong.




Justifying one form of shaming while disparaging another just makes you a jackwagon.

tomaattikastike

I don't doubt that people, and especially women, get body-shamed whatever their size - and that is wrong. My point was that, when we discuss "fat shaming" and "thin shaming", we cannot do that outside of the context of our society, where normal-weight and thin people have many privileges that fat people don't. I quite like this piece - the point I was trying to make is illustrated in the third section, but of course, the others are important, too: https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/10/skinny-shaming-not-reverse-discrimination/

russelljam08

tomaattikastike wrote: »

I don't doubt that people, and especially women, get body-shamed whatever their size - and that is wrong. My point was that, when we discuss "fat shaming" and "thin shaming", we cannot do that outside of the context of our society, where normal-weight and thin people have many privileges that fat people don't. I quite like this piece - the point I was trying to make is illustrated in the third section, but of course, the others are important, too: https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/10/skinny-shaming-not-reverse-discrimination/

Like what "privileges"

MoiAussi93

jdlobb wrote: »

I can't believe anybody actually doubts that overweight people shame thin people.

How many threads a DAY come up on here where people talk about fat people in their life telling them they're "getting too thin" or "why don't they take a break." How many times have you heard a man say “give her a sandwich” about a thin woman?

What do you think that is?

And it absolutely causes shame. If it didn’t there wouldn’t be so many people coming here stressed about it.

Agreed. Overweight people shame thin people all the time. Especially overweight women...if I had a dollar for every time I've heard an overweight woman make some comment about "REAL women's" bodies...I would be a billionaire. They seem to think that if you don't need to shop in the plus size department you are somehow less of a woman. And how many times have we heard people say "real women have curves". Seriously...it is really no better than insulting a fat woman.

tomaattikastike

Like this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/11522021/Nearly-half-of-employers-unlikely-to-hire-overweight-workers.html

Or this: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/obesity-affects-job-prospects-for-women-study-finds/

Or, indeed, not to suffer from constant bullying for their body shape.

russelljam08

tomaattikastike wrote: »

Like this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/11522021/Nearly-half-of-employers-unlikely-to-hire-overweight-workers.html

Or this: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/obesity-affects-job-prospects-for-women-study-finds/

Or, indeed, not to suffer from constant bullying for their body shape.

Still not seeing "privilege". Employers can hire who they want to. I don't hire people who are unkempt, inept, had a boogey hanging out their nose during an interview, I didn't like their hairstyle etc. Obese people are going to have higher cost associated with them, possible "special" requirements and accommodations, and it can be perceived as a poor mark on their character.

tomaattikastike

@suzannesimmons3, sorry, I was replying to @russeljam08, even though it appeared directly under your post. But I don't accept you calling it a "moot" point when you haven't even read the links I provided.

lemurcat12

suzannesimmons3 wrote: »

tomaattikastike wrote: »

Like this: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/11522021/Nearly-half-of-employers-unlikely-to-hire-overweight-workers.html

Or this: http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/obesity-affects-job-prospects-for-women-study-finds/

Or, indeed, not to suffer from constant bullying for their body shape.

Fat women bully other women over body shape so that's a moot point.

Not in the world I live in. Maybe in some subcultures, but certainly not one I've ever known.

It's wrong, obviously, if and when it happens, but I've been normal weight and felt fat and bad and super conscious of all my imperfections (not saying that was anyone's issue but mine), and I've been fat and knew darned well I was considered unattractive and largely a failure as a woman, and I've been normal weight (and even thin) and fit again and felt, finally, normal, although still like I could lose some weight.

I've been told "wow, so thin" and "you don't need to lose more weight" and in context it was clearly a compliment.

And fat is not the same as curvy. Some people (men and women) prefer curves, some don't, but while "real women have curves" might well be a defensive thing some women tell themselves, I really don't believe that anyone thinks it is socially preferable to be fat. Indeed, in my subculture it's almost always thinner is better, although fit and in shape is better generally than just skinny. (And I don't think anyone should be judging anyone else's bodies, this is just how I see what the reality is.)

This all aside, I don't actually see women bullying each other over body shape (fat to thin or thin to fat) and if I was in a social circle where that happened I'd find a new social circle. I get positive comments when thin and felt like I was getting some pity or "too bad you let yourself go" when fat, but most of the way I felt about it in both cases was all in my head and related to how good I felt (or not).

GaleHawkins

Moved to smoking/obese thread.

Packerjohn

GaleHawkins wrote: »

Is withholding surgery to obese people because they are obese a form of fat shaming? Is this movement coming to North America or is it already here?

telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/17/nhs-provokes-fury-indefinite-surgery-ban-smokers-obese/

Nope. It's a risk evaluation. In most cases, the higher level of obesity the less chance of success from the surgery. Or they might not survive the surgery.

Aint2Proud2Meg

The most vocal members of that crowd are generally just kind of awful.
For most people though, denial of health risks down the road is the worst thing they have going for them. If I had to choose for another person, I'd rather they be in denial and love themselves than be in denial and participate in their own dehumanization.

Sunnybrooke99

I don’t think it’s right to shame fat people, but I also don’t think it’s better than other vices, like smoking, or drinking. It does affect other people, and costs tax payers money. It’s annoying to me that it’s socially acceptable to be fat (and even to make your children fat!), but not to smoke or drink.

Sunnybrooke99

newmeadow wrote: »

Sunnybrooke99 wrote: »

I don’t think it’s right to shame fat people, but I also don’t think it’s better than other vices, like smoking, or drinking. It does affect other people, and costs tax payers money. It’s annoying to me that it’s socially acceptable to be fat (and even to make your children fat!), but not to smoke or drink.

It's not socially acceptable to smoke and drink? What would the reaction be to a, say, 250 pound stripper performing on stage versus a 120 pound stripper smoking and drinking with the fellas at the strip club on her night off or on her break? Or outside in the parking lot if it was a smoke free club?

I’m sorry. I don’t think I get your point.

Sunnybrooke99

Okay.. so first, strip clubs aren’t generally the common measure of society as a whole. Second, that’s actually a thing lol. Guys like all types. Fat/thin, smokers/non smoker, drinkers/non drinkers.. still prolly best not to use strip clubs as your sample for all of society.

Sunnybrooke99

I think there’s some confusion. By “socially acceptable,” I’m thinking in a moral/legal sense. I wasn’t referring to what’s sexually attractive to the opposite sex. It’s also generally considered to be more sexually attractive for strippers to be younger. There are some strippers in their 50s, but a lot less. Doesn’t mean isn’t not socially acceptable to be in your 50s.