fat shaming
Holly_penguin
Posts: 149 Member
in Chit-Chat
As a person who has been:
1. overweight or obese since I was 8 years old
2. teased, bullied, rejected, and discriminated against becasue of my weight
I read an article on MSN.com today about how fat shaming does not work. I read it and wanted to share it. It touched me personally and made me empathize.
For the most part MFP is a supportive community. But I have seen some ugly and hateful vile on the boards here too. Especially towards anyone who has had gastric or WLS surgery. Below is a clip of the article:
Research has already shown that stigmatizing overweight people leads to psychological factors that are likely to contribute to weight gain – things like depression or binge eating. This new paper takes that a step further, linking what the Internet likes to call “fat-shaming” to weight gain and suggesting that you can’t scare people skinny.
“Stigma and discrimination are really stressors, and, unfortunately, for many people, they’re chronic stressors,” says Rebecca Puhl, deputy director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. Puhl has studied weight bias and discrimination for 13 years. “And we know that eating is a common reaction to stress and anxiety -- that people often engage in more food consumption or more binge eating in response to stressors, so there is a logical connection here in terms of some of the maladaptive coping strategies to try to deal with the stress of being stigmatized.”
The rest can be found here: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/fat-shaming-actually-increases-risk-becoming-or-staying-obese-new-8C10751491?ocid=msnhp&pos=5
1. overweight or obese since I was 8 years old
2. teased, bullied, rejected, and discriminated against becasue of my weight
I read an article on MSN.com today about how fat shaming does not work. I read it and wanted to share it. It touched me personally and made me empathize.
For the most part MFP is a supportive community. But I have seen some ugly and hateful vile on the boards here too. Especially towards anyone who has had gastric or WLS surgery. Below is a clip of the article:
Research has already shown that stigmatizing overweight people leads to psychological factors that are likely to contribute to weight gain – things like depression or binge eating. This new paper takes that a step further, linking what the Internet likes to call “fat-shaming” to weight gain and suggesting that you can’t scare people skinny.
“Stigma and discrimination are really stressors, and, unfortunately, for many people, they’re chronic stressors,” says Rebecca Puhl, deputy director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. Puhl has studied weight bias and discrimination for 13 years. “And we know that eating is a common reaction to stress and anxiety -- that people often engage in more food consumption or more binge eating in response to stressors, so there is a logical connection here in terms of some of the maladaptive coping strategies to try to deal with the stress of being stigmatized.”
The rest can be found here: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/fat-shaming-actually-increases-risk-becoming-or-staying-obese-new-8C10751491?ocid=msnhp&pos=5
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Replies
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Shaming in general is a sad reality we all face. You always hear that if someone is teasing you, then they're sad about themselves in some way. I can't say if it's true, but if it is then my bullies were some damn good actors at being happy with themselves.0
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It doesn't work and it's totally unfair when today's status quo nutritional advice is almost totally WRONG. (Conventional dieting advice actually caused much damage to my health over the 22 years that I tried to follow it.) However, it is my opinon that being fat is being sick and many other illnesses result from being obese so I think we owe it to ourselves to do something about it but not by following conventional nutritional advice. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a lot of work and experimentation to find what a truly healthy diet is. When that happens, weight loss is effortless (I didn't say "fast") and other illnesses may also vanish. Yes, really.0
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It doesn't work and it's totally unfair when today's status quo nutritional advice is almost totally WRONG. (Conventional dieting advice actually caused much damage to my health over the 22 years that I tried to follow it.) However, it is my opinon that being fat is being sick and many other illnesses result from being obese so I think we owe it to ourselves to do something about it but not by following conventional nutritional advice. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a lot of work and experimentation to find what a truly healthy diet is. When that happens, weight loss is effortless (I didn't say "fast") and other illnesses may also vanish. Yes, really.
What are you referring to as conventional dieting advice? I'm just curious0 -
The shaming starts with teachers in elementary school. In particular, phys ed teachers. Shaming is built into the curriculum. But it is not just shaming the overweight kids. It also is intended to shame the the students that are not naturally athletic.
The so-called Presidential Physical Fitness test does nothing but shame the non-athletic students.
I was ridiculed by teachers and students every single year until my junior year of high school and no longer had to take phys ed.
I was not obese in school but I was overweight. Making it worse was being the only one that was overweight in my family and the only non-jock. Got crapped on from all sides for not living up to others expectations.
