Why is the word "fat" a bad word?

sweetchildomine

I saw someone in another thread say "I can't believe you think it's ok to call a 350 pound person fat." Ok, obviously it's not nice to see a fat person and scream at them "HEY FATTIE!!!" but if you are saying someone is overweight why is the word "FAT" bad? Fat = overweight. It's just like it would probably be offensive if I saw someone with red hair, pointed and said "HAHAHAHAHA YOU HAVE RED HAIR!!! HAHAHAHA" but would it be wrong if I described them as "The girl with red hair" ?? I said in another post that I work in the Lingerie department at a store and they have recently changed the sign in the section with bigger sizes to say "Curvy fit" instead of "Plus size" AND we have been instructed not to say "big sizes" to our customers. Seriously? I'm not trying to offend anyone I'm just asking WHY has our society made it so that the word FAT is an offensive term? When I was bigger I used to say I was fat all the time because frankly, I WAS. I think if's more of an insult to call someone "Curvy" when they know for a fact that you're just trying to soften the blow. Thoughts? Again, I'm not trying to offend anyone, this is not an attack on overweight people. If I had a perfect body I wouldn't be here!!

Chubbyhulagirl

Omg I just posted a very similar post on my wall. I think its ridiculous how people act so offended when their fat is recognized. If youre fat, youre fat! Get over it. If youre embarrassed or dont like it, work on a change. If you dont mind, great, live your life happy. Dont get so butt hurt over the word fat. Its just an adjective that may describe your body. Its like people should pretend fat people arent fat cause it would hurt their feelings. Really? I am not going to live pretending I didnt get fat and villainizing the people around me who also noticed my weightgain too. I dont live in a world of sugar fairies and gumdrops. Im an adult and can handle the truth.

loneworg

I think its the society we live in now. Everything have to be pc, everyone gets a trophy, and everyone is special (which to me is a round about way saying no one is). Now I'm a fat guy, 5'7'' and 327 pounds is not a good combo. So yeah I'm fat I don't like it so I'm trying to change it.

Ralphrabbit

Fat is fat, like black is black! Why do we worry about what is said when it really is about how it is said?
I am fat, I was very fat! That is life & you can not pretend it is not so.....

cdnbassjunkie

I think a lot of people don't like to hear the truth!! you are right, fat is fat!

Always824

Shiet, I'm 5"3, 223lbs and I'm FAT! But, I'm working on fixing it

Society needs to get their heads out of other peoples *kitten* and stop trying to PC everything... It's ridiculous

meshashesha2012

it's a way to make people feel better about being overweight i think.
of course no one likes the idea of fat shaming, but on the other hand i think using better sounding euphemisms is a way to help some people lie to themselves about their weight.

i've also noticed the same thing with the term obese. it seems that for a growing number of people, the term obese has been shifted to mean someone who is morbidly obese

jlbay

Like most things, it depends on the context.

Rawrbyn

When I was almost 300lbs, I would call myself fat all of the time. People around me would always say that I shouldn't be so hard on myself. I WAS fat, though. I look at pictures from back then, and think, "wow...I wish someone would have let me k ow how out of control I really was!"

NotThePest

If I'm taking a long walk on a short pier into shark infested waters, don't tell me how PRETTY AND NICE i'm walking, jerk my chain and pull me back and say, "fool, look where you're going!!"

From Medline Plus:

Fat is one of the 3 nutrients (along with protein and carbohydrates) that supply calories to the body. Fat provides 9 calories per gram, more than twice the number provided by carbohydrates or protein.

Fat is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Fats provide essential fatty acids, which are not made by the body and must be obtained from food. The essential fatty acids are linoleic and linolenic acid. They are important for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development.

Fat serves as the storage substance for the body's extra calories. It fills the fat cells (adipose tissue) that help insulate the body. Fats are also an important energy source. When the body has used up the calories from carbohydrates, which occurs after the first 20 minutes of exercise, it begins to depend on the calories from fat.

Healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream

AmericanExpat

I think its the society we live in now. Everything have to be pc, everyone gets a trophy, and everyone is special (which to me is a round about way saying no one is). Now I'm a fat guy, 5'7'' and 327 pounds is not a good combo. So yeah I'm fat I don't like it so I'm trying to change it.

I think its primarily the US Society. I just moved from the States to Europe 2 months ago and it is very different here. There is much less of an emphasis on being PC and honestly I am much more motivated to get out of the "fat" category.

Hestion

UK is getting more and more pc now! Although we have been on a drive to try and help obesity for quite a while now. Doesn't seem to be helping though!

I am fat, i don't take offence at shops using 'plus size' but i would take offence at someone who is not a friend blurting it out.

I read the thread on FA its not for over here, but i don't think we should encourage it by accepting its the norm!

Missi3601

Now that I'm not as big I use the word FAT ALL THE TIME... referring to myself- obviously I wouldnt walk up to someone like " Damn your fat" But I find myself often saying okay dont eat like a fat person.... I used to be that person- I feel i can do that now...

victoria4321

Its offensive because you're defining the person by a problem that they have. Saying a person is carrying excess body fat or is overweight isn't the same as just calling them fat. they're not a pure blob of fat they just have too much fat on their body.

It's kind of the same if you call a person with a disability a cripple or handicapped. They have a disability but their disability isn't what defines them as a person, its just a condition that they happen to have.

