Fatism

I am so glad I don't have friends who would post something like that! However, if someone did, I would probably call them out on it, just because it would have weighed on my mind for some time if I didn't.

When my cousin joined a racist group on FB, I reported it, rather than confront her, because I know she is neither educated nor intelligent enough to understand the potential damage such a group could cause via incitement to racial hatred. However, I think she would still know better than to post a racist slogan on her wall (she's all about cute bunnies, etc.). So I can understand that you may not always want to confront someone directly.

On the flip-side, my dh is unashamedly fatest and I will always confront him over it, but he would never, ever think to post that on FB.

As for comparing government control of smoking/obesity to child molestation, this makes sense to me. Until relatively recently (just over 10 years ago) there was no minimum age of consent in Japan, but one was put in place while I lived there, partly in response to young girls prostituting themselves to buy handbags. To pretend that every individual is equally capable of making reasoned judgments about what is dangerous to others is naive at best. Age of consent is a social construct requiring a legal structure and having a biological basis, but is nevertheless a social construct. To pretend that allowing people to smoke freely doesn't kill and that it should merely be a personal choice is equally naive. I am very glad that smoking is banned in indoor public places here (since 2007, when my son was born), so no one will have to work in the kind of smokey conditions that killed Roy Castle (a singer and musician). As for legislating to save people from obesity, that's far more complex, but I don't blame governments for trying.

We complain too effing much in America and have become so sensitive and quick to point fingers at others rather than take responsibility for our own actions. It's life, you're going to come across nice people, rude people, good guys and bad guys, people need to learn how to deal with their own emotions because you can't change anybody but yourself.

Rant post: Today a Facebook friend posted a photo he took on his iPhone. The photo was of a larger couple carrying four pizzas down the street. The caption? "Whales left the ocean last night in search of 4 large pizzas. 2 each. No. You don't need that much. Go away fatties #nofatpeople"

This post got several likes and 'haha's. Not one person said anything in defence of this couple. I purposely didn't comment as I didn't want to start a big argument!
I mean, maybe these guys had bought pizzas to feed homeless people in the area! Or even just to feed their family - who are we to judge?

Made me wonder, what would the response have been if the post had been of two men kissing? Two nudists on the beach? An inter-racial couple? Two muslims? Two goths? (Just using these as examples!)

Why it is more acceptable in society to make fun of 'fatties' than other people that live a different lifestyle to you?

As someone trying hard to lose weight, and knowing that I have a way to go it breaks my heart to see these kinds of posts, and to hear so many fat jokes/taunts on TV and in conversation. It makes me want to give up. Some people will find faults in others, not matter wha

"Feed Homeless people ? Unlikely, but find something else to worry about.

edit.

Repeated what someone else posted.

BUMP! This is some funny ****.

The whole comparing it to smoking or talking about insurance premiums going up is just an attempt to try to excuse fat-shaming.

I have been the victim of many remarks and jokes about my weight.. not while in the act of overeating or eating something that others would deem inappropriate.. but simply for EXISTING. Example?...When I was in my early 20s I had a car full of college boys yell out the car window an insult about my weight and throw a soda at me.... Ironically this happened while I was on a three mile walk in an effort to LOSE WEIGHT. I was not acting in any way in appropriate.. I was not infringing on their rights.. I was simply EXISTING.

These people who were the object of this facebook joke were simply existing and carrying pizza boxes. Maybe they were going to each eat two whole pizzas and maybe they were simply running an errand and getting pizzas for a big group of people. It really does not matter because the joke is not that they were going to eat pizza, but rather that they had the audacity to be out in public while being fat.

It isn't an excuse for shaming, it is an observation based on societal allowances that don't follow the same logic. One, the people's stories about 2nd and smoking not being long term are antidotal, where Science has shown that over time, yes, 2nd hand smoke causes serious health issues. Those of you whom are asthmatic, poor air quality of any kind will most likely cause an reaction, not just smoke.

YES, hypertension, high blood pressure are similar, but are LISTED AS TWO SEPARATE CONDITIONS BY INSURANCE PROVIDERS....and, being obese, while doesn't guarantee having heart disease, hypertension, hbp or diabetes, it is a commonly a direct cause of such issues.

What I'm saying is many of you who are jumping down these people's throats about being mean to the overweight couple most likely have shamed or made negative remarks about people reaching for a smoke, yet are freaking out if anyone made a comment about a fat person eating a large pizza in public....it is a contradictory stance based on the 2 situational conditions. People have no problem wanting to tax the crap out of smokes, but if we tax fatty foods, they freak out......we are logically inconsistant.

It isn't an excuse for shaming, it is an observation based on societal allowances that don't follow the same logic. One, the people's stories about 2nd and smoking not being long term are antidotal, where Science has shown that over time, yes, 2nd hand smoke causes serious health issues. Those of you whom are asthmatic, poor air quality of any kind will most likely cause an reaction, not just smoke.

YES, hypertension, high blood pressure are similar, but are LISTED AS TWO SEPARATE CONDITIONS BY INSURANCE PROVIDERS....and, being obese, while doesn't guarantee having heart disease, hypertension, hbp or diabetes, it is a commonly a direct cause of such issues.

What I'm saying is many of you who are jumping down these people's throats about being mean to the overweight couple most likely have shamed or made negative remarks about people reaching for a smoke, yet are freaking out if anyone made a comment about a fat person eating a large pizza in public....it is a contradictory stance based on the 2 situational conditions. People have no problem wanting to tax the crap out of smokes, but if we tax fatty foods, they freak out......we are logically inconsistant.

When I see a smoker smoking through a tracheotomy hole, I don't find it hilarious.. I find it incredibly sad. When I see a fat person eating unhealthily I also find it sad. By the way I'm 100% in favor of tax on processed foods... Let's start with soda and other sweetened drinks and go from there.. It has nothing to do with being fat or not fat and I object to these taxes being called "fat tax". consuming these things causes health problems regardless of the BMI of the person consuming them. While we're at it, let's take away the subsidy for corn farmers and give it to fruit and vegetable farmers.

I pose this question: why is it more acceptable to criticize people who smoke but not people who overeat?

Uh. Second hand smoke. Some stranger's choice to eat pizza doesn't harm you.

It harms the health care system.. particularly those who live in countries where health care is free.

When I see a smoker smoking through a tracheotomy hole, I don't find it hilarious.. I find it incredibly sad. When I see a fat person eating unhealthily I also find it sad. By the way I'm 100% in favor of tax on processed foods... Let's start with soda and other sweetened drinks and go from there.. It has nothing to do with being fat or not fat and I object to these taxes being called "fat tax". consuming these things causes health problems regardless of the BMI of the person consuming them. While we're at it, let's take away the subsidy for corn farmers and give it to fruit and vegetable farmers.

I find it sad that you think the government should start taxing foods that you deem to be "unhealthy" while adding more subsidies for foods you like.

Personal responsibility and moderation is the key, not more taxes on "processed foods" as you propose