Fat shaming in the media

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  • Heaven71
    Heaven71 Posts: 706 Member
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    :noway:
    Well considering some of those radical right wings have used the exact same shaming techniques on abortion and homosexuality, I find it repulsive and it makes we want to get more fat and take a giant dump on all their stupid faces.

    Well aren't you the epitome of progressive enlightenment?

    So you'd say be nice to those flinging abuse at you?

    That has been the "Golden Rule" for quiet a long time. If you choose to be bitter that is on you. I'm not going to delve into the politics of this ridiculous statement.
    You are right, it is up to me the victim to just take it and be silent. I should never fight back, shouldn't stand my ground because I'd be dropping to the other persons level how terrible.

    No. I will fight back, defend myself, protect myself. It is NOT up to the victim to be a better person just because it might offend the abuser. Thats not how it works. Thats not reality. I do not have to give a **** about the feelings of people out to hurt me.

    You can always fill up on fat and poop on their faces... :laugh:
    If that is how you stand up for yourself...please go friend that lovely lady, you should get along famously! :drinker:
  • LuHox
    LuHox Posts: 136
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    The Ashley Madison one makes me want to vomit my soul, but the entire premise of the site makes me lose hope in humanity, so big surprise. It's definitely the absolute worst. Let me break it down for you.
    It says:
    *Overweight women are not sexy.
    *The thought of an overweight woman's sexuality is HILARIOUS.
    *Anyone married to an overweight woman is unhappy.
    *It's okay to cheat on your wife if she's overweight.

    How can you say anyone offended by that is "too sensitive"?

    The PETA "Save the whales" one is obscene not only because it's hurtful and somewhat misogynist, but also because it's a total crock. I had more difficulty with my weight eating vegan than any other way (mostly because you have to eat so many carbs to get enough protein without supplementing) and I'm not alone on that. Becoming a vegetarian or vegan does not give you a free pass to Thinsville PETA just likes to stir the pot and make animal activists look bad & crazy.

    The one with children hurts my heart. I don't think I should have to explain why. The only words I have for you are "recipe for eating disorder" and "warped body image". I'm not saying every overweight kid who looks at the ad will be instantly anorexic. But the idea gets planted in their head somehow, and they're so young and impressionable...

    Not too sensitive. I just don't want to live in a world where if I gain 50 lbs my husband is entitled to cheat and my children are taught that their worth and happiness is directly tied to their weight.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
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    Seriously... the one with the kids is not shaming, it is an attempt to get parents to lay off the Mickey D's and let the kids out to frolic at the play ground instead of vegging out in front of the TV. I think it's offensive that any attempt to to raise awareness is offensive. Personally, as a fat woman, I could not care less WHAT is in the media. I say shame away! (if that's really what is happening anyway, which I don't think it really is.) I think the bigger outrage should be sexually suggestive products, commercials etc... geared toward young people. That is much worse than any ad suggesting someone get healthy.
    Oh, and that oatmeal thing was not offensive. I don't know what the big deal is about pointing out the better option. People should lighten up.
  • taliar93
    taliar93 Posts: 111 Member
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    The oatmeal one got me, not because it was offensive, but because of the reaction it received, the person who wrote that probably had in mind the people that have gained a few lbs, not a few hundred, over the winter, and merely pointed out that oatmeal is a healthier low cal alternative to something else.

    While we all know that being fat is NOT healthy, hence why we are all here, the fact that everybody feels the need to protect the overweight is absurd. It's called fat logic, the same people that say we should put plus size models in magazines, the people that say everyone is "fat shaming" them, are the same people that sit there and "thin shame" the absolute crap out of the skinny population, protest that the underweight people in the magazines is not a healthy image to show the public, well people, neither is being fat, get the F over it, find the equal ground, and sit down, shut up.
  • SkinnyBubbaGaar
    SkinnyBubbaGaar Posts: 389 Member
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    "Tired of being fat and ugly?... Just be ugly."


    That gym billboard is awesome.
  • zillah73
    zillah73 Posts: 505 Member
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    I didn't see anything in these ads that were more offensive than anything I used to hear people saying about me in restaurants or other public places, their snickering little shaming remarks I was meant to overhear – which is to say the ads are offensive, but are simply another layer of judgement I endured when I was at my heaviest. I was shamed by comments, shamed by looks, shamed by the media, shamed by the seat belt extension on an airplane.

    The thing was, though, the shaming never made me want to change – as negativity never begets anything but more negativity. I didn't change my life, I didn't lose nearly 100 pounds until, instead of loathing myself as everyone seemed to think I should, I learned to love myself and treat myself with the care and loving kindness with which we should all treat each other. Maybe if we did treat each other with kindness instead of contempt and condescension we could effect the change all the fat shaming presumes to incite.
  • GoldspursX3
    GoldspursX3 Posts: 516 Member
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    Well considering some of those radical right wings have used the exact same shaming techniques on abortion and homosexuality, I find it repulsive and it makes we want to get more fat and take a giant dump on all their stupid faces.

    Well aren't you the epitome of progressive enlightenment?

    So you'd say be nice to those flinging abuse at you?

    That has been the "Golden Rule" for quiet a long time. If you choose to be bitter that is on you. I'm not going to delve into the politics of this ridiculous statement.
    You are right, it is up to me the victim to just take it and be silent. I should never fight back, shouldn't stand my ground because I'd be dropping to the other persons level how terrible.