(I'm not comparing overweight people to people with disabilities btw, just using that as an example)

naomi8888

Depends how it's used I suppose. I imagine for a lot of people they were called "fat" by other kids in the school yard and it's stuck with them.

Like anything it's the way it's said. I'm a bit over all the PC stuff though.

SueGremlin

Do you really not understand that calling someone "fat" is rude?

Really?

cramernh

There is a psychological/socialogical stigma behind it for many who are extremely sensitive, particularly if you have been overweight your entire life - including childhood. As kids, you want to be liked, and considered part of the 'popular' kids but often are not as a result of their tauntings against an overweight kid. That builds up through the years and does quite the job on your mind.

I see this happen in healthcare (Im employed in a very large group of 300+ physicians/surgeons/specialty groups)... Doctors and practitioners tread on very thin ice when they are treating patients because the mere discussion of "what are you doing about your weight at this time?" or "do you have any current weight loss efforts at this time" has automatically become the heat of an Ethics/Compliance issue: patients are quick to slam physicians because they are being insensitive - when in fact, the word "fat" has not come up at all!!!!!

The Dermatologist I see - I love him dearly and have even told his wife (who is a Derm also) that I would like to clone him and take him home - she laughed hard and said "nahhh, dont bother, you can keep him!"... He sat with me outside of our appointment and asked me "Melanie, why is it you handled it so well when I asked you 'what are you doing for current weight loss efforts?' that you didnt take me as being rude or insensitive.. how did you handle it so well?"

My heart sunk because I was feeling like something was wrong. I told him, 'you werent rude about it, you simply asked me what am I doing for current weight loss efforts - that....is...your....job! You knew my previous medical history is causing the weight gain, and as my Dermatologist, you have to work with the other doctors' care and are looking out for my best interests!! How can I be mad at that???

Well - turns out he had a patient screaming, yelling and boasting how horribly insensitive he was to her (she was a 400# pt), he asked her the same question, and now he has a letter from the NH Board of Medicine doing an inquiry. The patient was so beligerent that the Medical Asst's had to come in and escort her to a conference room so they could calm her down and out of the pt-related exam rooms.

I was ANGRY... OH MY GAWD I WAS ANGRY. This man is the sweetest man - if it werent against ethics, I would give this guy a hug, he has been so good to me... he also is good to my 19yr old daughter as well (acne patient). I told him that if he has to appear before the Board, I told him I want to go if he will have me. I want to defend him as his patient, because this is clearly the act of not only an insensitive patient but this is just plain rediculous....ITS HIS JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thankfully the Board dismissed it. Which means his insurance remains the same, he has nothing against him on record and he continued onward in treating patients. Im so glad - this Dermatologist is just so very wonderful but now treads on very thin ice as a result of this one patient who clearly took it where it never belonged to begin with.

kateshape

I think it heavily depends on how you are using the word fat. Is it to shame? To call attention to someone’s circumstances? In what environment? There are many anti-fat biases associated with those who are overweight and obese, including widely held perceptions that obese people possess negative characteristics, whether that is ranging from flaws in personal effort (laziness) to flaws in central attributes of attractiveness, competence, and even morality. These negative attitudes and stereotypes, while still present regardless of whether the word fat is used, would probably be heightened when using this word to characterize someone’s weight. Instead of helping a person out by calling them fat, you may unintentionally lead them to feelings of desperation, shame and withdrawals, which in turn would decrease their ability to make healthy changes in eating and exercise.

Eddie274

If it is said int he right way then no i don't think the word fat is necessarily a bad word. I started to lose weight at 291lbs, and i was extremely fat, i'm now 222lbs and i am fat. I think if it is used in that context then it's a no bs way of saying someone need to lose weight. When it comes with a torrent of abuse (like i've suffered from ignorant people in the past) then it's not okay.

InnerFatGirl

I think it's context.

I am sick of some people on here saying we should not use the word fat, LIKE EVER OMIGOD.

But I do think it's horrible to call people fat.

My cousin used to call me fat all the time and make fun of me, and it seriously affected me.

InnerFatGirl

I think its the society we live in now. Everything have to be pc, everyone gets a trophy, and everyone is special (which to me is a round about way saying no one is).

Love this.

grimm1974

Its not the word. It is the intent behind the word.

NotThePest

I grew up in a household were everyone was obese and I was skinny, and I was tormented for not being like them. That's all I knew so "fat" was normal. I was shammed by being called skinny and as a child and even a teenager, I resented that word, skinny. I've grown up now and understand the content and context of the bullying.

Because a childhood name, word, treatment is offensive to you doesn't mean you stay in that same place. In all your getting, get understanding and wisdom.

Bahet

I'm fat. If I'm discussing weight and food with a friend and they say "You're doing good but keep it up you still have a long way to go. " or "Hey, you might want to watch what you're eating. I've noticed you're getting fat." I agree with them and have no problem with their comments. If I run into someone I haven't seen in years and they say "OMG!!! You got FAT!!" that is not acceptable. Like most everything else - it's all about the context.

Also, if someone says or insinuates that just because I'm fat that means I'm ugly, unattractive, not sexy, lazy, and unhealthy that's not only rude but just plain wrong. I joke with my doctor that I'm as healthy as a race horse. Unfortunately I weigh as much as one too. :laugh: (Not even close to weighing that much but she gets the joke.)