Are you offended by the word "fat"??

ItsCasey

Calling someone fat may be an observation. That doesn't mean it's not rude, and I am offended by rude behavior, not words.

megz4987

I can call myself fat but if anyone else does they're an *kitten* prick.

So yes.

h3h8m3

I guess I don't associate "fat" with other negative traits. I mean..if you were inuit living off the land....being fat is an advantage..as you were most likely to survive the winter compared to your less fat peers. When I see a fat man or woman, I notice they are fat, like I would notide if they were blonde, or tall or bow legged..lol. It just doesn't occur to me to make other negative associations with being fat.

You clearly were not fat as a kid. Those of us who were are going to have a different perspective on someone using the word "fat" about us.

Now, I'm 34 years old, and I can have a conversation about my fat at this point, but kids are incredibly cruel, and that kind of stuff leaves a mark. Someone who gained some weight as an adult and knew it was temporary, will really not relate. It's an entirely different thing.

My guess is that's a big part of the difference in how people 'hear' the word. How long they've been fat, how they perceive their own body, and what has been drilled into them for years about their own appearance.

voluptas63

I guess I don't associate "fat" with other negative traits. I mean..if you were inuit living off the land....being fat is an advantage..as you were most likely to survive the winter compared to your less fat peers. When I see a fat man or woman, I notice they are fat, like I would notide if they were blonde, or tall or bow legged..lol. It just doesn't occur to me to make other negative associations with being fat.

You clearly were not fat as a kid. Those of us who were are going to have a different perspective on someone using the word "fat" about us.

Now, I'm 34 years old, and I can have a conversation about my fat at this point, but kids are incredibly cruel, and that kind of stuff leaves a mark. Someone who gained some weight as an adult and knew it was temporary, will really not relate. It's an entirely different thing.

My guess is that's a big part of the difference in how people 'hear' the word. How long they've been fat, how they perceive their own body, and what has been drilled into them for years about their own appearance.

BWHAH. I must be the flaw in your plan. I was always in the top 100% of growth. I had boobs in the 4th grade. Got my period in the 6th. Constantly I was teased and trust me, my last name doesn't help any. (It's frickin' German. Thanks Grandpa.)

We choose our reactions to what happens to us. You can allow it to offend you or you can brush it off.

vim_n_vigor

I prefer metabolically challenged

Unknown

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FearAnLoathing

words do not offend me,words only have the power we give them

kristyann86

hhmm good question. if i were younger (teen) i would definately get offended by the word. however, now that i'm older and have watched all the media within those years, i am not offended. hate to say it (totally my opinion of myself) but i think with the society we live in today (and with me living in the #1 obese state in the US) if you don't fit the stereotype of an overweight mississippi hillbilly or redneck, then ur not fat.

i will also say that growing up i was a fat kid and my grandmother did not have a problem telling me that. it obviously made me wanna change my image at a young age so getting called "fat" was a reinforcer on the flip side of the coin.

h3h8m3

BWHAH. I must be the flaw in your plan. I was always in the top 100% of growth. I had boobs in the 4th grade. Got my period in the 6th. Constantly I was teased and trust me, my last name doesn't help any. (It's frickin' German. Thanks Grandpa.)

We choose our reactions to what happens to us. You can allow it to offend you or you can brush it off.

You are right, we have that choice. Especially as adults. And I think it's pretty awesome that you were able to ignore serious teasing, and ridicule as a young girl. From my understanding, that's a rare talent.

While getting your boobs in 4th grade doesn't sound like a bad thing to me (I remember in 5th grade appreciate the girls who had developed), if you were insulted for it that sucks. I guess I was lucky that I didn't start getting made fun of for having boobs until 6th grade. Good times.

tammykoon

I feel a Weird Al song commin' on...

SabrinaJL

I think it depends on the intentions. I call myself fat and I don't think I'd really mind if someone else called me fat either if were simply stating a fact, because I am fat and I've accepted being fat. But people look at the word fat as rude, so I think the only time someone else will actually call you fat is if they mean to insult you. And I will not be insulted for my weight. It has no bearing on my character.

I have nothing else to add because this says it all.

