Is being fat a disability??
Replies
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Getting fat takes work. It's a choice.
Getting un-fat takes work. It's a choice, too.
Being fat is not a disability. It is not something that just happens.
It doesn't merit judgement - everyone is who they are (for the most part) based on their own decisions, and if someone decides to eat overly processed, unhealthy foods, that's their choice. Those choices should not be made the responsibility of the global public, however, in being deemed "disability".
Society is cruel. It always has been. There is also, I think, a certain level of respect for those who make the effort to better themselves - in whatever regard.0 -
I am a firm believer in NOT judging other people. My sister is 44. She is Obese. She uses the scooters at walmart and inconsiderate jerks have made comments to her about it. What they dont see, is that she has sever osteoporosis. If she coughs too hard she breaks a rib. If she walks much she can break a hip and has been told by her DR to use those scooters or stay home. She also has fibromyalgia, neuropathy in her feet from diabetes type 2... interstitial cystitis, MS, severe arthritis, stenosis in her spine... her being Obese is a side effect of all her health problems that don't let her do much. but when she is seen in a scooter at walmart, all you can see is an obese person in a scooter.. her other health probs don't show...so, like i said... i don't judge anyone
I wonder what the OP would say about this. OP, care to weigh in?
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dis·a·bil·i·ty
/ˌdisəˈbilitē/
noun
noun: disability; plural noun: disabilities
a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities.
Being FAT does not limit movemt or activities. However, being OBESE or MORBIDLY OBESE does.
Therefore, depending on how you use the term "fat", it can be considred a disability. It doesn't matter if you can do something about it or not, in that state, it is a disability. The only difference is you can easily fix this disability, compared to other disabilities.
ETA: I will argue that being obese is indeed a disability. Have you ever seen an obese person walk, clap their hands, or tie ther shoelaces? It's nto exatly easy for them. You would go so far to say that their movement is limited, not unlike a disability.
Being fat is not a disability. That being said, most people are only considered fat by society when, in fact, they are actually obese.
I started out morbidly obese, in fact i am still actually obese, and no way would i consider myself having a disability. Yes I used to have a heck of a time walking, clapping my hands and thought I would stop breathing when trying to tie my shoes, but I put myself there, not a disability. IMO a disability is something you can't change. I changed it.0 -
Im sorry I may sound heartless in saying this but i see those tv show commercials for the "my 400lb life" and i have no sympathy for them at all. If you were at one point in your life 120 pounds and athletic it was a personal decision to let yourself go to the point of extreme and its human nature to either do something about it or make excuses for it.
I spent almost a decade with an illness that was misdiagnosed by several doctors. Each one of them put me on different medications and some of those made me balloon like a whale. I went from a hyper-athletic, competitive tennis player to a depressed, morbidly obese person in that decade.
I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you and your view of life.0 -
Obese, morbidly obese, super obese etc. is definitely in my opinion debilitating and can facilitate a whole host of medical issues.
It's sad really, but even sadder is to judge when I've never been in that position.
[/quote]
This^ We don't know if "that people" did try to loose weigh, and not everybody has the will power that others do.0 -
As a matter of fact, yes, morbidly obese may qualify you for Social Security Disability.0
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Getting fat takes work. It's a choice.
Getting un-fat takes work. It's a choice, too.
Being fat is not a disability. It is not something that just happens.
It doesn't merit judgement - everyone is who they are (for the most part) based on their own decisions, and if someone decides to eat overly processed, unhealthy foods, that's their choice. Those choices should not be made the responsibility of the global public, however, in being deemed "disability".
Society is cruel. It always has been. There is also, I think, a certain level of respect for those who make the effort to better themselves - in whatever regard.
Yes, but when we see someone out and about in most situations, how can we tell if they are or are not bettering themselves? You have no idea where a person is on their health journey (on the way up or down) just based on one fleeting interaction in public.
Someone might judge me for driving through the McD's drive thru one day - but what they don't know is that maybe I'm coming off working a 14 hour event, and haven't eaten since 6am. I'm on a ketogenic diet, so I'm buying some McDoubles and throwing the bun away, and staying within my diet's parameters.
But all you Judge-y McJudgersons are likely thinking "If she doesn't watch out, she's going to full-on pork-out, instead of just being chubby".
I was 260 at my highest, and I'm at 210 now. At 208, I am no longer obese (I'm 5'10")0 -
Im sorry I may sound heartless in saying this but i see those tv show commercials for the "my 400lb life" and i have no sympathy for them at all. If you were at one point in your life 120 pounds and athletic it was a personal decision to let yourself go to the point of extreme and its human nature to either do something about it or make excuses for it.
Do people really think putting "I'm sorry" in front of a jerky comment, makes the comment less jerky?
