Fat shaming in the media

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I came across this Oddee list this morning and I wanted to share it for discussion. It seems there is a growing trend of fat shaming in media. I don't feel this is a good way to motivate people to change and some are down right offensive although the oatmeal one is a little silly. Can we discuss it's without it becoming a heated debate? :laugh:

http://www.oddee.com/item_98569.aspx

Edited to fix link
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Replies

  • ichoose2believe
    ichoose2believe Posts: 108 Member
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    The Ashley Madison one was bad. If you cheat because your partner is fat (or any other reason) then you need to leave.
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    The Ashley Madison one was bad. If you cheat because your partner is fat (or any other reason) then you need to leave.

    I agree, Ashley Madison is disgusting!!
  • casy84
    casy84 Posts: 290 Member
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    Being gentle about it resulted in the fat pride movement, maybe this will help although I find it cruel.
  • emibrus1
    emibrus1 Posts: 59
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    It hurts my heart in a way I can't quite describe. I feel so bad for the people who become a target of that type of thing. I'm cruel to myself and I say terrible things. But if someone other than myself was to say the things my inner voice says...

    I can't imagine the pain and shame that'd cause.

    I want extremely overweight people to get in shape. But not because they'd look better. Not because they'd be liked more. I want them to be happy. I want them to be healthy. I want them to enjoy life and not be ashamed of who they are (even if it's just a moment of doubt). Because of that I want to be their friend the whole journey. Happy in the beginning and happy in the end. Shame is just not necessary. But support and love are vital!
  • rowanwood
    rowanwood Posts: 510 Member
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    Being gentle about it resulted in the fat pride movement, maybe this will help although I find it cruel.

    Yeah, because bullying and being lousy and abusive to people has helped them get a healthy relationship with food and their bodies so far....

    Wait, it hasn't.

    Welcome to being part of the problem.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    It's not anything new, I don't know where you've been..


    The bagel/oatmeal picture - I saw nothing wrong with it. What I did see wrong with was the caption that said "the last thing we want while walking down the street is to be shamed for our breakfast choices." Um, seriously? Oh yeah. I forgot, everyone wants to be coddled. Better to bury our heads in the sand rather than know how many calories are in what we are consuming. (Although, I love bagels and everyone should eat them)

    The tired of being fat & ugly pic - That's been going around the internet. It's funny. Sorry, not sorry.

    The scale bus stop - You don't have to sit on it... And this may sound bad, but maybe if people were standing a little more, it'd be a move in the right direction. Just saying.


    The PETA pic -" Another one of PETA's misleading ads. According to their ad, being thin, fit, and sexy is the only way to love your body, and the only way to be thin, fit, and sexy is to go vegan. Essentially, what they're saying is that everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies." Um, PETA has an agenda and it's not worrying about fat people. Of course they're saying everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies, everyone else is eating tasty meat and they're against that.


    All of the other ones, yeah they're "offensive" if I let billboards and ads offend me.
  • _noob_
    _noob_ Posts: 3,306 Member
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    It's not anything new, I don't know where you've been..


    The bagel/oatmeal picture - I saw nothing wrong with it. What I did see wrong with was the caption that said "the last thing we want while walking down the street is to be shamed for our breakfast choices." Um, seriously? Oh yeah. I forgot, everyone wants to be coddled. Better to bury our heads in the sand rather than know how many calories are in what we are consuming. (Although, I love bagels and everyone should eat them)

    The tired of being fat & ugly pic - That's been going around the internet. It's funny. Sorry, not sorry.

    The scale bus stop - You don't have to sit on it... And this may sound bad, but maybe if people were standing a little more, it'd be a move in the right direction. Just saying.


    The PETA pic -" Another one of PETA's misleading ads. According to their ad, being thin, fit, and sexy is the only way to love your body, and the only way to be thin, fit, and sexy is to go vegan. Essentially, what they're saying is that everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies." Um, PETA has an agenda and it's not worrying about fat people. Of course they're saying everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies, everyone else is eating tasty meat and they're against that.


    All of the other ones, yeah they're "offensive" if I let billboards and ads offend me.

    shtf.gif
  • ChrisR0se
    ChrisR0se Posts: 1,855 Member
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    It's not anything new, I don't know where you've been..


    The bagel/oatmeal picture - I saw nothing wrong with it. What I did see wrong with was the caption that said "the last thing we want while walking down the street is to be shamed for our breakfast choices." Um, seriously? Oh yeah. I forgot, everyone wants to be coddled. Better to bury our heads in the sand rather than know how many calories are in what we are consuming. (Although, I love bagels and everyone should eat them)

    The tired of being fat & ugly pic - That's been going around the internet. It's funny. Sorry, not sorry.

    The scale bus stop - You don't have to sit on it... And this may sound bad, but maybe if people were standing a little more, it'd be a move in the right direction. Just saying.


    The PETA pic -" Another one of PETA's misleading ads. According to their ad, being thin, fit, and sexy is the only way to love your body, and the only way to be thin, fit, and sexy is to go vegan. Essentially, what they're saying is that everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies." Um, PETA has an agenda and it's not worrying about fat people. Of course they're saying everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies, everyone else is eating tasty meat and they're against that.


    All of the other ones, yeah they're "offensive" if I let billboards and ads offend me.

    True story.
  • ChrisR0se
    ChrisR0se Posts: 1,855 Member
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    Truth hurts but first it'll piss you off
  • aladams83
    aladams83 Posts: 47
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    AMEN!!!! I understand that everyone should be treated equally BUT this isn't a fantasy world we live in that is all rainbows and everyone getting along. The only thing you can do if you don't like these things is make an effort to change them in your daily steps of life... But people shouldn't be coddled... they need to realize the **** (pardon my french) that they are putting in their bodies! I used to be one of those obese people... But you are the controller of yourself... if you don't like what people have to say either ignore them or make yourself healthier if you are THAT unhappy.

