Even if you lose, there is anti "fat" bias
Well this is lame.
Apparently people think people who successfully lost weight are still like "fat" people: undisciplined, lazy, eat doritos all day, blah blah blah
http://jezebel.com/5914422/no-matter-how-much-weight-you-lose-everyone-will-still-think-youre-fat
"As if we needed more evidence that anti-fat bias is about moral superiority and not about health, a new study finds that people continue to be negatively affected by fat stigmas even after they have lost weight. Researchers asked participants (young men and women) to read vignettes about a series of women—some who had lost 70 lbs and some who had remained weight-stable. They were then asked to rate the women based on attractiveness and other factors. The results? People hate fat people so much that they can't stop hating fat people even after the fat people become thin people.
"We were surprised to find that currently thin women were viewed differently depending on their weight history," said Dr Janet Latner, study lead at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, US. "Those who had been obese in the past were perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin, despite having identical height and weight.""
What the heck is that about? So apparently the people they polled think that people who stayed at the same "thin" weight are superior to people who lost and maintained. Even if the losers fall into the conventionally "thin" definition.
We have a ways to go to eliminate fat prejudice.
Apparently people think people who successfully lost weight are still like "fat" people: undisciplined, lazy, eat doritos all day, blah blah blah
http://jezebel.com/5914422/no-matter-how-much-weight-you-lose-everyone-will-still-think-youre-fat
"As if we needed more evidence that anti-fat bias is about moral superiority and not about health, a new study finds that people continue to be negatively affected by fat stigmas even after they have lost weight. Researchers asked participants (young men and women) to read vignettes about a series of women—some who had lost 70 lbs and some who had remained weight-stable. They were then asked to rate the women based on attractiveness and other factors. The results? People hate fat people so much that they can't stop hating fat people even after the fat people become thin people.
"We were surprised to find that currently thin women were viewed differently depending on their weight history," said Dr Janet Latner, study lead at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, US. "Those who had been obese in the past were perceived as less attractive than those who had always been thin, despite having identical height and weight.""
What the heck is that about? So apparently the people they polled think that people who stayed at the same "thin" weight are superior to people who lost and maintained. Even if the losers fall into the conventionally "thin" definition.
We have a ways to go to eliminate fat prejudice.
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Replies
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i dont get how this has any real world value though.
it's not like you're going to wear a sign around your neck that says "hi i used to be obese". most people arent going to have a clue about your weight history unless they already know you (which makes sense that they'd already have an established opinion of you as being obese) or you tell them.
i dunno. i sometimes get the impression that some jezebel writers intentionally hunt for stories and studies to give them an excuse to be everybody hates me debbie downers0 -
Yeah, I'm thinking the article really came in to play. Would the panel have made the same choices if no information had been given on any of the backgrounds?0
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Facebook Timeline...0
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More proof that fatphobic people ARENT deep down worried about your "health".0
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Yeah, this combined with the fact that I still feel fat even though I'm not doesn't add up to a very good self confidence level. People suck.0
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I think when it comes to dating, if a guy knows you used to be big there's always that thought in the back of their mind 'uh oh, she might get fat again'. Especially if you've only recently lost the weight.0
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I think it certainly may have real world consequences. For example, if one is obese they may be more likely to get passed up for a promotion (No article to back this up, just perception). If someone loses weight and remains at the same company, the next time promotion time comes up, no matter how thin that person has become, they are still seen as the obese worker.0
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That kinda makes me want to cry...
so sad. People these days smh. 0 -
Well, that's depressing.0
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Oh wow. That's shltty. I don't really understand why. But then I don't really understand what someone would have against an obese person.0
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Weird. ... I'm always impressed by people who lose weight. Especially the super proactive kinds.
We should start a formerly fat business and dating community.
It's very possible however that the study was done with the intention of proving this and they chose slightly less attractive formerly overweight people, since they only had to match in height and weight. The part I found interesting in the study synopsis was that they had more "overall dislike for fat people" after looking at stable weight women.0 -
Its just funny to me that this could be true, because all my skinny friends are unhealthy and haven't set foot in a gym ever... I can run faster and longer than any of my friends that are skinny... they also eat at McDonald every other day and drink heavily on the weekends while I'm eating salads and vege burgers and working out 3-4 even 5 times a week. I'm not considered obese or anything, but still heavily overweight...0
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Why would it matter what other people think about what we used to be? Why does it matter what other people think at all?0
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Well if you don't care about having friends or a job or anything in the world that you would depend on other people for, I guess it doesn't matter. Most of us live in the real world where other people's opinions affect us in very real ways.Why would it matter what other people think about what we used to be? Why does it matter what other people think at all?0 -
This saddens me. We're so judgmental.
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I love doritos.0
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i dont get how this has any real world value though.
it's not like you're going to wear a sign around your neck that says "hi i used to be obese". most people arent going to have a clue about your weight history unless they already know you (which makes sense that they'd already have an established opinion of you as being obese) or you tell them.
i dunno. i sometimes get the impression that some jezebel writers intentionally hunt for stories and studies to give them an excuse to be everybody hates me debbie downers
All of this.0 -
Its just funny to me that this could be true, because all my skinny friends are unhealthy and haven't set foot in a gym ever... I can run faster and longer than any of my friends that are skinny... they also eat at McDonald every other day and drink heavily on the weekends while I'm eating salads and vege burgers and working out 3-4 even 5 times a week. I'm not considered obese or anything, but still heavily overweight...
2 of my thinnest (and closest friends) recently gave up their coke (as in the soda addictions). I have know them each for around 15 years. And for 12 of those years they drank 3-4 a day. They now only drink them on the weekend. 1-2 times. But obviously at sizes 2 and 6 they are super "healthy." :P
Everyone should know by now you can't judge a book by its cover, but apparently for some people it is too much to ask.
Considering I pretty much eliminated soda from my diet in my teens...........0
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