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Fat Acceptance Movement

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  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited November 2017
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    celiah909 wrote: »
    https://www.facebook.com/SlackerAndSteveFans/posts/10159474378270394

    I just landed on that FB post. It says that a survey done showed 1 in 5 people who were obese thought they were only overweight and 1 in 10 thought they were normal weight.

    What I really found striking though was the comments from people. Quite a few had the stance that some people are just thicker, society needs to leave people alike & not worry about their size, the BMI calculator has changed to make it appear more people are obese, etc.

    One even said, “That is why so many people are "fat" in the USA. It isn't that we are bigger than 60 years ago, but they label it different now”

    It reminded me of this post so I thought I’d share. There is a movement, for lack of a better word, that being obese is just a fact of life for so many and it should be accepted, companies should use heavier and heavier models and make larger clothes marked as a smaller size.

    It truly surprises me that it is so low. My personal, non-scientific observation where I live is that nearly everyone who is overweight or obese thinks they are a healthy weight.

    I have the opposite perception, but then I'm in a social circle/demographic that is less likely to be overweight than the average (although everyone in general is fatter than they used to be, I would agree). When I've been overweight (let alone obese) I was super conscious of it, and most of the overweight/obese people I know are trying to lose (as are lots of the normal weight but pudgier than they'd like sorts). Anyway, those numbers seem consistent with what I would have guessed, knowing that my particular milieu is not typical.

    Also, my personal experience is that doctors mention it (which I don't think is bad). Mine noted it even when I was BMI 26 or so and in great shape/test results otherwise. She wasn't saying it was necessarily a problem, but brought it up, and I told her I was working on losing and we discussed that.
  • celiah909
    celiah909 Posts: 141 Member
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    [quote=".

    It truly surprises me that it is so low. My personal, non-scientific observation where I live is that nearly everyone who is overweight or obese thinks they are a healthy weight.[/quote]

    Yes, I agree! And I am currently overweight -- when I tell people I want to lose weight I normally hear why or that I will get 'too thin' and that is from family who aren't trying to stoke my ego.

  • Rosemary7391
    Rosemary7391 Posts: 232 Member
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    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    People seem so sensitive these days, like much more than I remember them being 20 years ago. One can be against a behavior, or a state of being and have that not at all be about "hatred" towards a particular person or group of people.

    I am against being fat and here is why. I am for government that provides basic services for people that allow people anywhere in the country to not be distracted by things like shelter, food and health and be able to focus on their development and the development of their communities through hard work and perseverance. To that end I feel the government should help in the form of subsidies for things like education, housing, food and healthcare and that we as a society pay into that to make sure everyone has the same basic opportunities that we were afforded growing up regardless of what our parents did.

    For that to be the case though there has to be a pact that we will support things in our society that are conducive to this arrangement and reject anything that harms this arrangement. Being obese predisposes one to a lot of very harmful, very real negative health effects all of which come with cost in the hospital and through the need for chronic medication. That places a burden on the system that is providing the safety net for everyone else. That is wrong and it is unnecessary. Society should, therefore, discourage becoming fat. How do we discourage it? In the same way you discourage any behavior, by speaking about it negatively...you don't pretend its not a problem and you certainly don't glorify it.

    If we lived in some anarchy where there was no government then okay sure, get fat it doesn't really affect me other than to make it easier for me to take your stuff. But as long as we live in a social democratic society there are some ground rules when it comes to participation in that society and what it means to be an adult. I am not saying everyone needs to be 100% perfect, that isn't really possible nor reasonable to expect, but we have to at least be able to recognize and voice what the flaws are and be able to admit that things that negatively effect public health are flaws. People wanting to improve themselves should be celebrated, not be discouraged by trite claims of "no no you are beautiful just the way you are!"


    I get your general point, but the bold is not quite correct. Being fat is NOT a behaviour - it's a state of being. Every person who was once fat and now isn't has, at some point, been fat and behaving "correctly"*. We need to support people who are fat, which probably does include speaking negatively about behaviours that lead to it and positively about ones that will help sort it out. Those negative behaviours might be lack of exercise or thoughtless indulgence. They might also be self-hating behaviours and I think we do need to be careful not to encourage self hate by the way we talk. Otherwise we could just have fat people hiding for longer instead of getting out and doing something about it. Basically, discourage the behaviours, not fat people!