Izable2011

I think it's all about tone and context. For example, if someone referred to me as blonde, I wouldn't mind because that's a characteristic. If someone said, "Wow, you are SO blonde" in response to something I said, than the context is that I'm dumb. I think it's how someone uses and/or says the word; it's the intent around it.

Pefectly said.

angelicdisgrace

Most people can't handle the truth. I'm fat. HAH. Oh well. I'm also loud, obnoxious, downright annoyous sometimes. A drinker, I curse, I'm a smartass and I tend to use my words for evil.


Some people just can't call spades, a spade.

I love you like my sister already! lol

arieltheincredible

It only offends me when someone says it with negative meaning if that makes any sense. I call myself fat but its because I know I'm overweight. It's funny because my thin friends get upset when I say I'm fat and its like they attack me not to say that like its a bad word. So now I have to say I am thick cause god forbid if i say I'm fat or big even though I am LOL.

odusgolp

I would be terribly offended if someone directly called me fat because their intention would be to hurt my feelings, but the word in general doesnt really offend me, its just a word after all.

I must spin off this to something I did the other day. It's actually been troubling me because *cough* I think I was in the wrong.

On the word fat. I have called myself that in jest. But, in the grand scheme of things it's when "fat" is used in a derogatory manner towards others that it's really inappropriate. I gave myself a pass saying it about myself.

Now, the other day, I called myself retarded for doing something dumb. A friend of mind said "please stop throwing that word around." She has a mentally handicapped child. Again, not using it in a derogatory manner towards others, I gave myself a pass in saying this and didn't before find it inappropriate.

But I have to be honest, It's made me stop and think. I'm usually NOT one to be politically correct. But it gave me pause... me calling myself fat to a truly obese person can be insulting to them - although I didn't intend it to be that way, I get it. And same with the "R" word.

Valid question in my book.

h3h8m3

Now, the other day, I called myself retarded for doing something dumb. A friend of mind said "please stop throwing that word around." She has a mentally handicapped child. Again, not using it in a derogatory manner towards others, I gave myself a pass in saying this and didn't before find it inappropriate.

But I have to be honest, It's made me stop and think. I'm usually NOT one to be politically correct. But it gave me pause... me calling myself fat to a truly obese person can be insulting to them - although I didn't intend it to be that way, I get it. And same with the "R" word.

Valid question in my book.

I also have a special needs child, and I had absolutely no problem using the word retarded before, but now it's got to be about my least favorite word. I never say it, and it's hard for me to hear my friends use the word to joke. My son is not retarded, but he very likely will be called that many many times growing up.

I'll tell you one thing... having a special needs kid provides empathy and compassion toward others beyond anything I ever had before.

odusgolp

Now, the other day, I called myself retarded for doing something dumb. A friend of mind said "please stop throwing that word around." She has a mentally handicapped child. Again, not using it in a derogatory manner towards others, I gave myself a pass in saying this and didn't before find it inappropriate.

But I have to be honest, It's made me stop and think. I'm usually NOT one to be politically correct. But it gave me pause... me calling myself fat to a truly obese person can be insulting to them - although I didn't intend it to be that way, I get it. And same with the "R" word.

Valid question in my book.

I also have a special needs child, and I had absolutely no problem using the word retarded before, but now it's got to be about my least favorite word. I never say it, and it's hard for me to hear my friends use the word to joke. My son is not retarded, but he very likely will be called that many many times growing up.

I'll tell you one thing... having a special needs kid provides empathy and compassion toward others beyond anything I ever had before.

You know me well enough at this point to realize that I will say anything... but not to intentionally ever hurt someone. Unless... you know, I intentionally want to hurt them

But yeah, your perspective on matters can really make a simple word take on a whole new meaning.

zorbaru

ill tell you a secret.

it is a fool proof way to not be offended by what people say.

ready.

i should really charge for this info, because it is truly amazing

the key is ................

"dont be offended"

i mean seriously, why give a rats *kitten* what other people say or think. esp the random people on the street that you arent going to see again.

if it comes from someone close to you and it is meant to be hurtful, then certainly it may get you down for a bit. but here is my second piece of gold for the day.