I got fat because I was suffering from severe sleep deprivation, severe depression and moderate to severe anxiety (the last two were secondary to the first). I've never eaten half a gallon of ice cream, or a whole block of cheese or anything like that. I have trouble now eating 1200 calories a day because I've never, in my life, been an overeater.
So no, it wasn't a personal decision that I made to become fat. It was lack of access to medical care to deal with my insomnia, period. And I'm SO FING tired of people assuming that everyone fits into a neat little fat box so they can feel free to judge without any shame.0 -
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Im sorry I may sound heartless in saying this but i see those tv show commercials for the "my 400lb life" and i have no sympathy for them at all. If you were at one point in your life 120 pounds and athletic it was a personal decision to let yourself go to the point of extreme and its human nature to either do something about it or make excuses for it.
Do people really think putting "I'm sorry" in front of a jerky comment, makes the comment less jerky?
I got fat because I was suffering from severe sleep deprivation, severe depression and moderate to severe anxiety (the last two were secondary to the first). I've never eaten half a gallon of ice cream, or a whole block of cheese or anything like that. I have trouble now eating 1200 calories a day because I've never, in my life, been an overeater.
So no, it wasn't a personal decision that I made to become fat. It was lack of access to medical care to deal with my insomnia, period. And I'm SO FING tired of people assuming that everyone fits into a neat little fat box so they can feel free to judge without any shame.
THIS! Also, how can these people tell which is which from a fleeting interaction in public? Fat people don't wear signs that document how they became fat.
I'm glad to hear that you got the medical issue somewhat sorted, and congrats on your progress!0 -
Do people really think putting "I'm sorry" in front of a jerky comment, makes the comment less jerky?
Of course, it's like "with all due respect".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af-Id_fuXFA 0 -
OK, I will admit I have only read half of the replies here......taking care of things and trying to read was not working....
As a person that can be judgmental, the lack of empathy in this thread is appalling. For those speaking of those scamming the system, yes many do....but many more need the help to better themselves. This applies for all kinds of help, the argument that some scam so others should not receive help is not valid.
I have more respect for those that try to help themselves, even if they are using all tools available to them....which may mean financial help.
OP you may think you know your coworker but you have no idea what went on/goes on in her life. Some people have had tragic events that most of us can not even fathom. These people may have different coping mechanisms, or emotional stunting. You can not judge someone purely on appearance. Most severely obese people understand how others view them and they know what they need to do but many times there are either underlying or obesity induced variables. Unfortunately many get into a cycle that seems endless unless they receive help.
The comments of depression, were just in bad taste. A chemical imbalance of the brain is never an easy fix, many with these chemical issues can manage their problem but never actually resolve it. I have never suffered this or obesity but I am human enough to have empathy.
I do judge sometimes though without much thought, I think we all do sometimes especially when something irritates us. Recognizing this behavior and reigning it in is how we improve upon ourselves.
As for technical disability, self induced has little to do with current situation..... Mistakes in ones past should not dictate their entire future. I do believe if a condition is treatable, anyone receiving disability should have as a condition of receiving payments have to actively work to remedy their disability and manage it. The programs would have to be offered to accomplish this.0 -
What we have here in this thread is what happens when some people have more commentary than empathy, and more opinions than cogent thoughts.
It's just sad to see all the judgement, and shaming.0 -
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.
^ agree0 -
the funny thing about this post is how everyone is saying it is something we do to ourselves.Duh we know that most of you posting have had a weight problem it is not as easy as most of you say or you would not be on this site. everyone is not the same in the real world over weight is ugly and every magazine does not have a problem telling you that, menatllly that is a hard thing to deal with for anyone.people looking at you like you aint *kitten* the looks the laughter etc. hell look at all the things you are saying and most of you are or were over weight. who are we to say if they deserve a check or not, its funny how we post on here that they can just stop if it were that easy you would not need the support of this site. it saddens me that someone would even post this and how many of you overweight opps fat people like me.have so much to say. and for the record getting disability is not easy my mother is blind and it took 2 years of doctors medical records etc before she even got it.. and even thought she is blind a worker comes to the house once a year to make sure she still needs her check , it is not a free ride like most of you posting think0
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Im sorry I may sound heartless in saying this but i see those tv show commercials for the "my 400lb life" and i have no sympathy for them at all. If you were at one point in your life 120 pounds and athletic it was a personal decision to let yourself go to the point of extreme and its human nature to either do something about it or make excuses for it.
Do people really think putting "I'm sorry" in front of a jerky comment, makes the comment less jerky?
I got fat because I was suffering from severe sleep deprivation, severe depression and moderate to severe anxiety (the last two were secondary to the first). I've never eaten half a gallon of ice cream, or a whole block of cheese or anything like that. I have trouble now eating 1200 calories a day because I've never, in my life, been an overeater.
