University Discriminating Against Overweight People?
capaxinfiniti
Posts: 367 Member
Sitting in McDonald's (don't worry I'm not eating anything. Just here for the wifi) and there's a young woman sitting at the table next to mine talking to me about how she just withdrew from school because the seats in her classes wouldn't fit her and she thought it was discriminatory to have to go to the Disability Services and have a chair brought in for her to sit in class
Granted some of the seats in the lecture halls are pretty narrow (not all of them though! I've seen plenty of girls who happen to be large sit in them perfectly fine) and the little desk parts that flip up are sometimes a little too low (for people with big thighs like myself), but is that a reason to leave school? While it might be embarrassing, I don't think you should let it hinder your education.
She told me, "I shouldn't have to lose weight! I'm not going to become some skinny ***** to fit in the chairs. There are tons of fat people in the world so the university should accommodate people like me! I'm not eating lettuce for the rest of my life to get like someone like that!" she said as she pointed to a group of pretty fit girls ordering at the counter. I found that was rude and just stopped talking to her after that comment.
I don't feel as if her reason was legitimate, but then again I have never had the problem of sitting in a desk. Would you withdraw just because you didn't want to call services to come bring you a seat?
Granted some of the seats in the lecture halls are pretty narrow (not all of them though! I've seen plenty of girls who happen to be large sit in them perfectly fine) and the little desk parts that flip up are sometimes a little too low (for people with big thighs like myself), but is that a reason to leave school? While it might be embarrassing, I don't think you should let it hinder your education.
She told me, "I shouldn't have to lose weight! I'm not going to become some skinny ***** to fit in the chairs. There are tons of fat people in the world so the university should accommodate people like me! I'm not eating lettuce for the rest of my life to get like someone like that!" she said as she pointed to a group of pretty fit girls ordering at the counter. I found that was rude and just stopped talking to her after that comment.
I don't feel as if her reason was legitimate, but then again I have never had the problem of sitting in a desk. Would you withdraw just because you didn't want to call services to come bring you a seat?
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Replies
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It seems like this girl is just looking for things to b*tch about. It's like people complaining about having to buy 2 seats on an airplane, if you take up 2 seats, you should have to pay for those 2 seats.0
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so... you just go to mcdonalds to use the free wi-fi and talk to strange obese people there?
is this some sort of sick university research topic?0 -
She should transfer to UW Eau Claire - the hill that seperates the dorms from the classes was a killer, I got in shape by just going to class. :laugh:0
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Sometimes people make excuses to try and validate to themselves what they know to not be true. I am willing to bet that inside she is a very sad girl and it comes out as anger and bitterness on the outside.0
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so... you just go to mcdonalds to use the free wi-fi and talk to strange obese people there?
is this some sort of sick university research topic?
The campus wifi is very slow so I go across the street to McDonald's because it's much faster and I don't have to share a table with another person like when I'm at the library.
Her talking to me was a mistake when I asked her "Are you okay?" when she was sobbing like someone had just stole her life savings.0 -
It seems like this girl is just looking for things to b*tch about. It's like people complaining about having to buy 2 seats on an airplane, if you take up 2 seats, you should have to pay for those 2 seats.
totally agree, It sounds like a poor excuse to just no go to uni, I understand the embarrassment of perhaps having a chair fitted but if you want that education bad enough you would do what ever it takes so maybe or more likely its a cop out on her part0 -
that's the kind of person that make me fear our society's future. Always someone else's fault for their difficulties and always expecting/demanding others to change to accommodate them. .... never actually looking at themselves as the ones that need changing.0
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It seems like this girl is just looking for things to b*tch about. It's like people complaining about having to buy 2 seats on an airplane, if you take up 2 seats, you should have to pay for those 2 seats.
totally agree, It sounds like a poor excuse to just no go to uni, I understand the embarrassment of perhaps having a chair fitted but if you want that education bad enough you would do what ever it takes so maybe or more likely its a cop out on her part
That's what I was thinking. I would feel embarrassed but eventually I wouldn't care after a while. I'm here to learn, not to worry about how people think because I'm sitting in a separate chair.0 -
that's the kind of person that make me fear our society's future. Always someone else's fault for their difficulties and always expecting/demanding others to change to accommodate them. .... never actually looking at themselves as the ones that need changing.