"get over it and tell them to shut the F*** up"

dont get caught up in what other people think.

foodforfuel

I only get offended if the word "fat" is followed up with a few words like "lazy b*tch". Other than that, just the word "fat"- well, I've never been one to admire people that feel a need to state the obvious.

B_L_A_Z_I_A_N

you can't say anything nowadays without someone getting offended it seems :-/

countrydarling1

Fat.... that is a nice word compared to what i am curently.

PZlady

I think it depends on the intentions. I call myself fat and I don't think I'd really mind if someone else called me fat either if were simply stating a fact, because I am fat and I've accepted being fat. But people look at the word fat as rude, so I think the only time someone else will actually call you fat is if they mean to insult you. And I will not be insulted for my weight. It has no bearing on my character.

Additionally, I don't at all like when thin girls call themselves fat as an insult when they mean bloated or something like that.

PZlady

Well said! I couldn't have said it better. Perfect, perfect. // In my family we have a term we use liberally - it's F.A. and stands for fat a**. It's used like: airplane seats aren't F.A. or a particular store doesn't accommodate F.A. It's like an insider's shorthand that's acceptable because we use it about THINGS and never people.

PZlady

Anything aimed at insulting somebody is offensive.

dckim

Doesn't fat spelled with Phat means hot? Besides I rather be called fat than chubby, husky, large, heavy, big, thick, chunky, buddha, sumo, jello, water bed, gordo, lard a**, butter cup, sticky rice, is that enough? LOL :flowerforyou:

brittanyjeanxo

I suppose it depends on how it's used. If someone says I'm a dumb, fat ***** I probably won't be too happy. If someone just says, "Well being fat you should probably eat blah blah blah..." then no, I really wouldn't care.

veganbaum

I don't really care. Mostly, people throw that out when they can't come up with a better insult (unless it's in the context of a family who is actually trying to be helpful and really not hurtful by telling you they think you need to lose weight because you're fat, but most people use it as an insult). Some women will call women they don't like "fat cow" or "fat b***h" even if they're thin. I think it's something they say to just be as mean as possible precisely because so many people, women especially, can get so upset over it. If you're going to be insulting, at least be intelligent and creative.

However, I can totally understand that some people may be offended, particularly if they grew up hearing it all the time. I have just come to a point in life where attempted insults like that mean nothing to me.

PlunderBunneh

I'm offended by the negative associations of that word. By itself, whatever. But using it as an insult is pretty damn offensive to me, whether you are referring to yourself, a friend, or someone you have never met.
My best friend of ten years is a size 22, and is because that is where she feels sexy. She isn't lazy, she doesn't have bad eating habits, she just prefers to be curvier than most women, and she rocks it. She has the most badass confidence that I have ever encountered, and that makes her incredibly sexy, much more than being a size 8 and constantly worrying about her weight would. I'm amazed by her.
Any time I hear someone refer to her as "Fat" in an insulting manner, (and let's be frank, if you are calling someone fat are you doing it in a complimentary way?) it makes me cringe. Why would you judge someone you don't even know with a word like that?
I grew up in with a morbidly obese mother, who called herself fat my entire childhood and has left me with both really bad stress eating habits and no clue as to how to deal with them. She had a gastric bypass a few years ago, as did my father shortly afterwords. Fat is not a neutral word for me. Fat means ugly, fat means unworthy of love, fat means wrong. A big thanks to both society and my upbringing for that.
I'm glad that you all can embrace your body and toss that word around, but think about it. When you hear a guy saying "Oh, that chick is fat" or someone standing in front of a mirror calls themselves "fat," do you really feel objective about it? Does it seem like that word can be anything but negative,insulting, or rude?
I am not fat. I am curvy, big, fluffy, overweight, whatever you want, but don't you dare be so rude as to call me fat like I somehow missed that memo. You aren't being objective, you are being mean.

mousumi30

i dont mind being call fat,but some people does says the word in a insulting way , i hate that, also i hate the fact almost all the people in our society has some advice for fat people, seriously just wanna say them none of your buisness

odusgolp

i dont mind being call fat,but some people does says the word in a insulting way , i hate that, also i hate the fact almost all the people in our society has some advice for fat people, seriously just wanna say them none of your buisness

Oooohhhh.... that is such a good point. The advice is way worse *LOL*