So no, it wasn't a personal decision that I made to become fat. It was lack of access to medical care to deal with my insomnia, period. And I'm SO FING tired of people assuming that everyone fits into a neat little fat box so they can feel free to judge without any shame.
THIS! Also, how can these people tell which is which from a fleeting interaction in public? Fat people don't wear signs that document how they became fat.
I'm glad to hear that you got the medical issue somewhat sorted, and congrats on your progress!
Thanks! I started treatment in March and I feel better than I have in YEARS! I'm now very active, rested and happy (and, you know, 30 pounds lighter!) - sleep is literally life changing 0 -
Im sorry I may sound heartless in saying this but i see those tv show commercials for the "my 400lb life" and i have no sympathy for them at all. If you were at one point in your life 120 pounds and athletic it was a personal decision to let yourself go to the point of extreme and its human nature to either do something about it or make excuses for it.
I spent almost a decade with an illness that was misdiagnosed by several doctors. Each one of them put me on different medications and some of those made me balloon like a whale. I went from a hyper-athletic, competitive tennis player to a depressed, morbidly obese person in that decade.
I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced you and your view of life.
You mean you didn't choose to have that condition?!?!?0 -
the funny thing about this post is how everyone is saying it is something we do to ourselves.Duh we know that most of you posting have had a weight problem it is not as easy as most of you say or you would not be on this site. everyone is not the same in the real world over weight is ugly and every magazine does not have a problem telling you that, menatllly that is a hard thing to deal with for anyone.people looking at you like you aint *kitten* the looks the laughter etc. hell look at all the things you are saying and most of you are or were over weight. who are we to say if they deserve a check or not, its funny how we post on here that they can just stop if it were that easy you would not need the support of this site. it saddens me that someone would even post this and how many of you overweight opps fat people like me.have so much to say. and for the record getting disability is not easy my mother is blind and it took 2 years of doctors medical records etc before she even got it.. and even thought she is blind a worker comes to the house once a year to make sure she still needs her check , it is not a free ride like most of you posting think
Usually I'm a grammar Nazi, but you make a lot of great points in here.
I also can verify that SSDI is really difficult to get. My friend was hospitalized multiple times for her schizophrenia, and lost her job due to it, and it took her almost 3 years to start receiving SSDI. The amount of paperwork necessary is pretty crazy.
Also, her anti-psychotic medication contributed to her gaining nearly 100 pounds, and developing diabetes. And she's also a recovering alcoholic, which didn't help with the weight gain, either.
But since she was approved for SSDI (And also Medicaid), she was able to find a doctor and a medical regimen that works for her, and she's lost 85 pounds in the past year, and hasn't had any hospitilzations, either!0 -
Imma side with you. If a person is fat because of a medical condition, then the medical condition is the disability. If a person is fat because they sit around all day, watching TV and eating blocks of cheese dipped in gravy, well they're just fat and should stop using the scooters at Wal-Mart.
Blocks of cheese dipped in gravy? LMAO
I agree....you can be morbidly obese and not able to walk which lead to being disabled.....but fat being a disability is ridiculous. It is a viscous circle tho....all connecting at some point.0 -
I think my post was totally misconstrued...if you remember, I was referencing FMLA....my point was should you be able to take FMLA or receive a check because of being overweight....I still stand behind my opinion. If you are clinically depressed...then depression is your medical disablility not being overweight, if you have thyroid issues, thats your medical condition not being overweight....if you have no other issue except you dont move and overeat...you have no disability and you can change your circumstances...
as for the person next to me....I have worked with them for 14 yrs and yes I know their story including the fact that they had to see someone before they got the lapband to make sure they had no clinical issues such as depression before the dr would do the surgery....
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take UNPAID, job-protected leave
for specified family and medical reasons. This fact sheet provides general information about which employers are covered by the FMLA, when employees are eligible and entitled to take FMLA leave, and what rules apply when employees take FMLA leave. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.htm
FMLA is an unpaid leave. Why do you care? Yes, being morbidly obese is a disability and they have the right to take FMLA is get help.0 -
At 560 lbs. and being home bound for over 2 years and unable to walk from one room to other without sitting on a rolling computer chair to get to the bathroom and kitchen and at my lowest point sitting in a chair with a loaded handgun in my mouth with the hammer back begging and pleading (but no one was in the room cause I was all alone) to give me the strength to end my pain I can honestly say being fat is debilitating, certainly it is all about choice at any point before I got into that state I was a contributing member of society and paid my taxes so when I was at my lowest no matter how I got there, I needed assistance to help get me out so when I finally had enough and wanted that help, I am Damn sure glad the people on the other end were more sympathetic to my position than the mind set you have (not knocking you in particular just people in general that think this way).