    It's not anything new, I don't know where you've been..


    The bagel/oatmeal picture - I saw nothing wrong with it. What I did see wrong with was the caption that said "the last thing we want while walking down the street is to be shamed for our breakfast choices." Um, seriously? Oh yeah. I forgot, everyone wants to be coddled. Better to bury our heads in the sand rather than know how many calories are in what we are consuming. (Although, I love bagels and everyone should eat them)

    The tired of being fat & ugly pic - That's been going around the internet. It's funny. Sorry, not sorry.

    The scale bus stop - You don't have to sit on it... And this may sound bad, but maybe if people were standing a little more, it'd be a move in the right direction. Just saying.


    The PETA pic -" Another one of PETA's misleading ads. According to their ad, being thin, fit, and sexy is the only way to love your body, and the only way to be thin, fit, and sexy is to go vegan. Essentially, what they're saying is that everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies." Um, PETA has an agenda and it's not worrying about fat people. Of course they're saying everyone else should be ashamed of their bodies, everyone else is eating tasty meat and they're against that.


    All of the other ones, yeah they're "offensive" if I let billboards and ads offend me.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
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    It is all about intent; marketing "professionals" are always looking to create the next cutting edge ad to gain as much publicity as possible.

    The old adage "there is no such thing as bad publicity" is applicable.

    If societal norms were to somehow sway in the opposite direction, marketers would sway with those norms.

    Offensive ads are the quickest way to gain publicity in the shortest amount of time; couple this with a Machiavellian business mentality and the results are what you have referenced.
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
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    None them bother me (maybe the ugly one), but I don't know why people are bothered by them.

    People seriously get too offended now. The Oatmeal one, seriously needed an apology tweet. God.
  • LuckyMunky
    LuckyMunky Posts: 200 Member
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    Fat shaming doesn't work. Why do a lot of people become overweight? Because they have a problem with emotional eating. All this does is make big people feel even worse than they already do. So what do they do to compensate? Eat more food. Yeah, that seems SO productive!
    If you want "fat people" to become healthy, try supporting them when they do make positive changes. Be a role model, but don't get upset or disgusted with them for not following you. A person's relationship with food is very personal and intimate. To belittle or bully them for it is disgusting and counter productive.
  • emibrus1
    emibrus1 Posts: 59
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    To clarify on my statement: I don't think most of the methods in that article qualify as harmful shaming. I was incredibly irked by them using photos of children (and other people without consent such as in the wife scaring ad). I mean...was it necessary? Did those kids specifically volunteer to represent the obese kid (I can't imagine how unkind school peers would be)? The premise behind it is true so why not use text and decorative graphic elements?

    Presenting facts - the calorie comparison in the food for example - is way different than targeting a specific person and prostrating them before an incredibly judgmental society.
  • MrWThompson
    MrWThompson Posts: 19 Member
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    I have to go along with most of you on this one....... although three of them stuck in my mind.

    1) the PETA one was just silly...... like we need to be Vegan to loose weight! Protein in needed to build muscle and stay healthy, sorry, but the lady in that add was too skinny. Maybe we need to start a "Skinny Shaming Group"

    2) The kids...... that was shaming the parents. I have two kids myself and part of the reason that I am here is so that they can learn some good healthy habits. So, for that one, I am not upset.

    3) The guy undressing........ well, that was motivation. When I started months back, I was 6'1" and over 300 pounds. I started dieting on my own and dropped to 290. Then joined you fine bunch of individuals and dropped another 35. But I was once that guy and find him motivation not to become him again. I am almost to the point where going without a shirt MIGHT just be an option.

    Just my two cents on a great topic!

    -Will
  • Mamahana82
    Mamahana82 Posts: 64
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    The OatMeal one and the childhood obesity ads I have no problem with. Children do not have control over their diets and get more than enough fat shaming on the schoolyard. I would hope that the children would have been asked if it was something they wanted to do to help other children from being in their position, and you know, I think you might be surprised how many children would be willing to do it to make a difference. These are elementary school children, not middle school or high school aged kids where you have dating pressures on top of everything (READ: PUBERTY). Those ads are meant to shame parents, by pointing out they are making poor parenting choices that will cost their child their long term health. It is a complete disservice to your child to put their health at risk like that.

    If you are an adult and you are happy being well over your BMI, you have that choice. But when you control what goes into a child's diet, do not take away their potential to a long and healthy life.
  • jran3
    jran3 Posts: 105 Member
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    Being gentle about it resulted in the fat pride movement, maybe this will help although I find it cruel.

    Because nobody has ever said anything cruel or "less gentle" to fat folks before, right?

    Bottom line: it's open season on fat *kitten* 24/7. I accepted that, and I can do one of two things. Change the thought process of the entire planet, or change me. I'm no rocket surgeon, but it didn't take me long to figure out which was more within my control.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I don't see what the "shame" is in the bagel one at all, except that I'd need two 150 calorie bowls of oatmeal to be even remotely satisfied, or one 300 calorie bagel. And if I have the oatmeal, I'll be farting all day. :embarassed:
  • rgrange
    rgrange Posts: 236 Member
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    How about people stop whining and take responsibility for themselves instead of trying to get everyone else around them to coddle them? If "fat shaming" affects them- lose the weight and you won't feel that shame anymore.
  • KaleidoscopeEyes1056
    KaleidoscopeEyes1056 Posts: 2,996 Member
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    The Ashley Madison one made me do this :huh:

    The other ones, I had a reaction more like :laugh: or :ohwell: or :indifferent: