Are you prejudiced against skinny or fat people?

nomorefatbitch

I guess I had never thought about this at all. I like who I like. I dislike who I dislike.

Anyway, for school, there was a link to a site that includes surveys to determine whether or not we are prejudiced against different types of people. There were several different surveys and I wanted to see what the survey would say about me.

I selected the survey that dealt with weight. After answering all the questions, it was determined that I lean neither one way nor the other between thin and not-thin people.

What are your results?

The website is implicit.harvard.edu/implicit

If you take the survey, be honest. I think the results may surprise us.

ziggylove

Humans are prejudiced about pretty much everything. We just don't like to admit it.

goron59

I'm prejudiced against people who like Celine Dion :-)

TrishMahon

Yes I am. I will look at someone and think, "he/she needs to eat a cheeseburger" because they are too thin or I will think that "that person needs to lay off the candy bars"

I hate that about myself that I am judgemental and it is wrong. Even though you know everyone is thinking it. Even at a recent wedding I had more than one family member ask me of I had a change in medicine because I gained weight. So I am against both

Iwillshyne

Humans are prejudiced about pretty much everything. We just don't like to admit it.

thats so true. a very sad truth...

bjshooter

Dont kill me, I did it and

Your data suggests:
Moderate automatic preference for Thin People compared to Fat People

nomorefatbitch

Lol. Not killing anyone. I just thought it was interesting and I guess we can always stand to learn things (good and bad) about ourselves.

LittleVikki

Dont kill me, I did it and

Your data suggests:
Moderate automatic preference for Thin People compared to Fat People

I also got this quite shocked at myself really!

juliesummers

I got that I had a strong preference for thin people which doesn't surprise me at all.
Aethetically I think skinny is beautiful, and I have more common reality with others who are trim and active (and no much automatic reality with those who are overweight. I'm not saying that I always have more in common with thin people and less in common with overweight people once I get to know them, but I am saying that I feel more instantly connected with them when I first meet/see them.
Sorry if any of that seems insensitive, but it's my truth.

wolf23

That was fun.

jellybaby84

Yes, Im prejudiced against fat people and I hate myself for it. It's not that I think they are inferior as people because of their weight but more that I just can't understand how they can bear to be around others (or even themselves) because I know I couldn't be if I was that weight.

But that says far more about me than about anybody else. The prejudice and fat paranoia is entirely me projecting my own feelings about my weight onto other people.

goatruns

Mine said:

Everyday the chance of you climbing a water tower with a rifle increases.

blonde20fan

Yes I am. I will look at someone and think, "he/she needs to eat a cheeseburger" because they are too thin or I will think that "that person needs to lay off the candy bars"

I am the same way and I am ashamed of it. I am overweight and I know some people feel the same way about me. I am working on changing my ways.

brandenocs

It seems hypocritical given my lifestyle the last few years, but I've honestly never viewed anyone unhealthy (whether it be thin, overweight, smoker, major drinker, etc) as anything more than a friend. I have LOTS of super skinny and obese friends. But that's where it ends. But that prejudiced opinion actually gave me the drive to better MYSELF. I figured I had to AT LEAST meet my own standards for people I'd be with. And it's worked. It sounds insensitive and hypocritical but I can't help it.

i_love_vinegar

Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Thin People compared to Fat People.

I didn't think I was like that though...although it could be that I simply prefer myself to be thinner so I see "thin = good" because I feel that way about myself.

ps: I did it on age and on skin color as well...it said I prefer younger people, and prefer darker people.

Hmmm...I think it's hard to tell with the preference. For instance, I prefer darker men but I want to be really pale...
I am attracted to older men and get along better with older people, but find younger females to be more attractive.

Hmmm...I also think the order that they presented things is a problem. I got confused when they switched everything >_<

ivyjbres

Do I have to keep taking surveys until the fat vs this comes up. It just made me do race and it brings up money next....

my hands hurt

whatwentwrong

i did this for xtra credit in social psychology, but i think i chose racism or religion, i can't remember i'll take it later when i have more time!

(btw, someone in that class threw a fit about people calling overweight women "real women"- i wanted to go up to her and ask if she thought i was effing imaginary. still makes me angry -_-)

bjshooter

Yeah when it comes to myself I would really rather be thin.

When it comes to others, I really don't care what they look like, with close family, I may worry about health. But if someones happy they are happy. What I hate is people that moan about being fat, but do nothing to change it. Its a bit like moaning about the government, but not voting.

MARI1010

Mine said:

Everyday the chance of you climbing a water tower with a rifle increases.

Lmao!!!!!!!!

ivyjbres

(btw, someone in that class threw a fit about people calling overweight women "real women"- i wanted to go up to her and ask if she thought i was effing imaginary. still makes me angry -_-)

Maybe she was tired of her femininity being denigrated because she's thin? I hate the phrase and the whole idea of"real women." Real women have 2 X chromosomes. And sometimes 2 Xs and a Y, some other variations, maybe an X, a Y and a surgery, I don't care. But the saying that "real women have curves," really is and should be taken as an insult to women who are just naturally thin, or have fewer curves because of genetics.They don't have an less intrinsic value as a woman just because they're smaller.

mrshickey

Ive just started my final year of my social work degree and we have had to do many of these type of things to find out our own prejudices. its a real eye-opener and quite scary. Im overweight, and may people in my family are overweight so i dont think im prejudice, although i do think slim looks nicer (not skinny) and its healthier so it must be better. However when i went to macdonlads the last time (quite a while ago i admit) there was a very very very overweight man who could barely walk, struggling to breathe, who ordered 7 big macs, two fries and a large milkshake, and sat down and ate the lot. that made me feel sick. so maybe i am a little prejudice. everyone is a little bit but noone likes to admit it.

whatwentwrong

(btw, someone in that class threw a fit about people calling overweight women "real women"- i wanted to go up to her and ask if she thought i was effing imaginary. still makes me angry -_-)

Maybe she was tired of her femininity being denigrated because she's thin? I hate the phrase and the whole idea of"real women." Real women have 2 X chromosomes. And sometimes 2 Xs and a Y, some other variations, maybe an X, a Y and a surgery, I don't care. But the saying that "real women have curves," really is and should be taken as an insult to women who are just naturally thin, or have fewer curves because of genetics.They don't have an less intrinsic value as a woman just because they're smaller.

oh, i definitely agree about the phrase "real women have curves"- real women come in every shape and size. her issue was with overweight women being lumped in with real women like her :P

ivyjbres

(btw, someone in that class threw a fit about people calling overweight women "real women"- i wanted to go up to her and ask if she thought i was effing imaginary. still makes me angry -_-)

Maybe she was tired of her femininity being denigrated because she's thin? I hate the phrase and the whole idea of"real women." Real women have 2 X chromosomes. And sometimes 2 Xs and a Y, some other variations, maybe an X, a Y and a surgery, I don't care. But the saying that "real women have curves," really is and should be taken as an insult to women who are just naturally thin, or have fewer curves because of genetics.They don't have an less intrinsic value as a woman just because they're smaller.

oh, i definitely agree about the phrase "real women have curves"- real women come in every shape and size. her issue was with overweight women being lumped in with real women like her :P

aahhh. One of those. Just smile and wait till she gets knocked up....

MzFury

thanks for posting this!
I remember reading a study wherein mental healthcare professionals were shown two pictures of the same woman styled the same way, but one was altered to make her look much fatter (this was controlled in some way, they didn't know of course it was the same woman), and across the board, when asked to make an off-the-cuff set of assumptions about the subject, they projected that the "fat" one was probably depressed, unwell, angry, etc. etc. It was pretty interesting.

Without taking the test, I feel like I finally arrived in the past decade at a point in life in which, while I can appreciate physical loveliness, I really do not judge at all based upon looks. I think I have now known too many people who are so far from society's ideas of beauty, physically, but who are people I have looked up to so much, as well as too many people fitting high standards of physical beauty who, to me, demonstrate no interesting or admirable traits as humans...and I no longer take my own body for granted (why I'm serious about exercise and diet), having seen too many people get sick and die - I truly hate the way society places value on any looks whatsoever, really (I'm not talking about dressing appropriately for work, school and other social situations, maintaining hygiene and wanting to look nice, personally, by the way - I mean faces, hair, bodies, skin). I define myself through my work, interests, loves, deeds, and I'm mainly interested in these things in other people. If me or my husband lost a limb tomorrow, or were maimed, there would be no question of our fidelity and devotion - we fell in love talking about ideas and we remain in love with each other's minds and hearts. blah blah. People are mean to fat people, quite often categorically. It's stupid and should be abandoned. Unless, of course, the fat person is evil, mean and cruel. In which case, they should just be ignored and avoided, rather than responded to in kind.

MzFury

I'm also prejudiced against people who like Celine Dion, I'd like to add.

MzFury

re: guy in macdonalds - it' is very hard not to be repulsed by disgusting behavior, even if we understand someone is addicted adn feel empathy for them. I'd be as grossed out by watching a junkie shoot up or smoke crack in front of me as watching a dying super-obese person eat tons of junk food. Not just grossed out, sickened from the sadness of it - that's mortality staring you in the face.

ajbeans

It's not a problem to be biased, because as others have pointed out, everyone has bias. The key is to recognize our bias, and learn how to deal with it in a constructive way rather than treating people badly or differently because of our own issues.

I don't even have to take the test to know that I'm generally biased against fat people and overly thin people, at least when we're talking about strangers. But I've also known and loved people from all points on the spectrum from skeletal to obese. I try not to let my biases keep me from getting to know people on an individual level, even though I may have an initial knee-jerk reaction to their outward appearance.

LorinaLynn

I got moderate preference towards thin people.

But I'm willing to bet if it was very overweight vs average-sized vs very thin, I'd end up with average sized, even when "average" tends towards slightly overweight. I'm not a fan of either extreme. I'm a rabid moderate!!! :laugh:

kiltbunny

Haha I did the race one... apparently I prefer (in order most to least) Asians, Hispanics, Whites, Blacks. I would desccribe myself as white. Wonder what that means?

I also have a preference for furniture to money... odd. and of values to money.

I didn't get the fat/thin one... bummer.

MJ7910

how do you get the fat/thin one? i've taken 4 and none of them have been about weight. one was race, one caring vs. earning, another about fair vs biased, i wasn't sure what woudl come up next so i just stopped

cowlover22

how did you get that test? I got all kinds of random ones. Like I assoc the government with bad (big surpise there)