:drinker: Couldn't have said it better myself0 -
Not sure I would quit university because of it, but I have definitely altered my behavior and activities if I fear I will not fit in a seat. It's humiliating to have to "ask" to be accommodated. I know someone in my workplace who broke his chair but is too humiliated to ask for a new one, because he is heavy. This should not be happening.
I think this girl should elicit your compassion, not your criticism.0 -
it sounds like her self image issues must run pretty deep. that's sad, and hopefully she'll find her way out. but i can totally understand the frustration of watching 'skinny girls' eat big macs and fries all day and stay skinny while you are eating nothing but lettuce and staying fat. that would be a hell of a bummer kind of day! but hopefully she'll take charge.0
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Sounds like this girl was just coddled to much in her life so she thinks whining is the best response. I have a weight problem and I am a lefty (double whammy since most lecture halls are for right handers), but instead of complaining I got over it, adapted to the situation, and I am now working on my PhD.0
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Sitting in McDonald's (don't worry I'm not eating anything. Just here for the wifi) and there's a young woman sitting at the table next to mine talking to me about how she just withdrew from school because the seats in her classes wouldn't fit her and she thought it was discriminatory to have to go to the Disability Services and have a chair brought in for her to sit in class
At least they had a solution for her - she didn't want to accept it. How is that discrimination? She did not have to withdraw she chose to. I 100% agree with the airplane rule and wish it would apply to my daily subway ride as I have had people literally resting on me on my seat to the point where I stood up or moved because I had half of my seat taken when they sat partially on me or smushed me so far over I was almost on my neighbors lap.0 -
Have none of you experienced situations like this? It's humiliating. The university I went to was very old, and some of the seats were painfully tiny. I squeezed in, because I refused to call attention to myself asking for a big desk to sit in the back of the room. Unfortunately, unless you canvas the seating/desk situation and base your decision whether or not to attend the university on that, you're forced to either make yourself fit or call unwanted attention to yourself.
The world is not made to fit fat people.0 -
tottally agree,, i think she have a lack of self-esteem , and what ever reason would have made her "drop school"It seems like this girl is just looking for things to b*tch about. It's like people complaining about having to buy 2 seats on an airplane, if you take up 2 seats, you should have to pay for those 2 seats.0 -
When you're so big you can't fit into a chair that the rest of your class can, I hate to break it to ya' but that's when you should notice that maybe you're the one with something wrong, not the uni & that you should lose weight.
The girl sounds bitter & spoilt.0 -
awwwwww thats sad, i have to say,, i would have done same,,, ask if ok,,, you have a good heart!!!!so... you just go to mcdonalds to use the free wi-fi and talk to strange obese people there?
is this some sort of sick university research topic?
The campus wifi is very slow so I go across the street to McDonald's because it's much faster and I don't have to share a table with another person like when I'm at the library.
Her talking to me was a mistake when I asked her "Are you okay?" when she was sobbing like someone had just stole her life savings.0 -
When you're so big you can't fit into a chair that the rest of your class can, I hate to break it to ya' but that's when you should notice that maybe you're the one with something wrong, not the uni & that you should lose weight.
The girl sounds bitter & spoilt.
This. Exactly this.0 -
The sad part of this story is that she has yet to wake up to the fact she has a problem. As a result, she won't be solving it and it will likely get worse before it gets better. A bigger chair isn't the solution.0
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The sad part of this story is that she has yet to wake up to the fact she has a problem. As a result, she won't be solving it and it will likely get worse before it gets better. A bigger chair isn't the solution.
I'm sure she actually realizes that she has a problem. There are a lot of deep-rooted issues that develop from a life of being obese. Just because she was defensive doesn't mean she didn't, deep down, want to be thin like the pretty girls at the counter. She was so embarrassed of her weight that she was willing to quit school because of it. I, for one, feel sympathy for her. I seriously doubt it came down to the discrimination issue, even though that was her excuse. It was the humiliation of the situation.