    *here we can say correctly=appropriate diet/exercise to rectify situation
  • celiah909
    celiah909 Posts: 141 Member
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    tomteboda wrote: »
    celiah909 wrote: »
    https://www.facebook.com/SlackerAndSteveFans/posts/1015947437827039

    One even said, “That is why so many people are "fat" in the USA. It isn't that we are bigger than 60 years ago, but they label it different now”

    This is actually true.

    Who's Fat? New Definition Adopted (CNN -June 17, 1998)
    riteria for definition of overweight in transition: background and recommendations for the United States (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2000 )
    Optimal Weight Threshold Lowered (Washington Post - June 4, 1988)

    30 million Americans became "overweight" overnight while sleeping due to a definition change; a similar number moved from "overweight" to "obese" with the same change.

    I still think that more of the population falls into those weight categories now than 60 years ago.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    People seem so sensitive these days, like much more than I remember them being 20 years ago. One can be against a behavior, or a state of being and have that not at all be about "hatred" towards a particular person or group of people.

    I am against being fat and here is why. I am for government that provides basic services for people that allow people anywhere in the country to not be distracted by things like shelter, food and health and be able to focus on their development and the development of their communities through hard work and perseverance. To that end I feel the government should help in the form of subsidies for things like education, housing, food and healthcare and that we as a society pay into that to make sure everyone has the same basic opportunities that we were afforded growing up regardless of what our parents did.

    For that to be the case though there has to be a pact that we will support things in our society that are conducive to this arrangement and reject anything that harms this arrangement. Being obese predisposes one to a lot of very harmful, very real negative health effects all of which come with cost in the hospital and through the need for chronic medication. That places a burden on the system that is providing the safety net for everyone else. That is wrong and it is unnecessary. Society should, therefore, discourage becoming fat. How do we discourage it? In the same way you discourage any behavior, by speaking about it negatively...you don't pretend its not a problem and you certainly don't glorify it.

    If we lived in some anarchy where there was no government then okay sure, get fat it doesn't really affect me other than to make it easier for me to take your stuff. But as long as we live in a social democratic society there are some ground rules when it comes to participation in that society and what it means to be an adult. I am not saying everyone needs to be 100% perfect, that isn't really possible nor reasonable to expect, but we have to at least be able to recognize and voice what the flaws are and be able to admit that things that negatively effect public health are flaws. People wanting to improve themselves should be celebrated, not be discouraged by trite claims of "no no you are beautiful just the way you are!" How does that help them exactly? Is the goal to simply become so complacent that nothing bothers you? Being bothered by things is what makes us strive to be better, we are supposed to be bothered by things.

    Great post. Furthermore, not only is being not overweight bad for the system, and society in general, but bad for the individual.

    The fat acceptance movement is all about the feels, and doesn't accept that "fat and fit" is still most likely not healthy.
  • WillingtoLose1001984
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    I read the book health at every side and actually own it. I don't think that the book was saying any weight is healthy, but that being in the overweight category ( not morbidly obese) isn't as bad as people make it out to be. I think you can strive for health at any size and should and that when you are over 100 lbs overweight or more ( morbidly obese) you are not going to be healthy. Life issues pretty much tell you that it isn't healthy to be that overweight on every level. My life experiences have shown me that. I don't think thinner people or even normally overweight people understand how bad life gets when you get to 100 lbs or more overweight. All of the bigger people over 35 bmi I have known have wanted to lose weight and hate being as overweight as they are.
  • WillingtoLose1001984
    WillingtoLose1001984 Posts: 240 Member
    edited November 2017
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    Orphia wrote: »
    Aaron_K123 wrote: »
    .

    Great post. Furthermore, not only is being not overweight bad for the system, and society in general, but bad for the individual.

    The fat acceptance movement is all about the feels, and doesn't accept that "fat and fit" is still most likely not healthy.

    It depends what fat is to people- how a person defines fat. I don't believe healthy weight is as narrow as it is defined in the bmi from personal experience being a normal bmi weight to almost 200 lbs overweight. When your weight starts to interfere with what you can do or being able to conceive or get around you have a problem. If you are just feeling fat because socially it has been important to be in the low bmi range you don't. Personally I believe the overweight and normal weight ranges are ok to be in and that seems to bear out in studies. I was made to feel horrible growing up up to 30 lbs overweight according to the bmi in the 80's and 90's. When I got to a lower weight during middle school the treatment was better.