All that abuse gave me a distorted self image so when I actually did get obese I didn't really notice for a long time. I already had a fat self image. My body just caught up.0 -
everyone has opinions. this is the internet... does it make is right? no. however it is to be expected.0
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The shaming starts with teachers in elementary school. In particular, phys ed teachers. Shaming is built into the curriculum. But it is not just shaming the overweight kids. It also is intended to shame the the students that are not naturally athletic.
The so-called Presidential Physical Fitness test does nothing but shame the non-athletic students.
I was ridiculed by teachers and students every single year until my junior year of high school and no longer had to take phys ed.
I was not obese in school but I was overweight. Making it worse was being the only one that was overweight in my family and the only non-jock. Got crapped on from all sides for not living up to others expectations.
All that abuse gave me a distorted self image so when I actually did get obese I didn't really notice for a long time. I already had a fat self image. My body just caught up.
TRUE! PE in elementary school was torture. It is the equivalent of of having a child who doesn't know the answer stand up in front of the classroom until they think of something. The reason I still wont push myself to do a 5K is the fear of being one of the very last.... sad but true.0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.0
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TRUE! PE in elementary school was torture. It is the equivalent of of having a child who doesn't know the answer stand up in front of the classroom until they think of something. The reason I still wont push myself to do a 5K is the fear of being one of the very last.... sad but true.
I'm sorry, but no amount of cardio will turn that rhinoceros into a unicorn. It's just physically impossible haha.0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.
Can I watch?0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.
Can I watch?
This just got weird...0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.
Can I watch?
This just got weird...
You wanted to watch too? I don't mind.0 -
The shaming starts with teachers in elementary school. In particular, phys ed teachers. Shaming is built into the curriculum. But it is not just shaming the overweight kids. It also is intended to shame the the students that are not naturally athletic.
The so-called Presidential Physical Fitness test does nothing but shame the non-athletic students.
I was ridiculed by teachers and students every single year until my junior year of high school and no longer had to take phys ed.
I was not obese in school but I was overweight. Making it worse was being the only one that was overweight in my family and the only non-jock. Got crapped on from all sides for not living up to others expectations.
All that abuse gave me a distorted self image so when I actually did get obese I didn't really notice for a long time. I already had a fat self image. My body just caught up.
OMG I am so with you. I'm tall and for whatever reason people think I should be super athletic. Yeah, I'm not. I'm super uncoordinated and clumsy. We had a mandatory track and field competition in grade school. Who the hell thought that would be a good idea??? It should have been called Get Your Self-Esteem Crushed Day!
Part of the reason I think school phys ed is so horrifying for a lot of kids is they expect everyone to be good at exactly the same things. As we can see from being here on MFP, there are THOUSANDS of ways to get fit. The gym teachers (male) gave me such a hard time about sucking at gymnastics. Again, I'm tall and super uncoordinated. Gymnastics is not a good fit for me. BUT I'm an awesome softball player (which I realized as an adult). I'm a crappy runner, but love riding bikes and on and on. Why they don't have broader vision for fitness in schools, I don't know.0 -
There is shaming for every body type and of course it doesn't accomplish anything. In fact people shame others for every reason under the sun and it never accomplishes anything. We are basically turning into a society of judgmental, intolerant *kitten*.0
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The shaming starts with teachers in elementary school. In particular, phys ed teachers. Shaming is built into the curriculum. But it is not just shaming the overweight kids. It also is intended to shame the the students that are not naturally athletic.
The so-called Presidential Physical Fitness test does nothing but shame the non-athletic students.
I was ridiculed by teachers and students every single year until my junior year of high school and no longer had to take phys ed.
I was not obese in school but I was overweight. Making it worse was being the only one that was overweight in my family and the only non-jock. Got crapped on from all sides for not living up to others expectations.
All that abuse gave me a distorted self image so when I actually did get obese I didn't really notice for a long time. I already had a fat self image. My body just caught up.
OMG I am so with you. I'm tall and for whatever reason people think I should be super athletic. Yeah, I'm not. I'm super uncoordinated and clumsy. We had a mandatory track and field competition in grade school. Who the hell thought that would be a good idea??? It should have been called Get Your Self-Esteem Crushed Day!
Part of the reason I think school phys ed is so horrifying for a lot of kids is they expect everyone to be good at exactly the same things. As we can see from being here on MFP, there are THOUSANDS of ways to get fit. The gym teachers (male) gave me such a hard time about sucking at gymnastics. Again, I'm tall and super uncoordinated. Gymnastics is not a good fit for me. BUT I'm an awesome softball player (which I realized as an adult). I'm a crappy runner, but love riding bikes and on and on. Why they don't have broader vision for fitness in schools, I don't know.
If we apply your reasoning to all areas of life we should just do away with making kids take tests because not all kids will get 100%. We should also do away with social aspects of school because my autistic son doesn't have friends and sits alone. Maybe we should do away with meat in schools since some kids are vegetarians. We have to get rid of art classes because not all kids have artistic abilities.
The reason they don't have a "broader vision for fitness" in school is lack of funding. Some schools can't even afford PE or organized after school sports. The schools that can afford it try to encourage physical activity in many different ways, you just remember the ones that made you feel bad about yourself. I remember tons of different things we did in PE as a kid and I sucked at them all, but I never let it get to me.0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.
Can I watch?
This just got weird...
You wanted to watch too? I don't mind.
Count me in...0 -
You wanted to watch too? I don't mind.
Count me in...
0 -
The shaming starts with teachers in elementary school. In particular, phys ed teachers. Shaming is built into the curriculum. But it is not just shaming the overweight kids. It also is intended to shame the the students that are not naturally athletic.
The so-called Presidential Physical Fitness test does nothing but shame the non-athletic students.
I was ridiculed by teachers and students every single year until my junior year of high school and no longer had to take phys ed.
I was not obese in school but I was overweight. Making it worse was being the only one that was overweight in my family and the only non-jock. Got crapped on from all sides for not living up to others expectations.
All that abuse gave me a distorted self image so when I actually did get obese I didn't really notice for a long time. I already had a fat self image. My body just caught up.
OMG I am so with you. I'm tall and for whatever reason people think I should be super athletic. Yeah, I'm not. I'm super uncoordinated and clumsy. We had a mandatory track and field competition in grade school. Who the hell thought that would be a good idea??? It should have been called Get Your Self-Esteem Crushed Day!
Part of the reason I think school phys ed is so horrifying for a lot of kids is they expect everyone to be good at exactly the same things. As we can see from being here on MFP, there are THOUSANDS of ways to get fit. The gym teachers (male) gave me such a hard time about sucking at gymnastics. Again, I'm tall and super uncoordinated. Gymnastics is not a good fit for me. BUT I'm an awesome softball player (which I realized as an adult). I'm a crappy runner, but love riding bikes and on and on. Why they don't have broader vision for fitness in schools, I don't know.
If we apply your reasoning to all areas of life we should just do away with making kids take tests because not all kids will get 100%. We should also do away with social aspects of school because my autistic son doesn't have friends and sits alone. Maybe we should do away with meat in schools since some kids are vegetarians. We have to get rid of art classes because not all kids have artistic abilities.
The reason they don't have a "broader vision for fitness" in school is lack of funding. Some schools can't even afford PE or organized after school sports. The schools that can afford it try to encourage physical activity in many different ways, you just remember the ones that made you feel bad about yourself. I remember tons of different things we did in PE as a kid and I sucked at them all, but I never let it get to me.
I fail to see how letting some kids play softball while others play basketball or do somersaults or run is the same as eliminating tests because not everyone will get 100% or any of the other things you mentioned. It's not like I'm saying they have to implement white water rafting, a horse riding stadium and a rock climbing wall in every school. It's gym class, not math. No kid is going to be held back in life because they chose to play kickball instead of run a relay race.0 -
I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.
Im already there. Im parked in the van at the end of the street.
Let me freshen up with some baby wipes and ill be right over.0 -
I fail to see how letting some kids play softball while others play basketball or do somersaults or run is the same as eliminating tests because not everyone will get 100% or any of the other things you mentioned. It's not like I'm saying they have to implement white water rafting, a horse riding stadium and a rock climbing wall in every school. It's gym class, not math. No kid is going to be held back in life because they chose to play kickball instead of run a relay race.
How do you suggest they fund a wide variety of activities every day? I know our local schools have one gym teacher. This gym teacher rotates through a variety of approved activities. One week is softball, one is basketball, one week is tumbling, one week is line dancing.... All kids are required to participate in all of the activities because they will suck at some and do well at others. It is gym class, not math, and you will face uncomfortable situations your entire life. No kid will be held back because they can't hit a ball (I have yet to succesfully hit a softball or baseball and I'm 28), but learning to suck it up and be terrible then get over the situation is a valuable life lesson. Let the kids suck at something for a few PE sessions and do well in others.