The lack of empathy is surprising, though it shouldn't be, considering that's how the majority of the world thinks.0 -
The sad part of this story is that she has yet to wake up to the fact she has a problem. As a result, she won't be solving it and it will likely get worse before it gets better. A bigger chair isn't the solution.
I'm sure she actually realizes that she has a problem. There are a lot of deep-rooted issues that develop from a life of being obese. Just because she was defensive doesn't mean she didn't, deep down, want to be thin like the pretty girls at the counter. She was so embarrassed of her weight that she was willing to quit school because of it. I, for one, feel sympathy for her. I seriously doubt it came down to the discrimination issue, even though that was her excuse. It was the humiliation of the situation.
The lack of empathy is surprising, though it shouldn't be, considering that's how the majority of the world thinks.
While I empathize with the humiliation of it, it was/is not discrimination. Discrimination is a serious charge and should not be thrown around lightly. If her weight is so embarrassing for her that it is preventing her from furthering her education than she is the only person who can change it.0 -
The sad part of this story is that she has yet to wake up to the fact she has a problem. As a result, she won't be solving it and it will likely get worse before it gets better. A bigger chair isn't the solution.
I'm sure she actually realizes that she has a problem. There are a lot of deep-rooted issues that develop from a life of being obese. Just because she was defensive doesn't mean she didn't, deep down, want to be thin like the pretty girls at the counter. She was so embarrassed of her weight that she was willing to quit school because of it. I, for one, feel sympathy for her. I seriously doubt it came down to the discrimination issue, even though that was her excuse. It was the humiliation of the situation.
The lack of empathy is surprising, though it shouldn't be, considering that's how the majority of the world thinks.
I don't have sympathy for people who chose to complain about things but don't do anything to fix them, sorry.0 -
The sad part of this story is that she has yet to wake up to the fact she has a problem. As a result, she won't be solving it and it will likely get worse before it gets better. A bigger chair isn't the solution.
I'm sure she actually realizes that she has a problem. There are a lot of deep-rooted issues that develop from a life of being obese. Just because she was defensive doesn't mean she didn't, deep down, want to be thin like the pretty girls at the counter. She was so embarrassed of her weight that she was willing to quit school because of it. I, for one, feel sympathy for her. I seriously doubt it came down to the discrimination issue, even though that was her excuse. It was the humiliation of the situation.
The lack of empathy is surprising, though it shouldn't be, considering that's how the majority of the world thinks.
I don't have sympathy for people who chose to complain about things but don't do anything to fix them, sorry.
No offense, but how do you know she hasn't tried a thousand times to lose the weight? Walk a mile.0 -
BrendLee, if someone is trying a thousand times to lose weight, they're doing something wrong. Either the program isn't working for them, so they stopped and started another, then stopped and started another etc. Or they are not doing what the program is requesting. If they are that concerned about their weight to the point where they're willing to drop out of school, then she should do something about it. This now takes me back to my first comment where I said, she's probably just b*tching for the sake of b*tching.0
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I have mixed opinions on this one.
When I was obese, it was my choice to be that way and I was happy. I didn't ever get TOO far into the obese range, so I never got anywhere near special accommodations etc., but the way I saw it was that it was my choice to be fat. I would have been very annoyed if anyone thought they had the right to ask me to change, but I also didn't deserve any special treatment for my choice.
That said, it does seem like this woman DID want to change, but perhaps didn't know how. Especially as she said she didn't want to be eating lettuce for the rest of her life before gesturing as her example to much thinner girls IN THE QUEUE, buying food from McDonalds. It sounds like she's possibly feeling like she's unhappy with her weight, and possibly feeling like she was struggling at university, and ended up combining the two and using one as an excuse for another. A shame, if that's the case.0 -
If she needs a bigger chair, that is something to take up with the professor. I hope that motivates her to lose weight!0
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