Is being fat a disability??

UsedToBeHusky

Yes, if a person arrives at one or more of those conditions, they do have a disability. However, if the reason they got lung cancer was from smoking; lost their legs playing chicken with a train, do we, as a society, owe them the same level of empathy and or assistance that we have for those who are disabled through no fault of their own?

Yes.

That's not even a question. Morally and legally.

We'll have to agree to disagree there. As a former smoker, should I develop lung cancer in the future because of it, I do not want, nor do I think I deserve empathy and assistance from society. I was stupid for smoking in the first place. Stupid shouldn't be rewarded.

Rewarded would mean given a good thing.

Being helped out with cancer - that's so the opposite of a good thing that I'm a little baffled.

Look at it this way.....you help me with my lung cancer, the lung cancer that I got because I made a stupid decision in my teens; a stupid decision that kept making for 20+ years, because you're a good person. However, in doing this, you may be taking resources and/or time away from another person suffering from a cancer that they got not from making a stupid decision, but because sometimes bad things happen to people. In my view, it is that person who deserves your time and effort, not me. "Reward" might not be the best word to use there, but I hope the above conveys what I was getting at.

Humanity is a personal thing. It's about personal choices, not the choices of another. If you get lung cancer and someone offers you aid, it's because they are a decent human being, and not because you deserved to be treated with decency.

hbrittingham

After reading through this thread, anyone can come to two conclusions:

- People who have never been morbidly obese or depressed are choosing to be ignorant and are telling the people who are morbidly obese/depressed that they should just snap out of it.

- People who are/were morbidly obese or depressed know what it is like and say that it is disabling.

People need to learn how to ahve open minds and imagine that it is to be in other people's shoes.

I've never been morbidly obese and have never been depressed, but I have both empathy and sympathy, so I can feel for people who have been through both. I can't imagine anyone with either condition is joyfully accepting that all the pain they are going through is something they endure just so they can get disability or a handicapped placard.

_HeartsOnFire_

jnichel

Yes, if a person arrives at one or more of those conditions, they do have a disability. However, if the reason they got lung cancer was from smoking; lost their legs playing chicken with a train, do we, as a society, owe them the same level of empathy and or assistance that we have for those who are disabled through no fault of their own?

Yes.

That's not even a question. Morally and legally.

We'll have to agree to disagree there. As a former smoker, should I develop lung cancer in the future because of it, I do not want, nor do I think I deserve empathy and assistance from society. I was stupid for smoking in the first place. Stupid shouldn't be rewarded.

So, I guess you will be paying out of pocket for all medical expenses, not using insurance, medicaid or medicare, and if it is bad enough that you can no longer work, instead of taking disability, you plan on living on the streets because it was all your fault for smoking? I doubt it.

Why would I not use my insurance? I paid for it. In fact, I paid more for it because I was a smoker. Don't have medicaid or medicare (even though I help pay for those), so I can't use it. If it was to the point that I couldn't work, that would also mean I'm not long for this world, so living on the streets or not wouldn't be an issue. I believe in being responsible for my actions and don't believe in burdening society and/or my family for my poor choices. Your doubting my conviction is irrelevant.

_HeartsOnFire_

sassyjae21

just randomly looked at your UN and became baffled. I'm listening to a song right now called "hearts on fire"

Where did OP go?

Salty_Sauce

I think aside from any underlying legitimate physical or mental conditions, being fat is not so much a disability as it is a result of being dishonest with yourself and your choices. At least it was in my case........but not anymore :-)

jnichel

Humanity is a personal thing. It's about personal choices, not the choices of another. If you get lung cancer and someone offers you aid, it's because they are a decent human being, and not because you deserved to be treated with decency.

Yes, but my point is, in my view, there are others who do deserve that aid and empathy. There's not a surplus of assistance in the world today, and it should go to the woman who got breast cancer for no other reason than she's a woman and has boobs, before it goes to someone like me who made a conscience choice to do something stupid.

_KitKat_

In........

Now to go read.......

getfitnowdee

I think that being fat can be a "side effect" of a disability. Some disabled people aren't able to be active. Some disabled people are very poor and can't afford to purchase the healthier foods. Yes, the could probably eat less and lose weight, but looking at them and making the assumption that they are obese or fat because they are lazy is wrong in my opinion. Some disabilities are invisible on the outside. That doesn't make that person any less disabled. Just because the girl with what appeared to be CP used crutches didn't make her any more disabled than that fat person who was already using the riding cart. Her disability was just more apparent. Maybe the fat person on the cart had COPD or was in heart failure and on steroids. You can't know, but you judge because they are fat.

I so agree with all you said here.......I have lost 100 lbs and no I never felt I was disabled ,but I know others that are obese and just cant do anything. They are so depressed and one thing leads to another....please don't judge people by looks or body size...I was the fat girl...

anissa333

I really dont have anything to say....I said I understand weight with medical issues...yet I am still getting bashed...

I guess I rather not spend my friday being called an *kitten*, a douche and my favorite....a sociopath....