    No. I will fight back, defend myself, protect myself. It is NOT up to the victim to be a better person just because it might offend the abuser. Thats not how it works. Thats not reality. I do not have to give a **** about the feelings of people out to hurt me.

    Ooook......and I'll try to make sure I, as a right winger, don't upset you. Geez, how did this come up again? Are you talking politics or fat shaming?
    I am going to assume you are not someone who flings abuse at other, I do not know you but I'm assuming this.

    My response may startle you or seem aggressive but my point still stands, no matter what the area, if someone is rude, if someone is hurtful, if someone is abusive, it is not the victims responsibility to be nice.

    I'm not talking politics I am talking tactics. No matter what side you stand on, your methods, your tactics are the selling point, if your tactics are to attack and shame then you can bet I won't think well on you.

    No matter what your beliefs are does not matter as long as you do not step all over others as a way to enforce them.

    If you step on me I will hit you.

    Different strokes for different folks. Some people really aren't worth my time arguing with.
  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
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  • Capt_Chev
    Capt_Chev Posts: 93 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.

    This!
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    Someone got mad because a deli compared the calorie counts on a bowl of oatmeal to a bagel? I think whoever felt offended by a calorie comparison of two breakfast foods has issues.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    To be honest, didn't find any of them offensive... People will ALWAYS find something to moan about!
  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
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    I would venture to say, of the whole lot, the childhood obesity ad is the worst. The children's faces should NOT have been in the picture. It's tough enough going through a chunky phase, or being raised by chubby promoting parents, or taking medication that makes you heavy, not having access to Physical Education, yadda yadda... shouldn't be plastered on billbords for it, in my opinion.

    As for the rest, I DO have a relatively decent sense of humor and try to let most things slide unless they're bordering on Harassment, but I'll admit Ashley Madison was offensive. That big woman was WORKING it and I bet money she gets plenty of action at that size, which says a lot about her confidence and femininity.
  • supertracylynn
    supertracylynn Posts: 1,338 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!!

    This is the only one I found offensive - because it is promoting publically a cheating site (not a just a "dating" site)
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    People that want to be offended will always find a way.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    In Japan we have a tax for overweight people..
    If the media is your biggest problem just be glad you don't have to pay for it. :bigsmile: :3

    Is that for real? How is the tax levied and by what measure is it determined?
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
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    People that want to be offended will always find a way.

    THAT OFFENDS ME!!!

    How dare you reduce me to a knee jerk reaction without substance!!!!

    The NERVE OF SOME PEOPLE!
  • mk_hammer
    mk_hammer Posts: 105
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    Fat shaming > Fat Acceptance

    Your body is your responsibility and your business, and ONLY your responsibility and your business. Your friends and loved ones may be able to sway your opinion, but at the end of the day you make your own choices and that is YOUR right.

    Sorry, going to disagree with this. I don't agree with fat shaming AT ALL, but the truth is the obesity epidemic doesn't only affect the obese. According to Forbes, obesity now costs Americans more in health care than smoking. It's a matter of public health.

    From the article:
    "The high cost of being significantly overweight manifests in a variety of ways, ranging from the increased insurance premiums we all pay to subsidize the added medical charges incurred by the obese to the surprisingly dramatic impact our collective pounds has on energy costs."

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/04/30/obesity-now-costs-americans-more-in-healthcare-costs-than-smoking/
  • OfficerFuzzy
    OfficerFuzzy Posts: 222 Member
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    I don't find them particularly offensive, but then again I'm not a person who takes offense easily.

    The problem with fat hate is that it's not promoting health, which weight isn't the the largest factor in.
    The only thing these ads are really encouraging is for a person to stay at home and stuff their face.
  • buhller
    buhller Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm always frustrated to hear arguments like "Well, thin people get shamed too! So fat shaming is okay!"

    Can we all just agree that shaming people into being healthy (no matter what their size) is mean and counterproductive? I don't know that all the ads in the link are shaming, but if we all just worried more about ourselves and what we are/aren't putting into our own bodies, and got some reasonable amount of exercise, and quit worrying about what everyone else is doing we'd be a lot happier. Health is not necessarily linked to size -- we all anecdotally know some very healthy but heavy people, and some very unhealthy thin people. Health is about doing good to your body. That's it.

    It's not fun to be on the receiving end of shame, period. So let's all just focus on ourselves, and get over it.

    (And if the media would stop being so sensationalist, that would help a whole lot too)
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I didn't see anything in these ads that were more offensive than anything I used to hear people saying about me in restaurants or other public places, their snickering little shaming remarks I was meant to overhear – which is to say the ads are offensive, but are simply another layer of judgement I endured when I was at my heaviest. I was shamed by comments, shamed by looks, shamed by the media, shamed by the seat belt extension on an airplane.

    The thing was, though, the shaming never made me want to change – as negativity never begets anything but more negativity. I didn't change my life, I didn't lose nearly 100 pounds until, instead of loathing myself as everyone seemed to think I should, I learned to love myself and treat myself with the care and loving kindness with which we should all treat each other. Maybe if we did treat each other with kindness instead of contempt and condescension we could effect the change all the fat shaming presumes to incite.

    This ^^^

    I've never been able to lose weight until I started to feel like I was worth the effort. How about a billboard campaign:

    "Why go to the gym?" "Because I'm worth it"

    "Why spend my time cooking?" "Because I'm worth it"

    "Why spend the money on fresh produce?" "Because I'm worth it"

    I totally don't get the scale advertisement. Why would I rush to spend my money at a company that makes me choose between publicly displaying my weight or standing on my tired feet?