If you look at the local schools and they are forcing every kid to play dodgeball every day the entire year then it is time to step up and find a way to force change. If they are making kids leave their comfort zone to do a variety of activities they are doing their job.0 -
I spent most of my adult life being obese. I can count on one hand the times I got "shamed" for it. My speech problems made me a way bigger target (in terms of being shamed/bullied) than being fat ever could =P0
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I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
While I had my fair share of shamming as an obese woman, now that I'm thinner I get shamed I think more now.0 -
The shaming itself doesn't work to encourage weight loss0
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I've gotten way more "shaming" as a thin person or a muscular woman than I ever got when I was fat. Shaming happens to everyone.
Shame on you!
Come to my place tonight and I'll show you the true meaning of shame.
Please post video!0 -
The shaming itself doesn't work to encourage weight loss
Let's talk about shaming.
The psychology of shame and guilt are very similar. Shame happens when someone's inability to meet social standards are exposed to others through negative comments by others (whether real or imagined). Guilt comes from within ourselves from negative comments by ourselves.
Shaming isn't meant to encourage fat loss (or fat gain or muscle loss or breast growth...etc.) it's meant to make you feel like *kitten* for not looking like that person wants you to look. That's it. It's the high school "I look better than you" thing.
Go ahead and tell Dwayne Johnson he's an ugly freak of nature because he doesn't look like Robert Downey, Jr. then sit back and watch him laugh at you because his standards for perfect are different than yours. When you decide you love yourself the way you are and that social standards are bullsh*t it is absolutely impossible for someone to actually shame you. People try to tell me I'm too muscular or that I need to stop working out and I thank them for their opinion then go back to what I was doing. They may have "shamed" me, but there was no shame involved.0 -
I fail to see how letting some kids play softball while others play basketball or do somersaults or run is the same as eliminating tests because not everyone will get 100% or any of the other things you mentioned. It's not like I'm saying they have to implement white water rafting, a horse riding stadium and a rock climbing wall in every school. It's gym class, not math. No kid is going to be held back in life because they chose to play kickball instead of run a relay race.
How do you suggest they fund a wide variety of activities every day? I know our local schools have one gym teacher. This gym teacher rotates through a variety of approved activities. One week is softball, one is basketball, one week is tumbling, one week is line dancing.... All kids are required to participate in all of the activities because they will suck at some and do well at others. It is gym class, not math, and you will face uncomfortable situations your entire life. No kid will be held back because they can't hit a ball (I have yet to succesfully hit a softball or baseball and I'm 28), but learning to suck it up and be terrible then get over the situation is a valuable life lesson. Let the kids suck at something for a few PE sessions and do well in others.
If you look at the local schools and they are forcing every kid to play dodgeball every day the entire year then it is time to step up and find a way to force change. If they are making kids leave their comfort zone to do a variety of activities they are doing their job.
I agree wth this, and looking back I wish I hadn't held back so much in gym class. The reason I did, was because from K-5th grade, my gym teacher was a close family friend. I was incredibly small for my age (I mean, really really tiny up until 6th grade at which point I ended up getting chubby over the summer) Anyway, he would let me sit out for whatever activity I didnt want to do. Didnt matter what it was. If I said I didnt like dodge ball, I didnt play dodgeball. Didnt feel like running? I would hold his clipboard and take attendance instead.
Anyway, when he retired and I had to start participating in all the activities, I SUCKED at a majority of them. This was a hit to my self esteem, and I stopped really trying at ANY physical activity in front of my classmates (I am shy as is, and went from being picked on as the smallest kid in class, to being picked on for getting chubby in the 3 months of summer break.) By the time I got to high school PE, I dreaded gym class every day. Then one day, we started playing flag football and I LOVED IT! My team won the little tournament between all the gym classes :drinker: I started applying myself in the gym class sports I never even tried at previously, the ones I always stayed in the back, dreaded my turn, and didnt even try at. I discovered I liked volleyball, I liked basketball... I still hated softball and dodgeball LOL. The point is, I wish someone had sat me down earlier and told me JUST BECAUSE YOU DONT LIKE IT DOESNT MEAN YOU SHOULDNT TRY! Guess what?? By the time I figured this out, it was my LAST YEAR of PE and I had missed out on all the fun!
ETA: That ^^ has nothing to do with the original post about shaming, but js my opinion on PE class and why when my girls come home whining that they hate gym, I am going to tell them to do it anyway!
In regars to fat shaming, its wrong and for the most part doesnt do anything but make that person feel even worse about themselves. However, being "shamed" did work for me, and I finally started losing.
I do still fell "shamed" now, I think everyone has moments where people try to make them feel bad, but that is just life.0 -
My uncles did this all the time to me as an adult. Now he is very overweight... Ya, I don't ever let him forget it either. lol!!!0
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