ELMunque

I was never morbidly obese, but I teetered on the line of overweight and obese for years after a very abusive relationship which caused some depression, I was skinny all my life until depression. I brought myself back (with the help of an amazing victims counselor) but I was still fat after I got my head right. I lost some weight, then I started getting sick and was constantly in pain. I have a condition where my insides (damn near all of them) prolapsed, I had surgery, got it fixed and was able to work out again (after I had gained all the weight back) started losing weight and it happened again, this happened three times. Now I can't squat, jump, do sit ups or anything else that will help gravity out for the rest of my life. I can't lift anything over 30lbs from hip height and nothing over 10lbs from the floor. Ever. for the rest of my life.

You do get to the point where you wonder if all the trying is worth it, and some give up. Fortunately I didn't.

I don't think that obesity is a disability. I do think that help should be readily available to those who need it to get their lives back on track though.

I have a disabled daughter, I never compared myself to her when I was fat/obese. But it's different for everyone, I have limits and I work around them because I can, some people need help to getting to where they even believe that they can.

wheird

I really dont have anything to say....I said I understand weight with medical issues...yet I am still getting bashed...

I guess I rather not spend my friday being called an *kitten*, a douche and my favorite....a sociopath....

You really need to consider your opinions more deeply. When you look at things only from the surface, you are being foolish. Sometimes it happens, and those are the times that you need to eat crow.

vim_n_vigor

Yes, if a person arrives at one or more of those conditions, they do have a disability. However, if the reason they got lung cancer was from smoking; lost their legs playing chicken with a train, do we, as a society, owe them the same level of empathy and or assistance that we have for those who are disabled through no fault of their own?

Yes.

That's not even a question. Morally and legally.

We'll have to agree to disagree there. As a former smoker, should I develop lung cancer in the future because of it, I do not want, nor do I think I deserve empathy and assistance from society. I was stupid for smoking in the first place. Stupid shouldn't be rewarded.

So, I guess you will be paying out of pocket for all medical expenses, not using insurance, medicaid or medicare, and if it is bad enough that you can no longer work, instead of taking disability, you plan on living on the streets because it was all your fault for smoking? I doubt it.

Why would I not use my insurance? I paid for it. In fact, I paid more for it because I was a smoker. Don't have medicaid or medicare (even though I help pay for those), so I can't use it. If it was to the point that I couldn't work, that would also mean I'm not long for this world, so living on the streets or not wouldn't be an issue. I believe in being responsible for my actions and don't believe in burdening society and/or my family for my poor choices. Your doubting my conviction is irrelevant.

It isn't doubting your conviction, though I would add that I find it to be a bit selfish.

_HeartsOnFire_

I really dont have anything to say....I said I understand weight with medical issues...yet I am still getting bashed...

I guess I rather not spend my friday being called an *kitten*, a douche and my favorite....a sociopath....

You also have yet to comment about your ridiculous depression statement...which leads me to further believe, that you didn't consider it or even think about it before you said it.

My advice would be to start thinking before you speak. Try to think of all the possible situations that you can before opening your mouth, research, talk to people, try to understand. Learn what empathy and compassion are before doling out your judgments on people. Try to look at things from their eyes. Or, if you cannot do that and you do not understand something, just don't speak about it.

yopeeps025

I can see where some have a hard time maneuvering being Obese (as I did at almost 400lbs), but I don't see it as being a reason to go get yourself a handicap placard. I had to make myself get out and walk. and after a while I was just fine and dandy!!! So it is a disability only if you allow yourself to give into it...

That the thing though for you it was not a diability. For some it is very hard. I was never that high in weight 265 was my top but I remember days of it being hard to tie my shoes( hold my breath to do so). You all have changed my views and I do think it should be a disability now. .

nancy10272004

THEN the "victim" that sits next to me and has already had a lap band and lost some weight and gained some of it back....brought up depression and that making you eat and you cant help it....sorry I am calling bull on this one.....no quit being a victim and get off your *kitten* and do something!!!

Clearly you have never struggled with clinical depression, which can be a disability, and its side effects.

_HeartsOnFire_

I really dont have anything to say....I said I understand weight with medical issues...yet I am still getting bashed...

I guess I rather not spend my friday being called an *kitten*, a douche and my favorite....a sociopath....

You really need to consider your opinions more deeply. When you look at things only from the surface, you are being foolish. Sometimes it happens, and those are the times that you need to eat crow.

QFT.

This is very well said.

OP people weren't bashing you as much as you think. They are just trying to get you to open your eyes that there are things you do not understand and maybe you should try to do so before making rash judgments about people.

anissa333

My granddaughter was born without a rectum..so she was rushed to egleston for emergency surgery. Her condition has a name and luckily she had the lightest case of it because all her organs were where they needed to be and they only had to "create" her rectum...as my daughter was filling out paperwork there was a disability form included when she asked why the dr explained because she had this conditioni, she was eligible...even though she had the lightest form. My daughter asked if she would have any issues as she got older and the Dr said no after this surgery she will be fine. My daughter said well then she doesnt need to be on disability.....now at 3 yrs old Brylie is fine and you cant even tell she was born without it, but if my daughter wanted to, she could be getting a check now.....I fully agree that every situation needs to be looked at alone, but I also believe people are too quick to take the easy way out....

anissa333

I should have said the depression thing differently,BUT I do stand behind my words about this person. I have sat next to her for 14 yrs and I know that she had to go through counseling and was not clinically depressed(this came from her). For HER, it is an excuse...