    Also, I thought life was bad when I was 30 lbs overweight but life gets so much worse when you are much heavier. That is why I wouldn't judge anyone who was obese because they are suffering because of it even if they don't say anything. I want to be less judgmental of everyone because everyone struggles with something and has something in their lives or about them that they wish was different or have problems changing.
  • WillingtoLose1001984
    WillingtoLose1001984 Posts: 240 Member
    edited November 2017
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    tomteboda wrote: »
    celiah909 wrote: »
    tomteboda wrote: »
    celiah909 wrote: »
    https://www.facebook.com/SlackerAndSteveFans/posts/1015947437827039

    One even said, “That is why so many people are "fat" in the USA. It isn't that we are bigger than 60 years ago, but they label it different now”

    This is actually true.

    Who's Fat? New Definition Adopted (CNN -June 17, 1998)
    riteria for definition of overweight in transition: background and recommendations for the United States (The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2000 )
    Optimal Weight Threshold Lowered (Washington Post - June 4, 1988)

    30 million Americans became "overweight" overnight while sleeping due to a definition change; a similar number moved from "overweight" to "obese" with the same change.

    I still think that more of the population falls into those weight categories now than 60 years ago.

    Well, you know, that definition change occurred in the late 1990s and effectively doubled the number in those categories. And that was less than 60 years ago, so obviously there's more?

    Look, I get what you're trying to say; that if one metric was used to have obesity now vs in 1960, you'd find more people are overweight and obese. You can't really do that precisely because we had different standards and the data lacks the granularity for proper comparison. But the observation is valid, as is the observation that the definition changed. They aren't mutually exclusive concepts.

    What we can note is that the average weight of American men has risen from 181 in 1988 to 196 lbs in 2016. The average weight of American women has risen from 152 to 169 lbs. The average heights have remained constant, at 5'9" and 5'4", respectively. That's significant and very real, while not exactly earth-shattering.

    Interestingly, the average man and woman were both considered in the "healthy weight" range in 1980, but if the current definitions are applied, those 1980 people were also overweight. This is why it's accurate to note that we are getting larger, but the raw data comparisons on number of individuals classified as obese and overweight are misleading as to the magnitude of the effect.

    1. CDC National Center for Health Statistics: Body Measurements, May 13 2017
    2. CBS News - "The average Americans' weight change since the 1980s is startling" August 13, 2017

    This is true. Great point! I had been thinking this for a while and wondered why no one mentioned it!
  • WillingtoLose1001984
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    wmd1979 wrote: »
    newmeadow wrote: »
    newmeadow wrote: »
    newmeadow 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.

    What would the societal reaction be to a morbidly obese stripper employee dancing onstage and a 120 pound stripper employee socializing with the clientele while enjoying cigarettes and alcohol?

    Would they be received the same way? Would one employee be sneered at, heckled, not offered any cash and booed off the stage where the other employee would be ogled, complimented, never once have to reach into her purse to pay for her own drinks while her cigarettes were lit for her with chivalry?

    Depends on what floats your boat.....not all men would object

    True. If there's a club that specializes in featuring obese strippers or at least has a Chub Night with free buffet okay. I've never heard of such a thing but if you have - could you please let me know so I can apply for a part time gig on my nights off?

    Point is, drinking is socially acceptable. Smoking is too, as long as it's done in open air setting so as not to give the non smokers lung disease. Or in private settings where the homeowner sets the rules and can do as he or she pleases.

    Obese people disrobing for cash and prizes in order to facilitate sexual arousal and bring clientele into your run-of-the-mill strip club equals socially acceptable? Not so much.

    I completely disagree. I don't see how smoking is considered socially acceptable. There has been more legislation and taxation surrounding smoking over the last 20 years than pretty much anything else. There has been a dramatic push to lower the rates of smoking, and it has actually worked. I don't agree at all with shaming someone for their weight, however I think it would be great if being a healthy weight was made a priority by everyone. That doesn't mean people should offer unsolicited advice, or shame anyone, but obesity should also not be accepted as the norm. If smoking had been accepted as the norm and "healthy" just as the HAES movement claims that every size is healthy, then I guarantee the rate of smokers would be much higher right now.