I had over 300 pounds to lose, was willing to give in to the process, but needed the help to get there. So my insurance backed me up and got me the things needed to atleast attempt to dig myself out of the hole that I put myself in.. Medical doctors to address my health issues, mental therapist to address my depression and eating disorders, physical therapy to help be exercise to build up my strength to be able to walk again and continue to improve my strength, a dietician to show me what I had been doing and to point me in the right direction to regain my relationship with all foods, etc, etc this list goes on and on. Had I not been afforded those things based on the diagnosis of being disabled at that time I would not have been offered the help and more than likely at the rate I was going would have been dead by now, either by my own hand or do to complication due to my severe morbid obesity. Sometimes it isn't as easy as just calling Bullcrap and saying suck it up buttercup, I am living proof if given the assistance when I was disabled that one can totally change there lives and become productive members of society again and in my opinion that is what it was intended for in the first place not a means to go on and live out your days on it..... Just my 2 cents...
See, you are an example of why we should not be judging without putting ourselves in their position.0 -
You are responsible for your own actions. Period. Full stop. End of story.0
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Well this has been fun. I've gone through a wide range of emotions reading this: shocked, offended, angry, and finally indifferent... None of those emotions effected anyone but me.
Hopefully everyone that took the time to read this thread at least learned something. If not, then what a waste of time.
I learned that I judge others. I'd be shocked to find anyone that doesn't to some degree.
I learned that I judge myself. I've been laid off and didn't claim unemployment. I have my own share of disabilities for which I should use a handicapped parking permit or a scooter, but I don't. I do this because of my fear of being judged by others.
I learned that I hide my weaknesses with lies or humor to try to appear stronger to myself or others. Jokes like, "MS is my immune system making Swiss cheese of my brain". Ok that doesn't sound remotely funny taken out of context. You had to be there.
I learned that people without direct experience with mental illness are completely ignorant of what it's actually like.
I learned that I want a hover chair that actually hovers.
in the end, people speaking from a place of empathy and knowledge might actually get someone to re-think their position. I laughed at the OP being called a douche, but that is going to have zero impact on changing her perspective.0 -
Do people really think putting "I'm sorry" in front of a jerky comment, makes the comment less jerky?
Of course, it's like "with all due respect".https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af-Id_fuXFA
Or "God bless".0 -
You are responsible for your own actions. Period. Full stop. End of story.
Pfffft logic!
But how would the people on high horses living in ivory towers live if they only focused on themselves and no judging others???
Personally I think we would achieve world peace if everyone minded their own business and realized that the only thing you know is what's good for you. You can't tell someone else what's good for them. Unless it's ice cream. Ice cream is always good for you.0 -
You can't tell someone else what's good for them. Unless it's ice cream. Ice cream is always good for you.
You're a monster!
What about those poor lactose intolerant people? How do you think they feel about your cavalier ice cream attitudes right now?0 -
Just to throw in my 2 cents having been 300+ pounds 40+% body fat, I have severe sleep apnea, low testosterone, and was depressed. Was it a disability? At time I might have thought it was, I was around 300 pounds for over 10 year of my adult life. Now I am 205 and around 14% body fat. I am no longer depressed, I still have severe sleep apnea, and low testosterone. But i never had the victim mentality. Sure I had under lying health issues, but the weight gain was my fault, food was being used for comfort or a way to pass the time.
I think it is interesting now to hear people now complain about their weight and how they have all these issues. What I never hear is them take any responsibility for their issues. Or how they abused food for years. Then people always jump to the defense of over weight people without knowing what got them there. I have helped multiple people take off the weight they said was impossible to take off. Guess what they started feeling better about themselves and some of their health issues started going away.0 -
the funny thing about this post is how everyone is saying it is something we do to ourselves.Duh we know that most of you posting have had a weight problem it is not as easy as most of you say or you would not be on this site. everyone is not the same in the real world over weight is ugly and every magazine does not have a problem telling you that, menatllly that is a hard thing to deal with for anyone.people looking at you like you aint *kitten* the looks the laughter etc. hell look at all the things you are saying and most of you are or were over weight. who are we to say if they deserve a check or not, its funny how we post on here that they can just stop if it were that easy you would not need the support of this site. it saddens me that someone would even post this and how many of you overweight opps fat people like me.have so much to say. and for the record getting disability is not easy my mother is blind and it took 2 years of doctors medical records etc before she even got it.. and even thought she is blind a worker comes to the house once a year to make sure she still needs her check , it is not a free ride like most of you posting think
:drinker:0 -
You are responsible for your own actions. Period. Full stop. End of story.
really?
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You can't tell someone else what's good for them. Unless it's ice cream. Ice cream is always good for you.
You're a monster!
What about those poor lactose intolerant people? How do you think they feel about your cavalier ice cream attitudes right now?
Lactose and I don't get along. There's still ice cream to be had!
If you don't like ice cream, there's brownies. Or cheesecake. Mmmmmm. Cheesecake. Pie?0
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