    Yet they are legalizing marijuana. Cigarettes= bad marijuana= good How off is that!
  • WillingtoLose1001984
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    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.

    It is much more rare to be shamed because you are thin. I mean if it was bad to be thin why are most models usually at the low end of the bmi scale or below? Why do almost all people who are successful have a low body weight. I don't see many people over 100lbs overweight who made great successes of themselves, who are famous. You'd have to be really thin to be shamed for it. My sister is 5'10'' at 125 lbs and is never picked on, besides my dad sometimes, outside of the house in society. If people are commenting on you being overly thin you might want to listen to it! Just like a heavier person being called fat might need to listen to it!





  • WillingtoLose1001984
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    lvmycats wrote: »
    I don't think it really matters if someone is decently overweight unless the person has kids or pets who are dependent on them and their weight impedes on their ability to be their for their family (i.e. inability to walk dogs, play with cats/kids, walk with kids etc. or causes serious health issues that can be managed to ensure they are around for their family and don't plop dead or require their family to become caretakers).

    If they are in that position though you can be sure they will suffer for it emotionally and practically unless they care about nothing!
  • WillingtoLose1001984
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    MJ2victory wrote: »
    MJ2victory wrote: »
    MJ2victory wrote: »
    CipherZero wrote: »
    MJ2victory wrote: »
    ahhhh thanks friend.

    tbh whatever. Hate fat ppl all you want but why tell them? Sadism?

    K9jNCVe.jpg

    No one - least of all me - has said to tell fat people a thing. I've said HAES and their ilk are impossible to please if they don't get their over-inflated egos stroked for being "fat and beautiful". Their victim complex is nauseating and utterly unhelpful to their own cause.

    I think there are like a dozen ppl in the US who are that ridiculous. The idea of fat acceptance shouldn't be judged by that. And look at any single post of a happy, fat, confident woman and you will see comment after comment about how she's gross, unhealthy, promoting obesity, etc. I'm not talking specifically to anyone in this thread but to be, that's the opposite of fat acceptance. Just let ppl be fat and happy. Most fat people know the risks.

    People voice their opinions on people and things that they find distasteful all of the time. Why should the obese get a pass?

    People disproportionately voice their distaste for the obese.

    I've seen so many pictures of thin women eating a mountain of food and people say it's awesome and she's "wife material" and things like that. No one says it's gross or glorifying unhealthy habits.

    Furthermore, I would argue that people should do a lot less voicing their opinions of distaste although that's not what this thread is about. It's not hard to be decent. If you think something's ugly/stupid/whatever how hard is it to keep it to yourself and go live your own glorious life in the sun?

    Nope on the thin pets. She'd get labelled bulimic by many people. Actually post a picture of an overly thin person and there would be many many comments on how gross she is but it's acceptable because she's thin.

    I have looked at a lot of pics like that and never seen a comment like that tbh.

    I posted this progress picture on reddit
    5xgtq9nu3njl.jpg

    And got so many skeevy emails telling me that I was so much "sexier" in my "before" picture and other ones saying it was sad that I'd lost so much of my curviness.

    You have a tiny waist ( an hourglass figure) even in the before picture. I think that's what they like.
  • FatPorkyChop
    FatPorkyChop Posts: 83 Member
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    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.

    It is much more rare to be shamed because you are thin. I mean if it was bad to be thin why are most models usually at the low end of the bmi scale or below? Why do almost all people who are successful have a low body weight. I don't see many people over 100lbs overweight who made great successes of themselves, who are famous. You'd have to be really thin to be shamed for it. My sister is 5'10'' at 125 lbs and is never picked on, besides my dad sometimes, outside of the house in society. If people are commenting on you being overly thin you might want to listen to it! Just like a heavier person being called fat might need to listen to it!


    Disagree! I am shamed all the time because I train and I am slim (and not "really thin" for what it means, just slim & healthy...) ALL THE TIME! When I was way bigger I did not get any negative comment...
    I have a lot of overweight friends who never get shamed or "picked on"... so again I disagree.... "thin shaming" is also a real phenomenon except that people don't think they are doing anything wrong by shaming someone slim. It's not because you don't experience it that it does not happen, it does!
    Fat and thin shaming are a reality.