ignorance about obesity on MFP

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  • mamamc03
    mamamc03 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Honestly, this made me laugh. I have yet to see ANY posts bashing any fat people, and I'm on here at least 8 hours a day.

    I've seen tons and have gotten involved in them as well. They usually get pretty nasty, so they get deleted.
  • mamamc03
    mamamc03 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    An obese person is judged to be lazy, slovenly, or whatever you want to call it. Because no one really knows the issue until you talk to that person. A skinny person is not stereotyped, because you judge the outside

    *cough*
    *choke*
    *bullsht*
    *cough*

    You are right too. This is supposed to be a safe haven and every body type is beaten down here at some point. Skinny people are stereotyped here just as much as obese, muscular, naked, etc.
  • Babygirl928
    Babygirl928 Posts: 378 Member
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    Over the last week there have been several posts about how disgusting, lazy, undetermined, undedicated and basically good for nothing obese people are. First let me say that not all of us have gotten this way due to eating unhealthy. Second of all you are posting on MFP and all of us reading your posts about how horrible we are, are on MFP because we have decided to make a difference in our health and weight. So I ask you, if you are so upset and disgusted by obese people not taking care of themselves, why don’t you post it on your facebook where your friends can see how worried you are about their obesity. MFP is a place of encouragement and support, whether its toning and maintain, losing 5 pounds or 100 pounds. Don’t you think self esteem issues had a lot to do with some of us getting this unhealthy? I am 108 pounds overweight and have been on track since the middle of January, down 16 pounds and over 5 inches and get enough dirty looks and am hard enough on myself without coming into the forums reading how YOU feel about ME or any other people struggling with weight when you havent walked a DAY in MY FAT SHOES!!!

    Go by the old saying…if you have nothing nice to say….don’t say anything at all

    but this means that the people who are on MFP that are overweight and obese and are here trying... do NOT fit into the category of people who are obese or severely weight and dont give **** - its two different groups of people right?

    Or am I wrong here?

    people who dont care and indulge in gluttony and sloth vs people who were never happy with excess weight and are trying their damndest to change for the better?

    To me these are completely different demographics.
    exactly my point which is why it shouldnt even be discussed here. The people the forums are reaching are those that are trying to make a difference in their lives. We get put down in every different way, why come here for the same thing. Whats to keep people motivated
  • Newme012
    Newme012 Posts: 43
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    Ignorance is everywhere, unfortunately. Even represented in some of these replies (ie. people become obese because of "themselves"...wow).
  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
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    I think overall, people are to quick to judge...period!! We should never judge other people but it does happen regardless of weight, body shape, personal views and so on. Judging can be due to numerous things...self esteem, personal experience, ignorance....I think there comes a point to just ignore it if it is not directly at yourself! Sometimes I will open a post, start to read and get out of it....no point in wasting my time on things like that...I think thats why I stick to the Success Stories LOL!!

    With that said sometimes the comments that bother us do so because it has struck a nerve or hit close to home...I am in no way agreeing that obese people are lazy and undetermined but when I was was at my highest weight thats exactly why I got there (so I would agree for me alone on that)...yet I constantly get the you don't know what its like to be fat because of judging me the way I am now....the only person anyone should judge should be there self. Peace, love, beauty and happiness for all!! (If I had it my way!) :)
  • hdroddy
    hdroddy Posts: 122
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    Good for you! I've actually tried to make that point several times with little success. In fact, the response I usually get is pretty nasty. This is supposed to be a place for support, kindness, and respect. But it most definitely is NOT much of the time. A lot of judgement and ugliness goes on in these threads, not only on the topic of obesity but on just about any other.

    As for the topic of obesity, though - it occurs to me that a lot of posters are sort of like people who've quit smoking. You know how people who quit smoking often become the most outspoken critics of smokers? Same principle, I think.

    If you're obese and you're trying to change your life, I say kudos, more power to you, and hang in there.
  • whayamean
    whayamean Posts: 50 Member
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    Ya really the post could just be directed toward rude people on MFP in general, wether it's focused on obese people, what society calls normal, or skinny people. The whole goal is to have a support system to reach whatever our goals are gain lose stay the same whatever!
  • yager8725
    yager8725 Posts: 267 Member
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    Just remember....There are more of us then them!!! :bigsmile:


    NICE PEOPLE UNITE...WE WILL TAKE OVER MFP!!!
  • hadesflame
    hadesflame Posts: 95 Member
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    Just remember....There are more of us then them!!! :bigsmile:

    LOL With how much I weigh, do I count as two? It's like a double army. LOL:bigsmile:
  • doorki
    doorki Posts: 2,611 Member
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    I have never seen a fat bashing thread. If they exist, they are culled quite quickly. Skinny bashing, on the other hand....every where. Including people being accused of have eating disorders or using steroids.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    You're gonna have to give me links to these fat bashing posts because I'm on here practically all day and I don't see any (except for the occasional troll). I do see stupid bashing posts though - usually well deserved.

    The forums aren't the place to get close and personal support and critique - you need to build up a solid friend base for that.
  • Babygirl928
    Babygirl928 Posts: 378 Member
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    Over the last week there have been several posts about how disgusting, lazy, undetermined, undedicated and basically good for nothing obese people are. First let me say that not all of us have gotten this way due to eating unhealthy. Second of all you are posting on MFP and all of us reading your posts about how horrible we are, are on MFP because we have decided to make a difference in our health and weight. So I ask you, if you are so upset and disgusted by obese people not taking care of themselves, why don’t you post it on your facebook where your friends can see how worried you are about their obesity. MFP is a place of encouragement and support, whether its toning and maintain, losing 5 pounds or 100 pounds. Don’t you think self esteem issues had a lot to do with some of us getting this unhealthy? I am 108 pounds overweight and have been on track since the middle of January, down 16 pounds and over 5 inches and get enough dirty looks and am hard enough on myself without coming into the forums reading how YOU feel about ME or any other people struggling with weight when you havent walked a DAY in MY FAT SHOES!!!

    Go by the old saying…if you have nothing nice to say….don’t say anything at all


    YES YES YES!!! Even if we did eat ourselves silly to get to this "lowly state," at least we are trying!! Yes, I am classified as Super MORBIDLY OBESE....I have still lost 73+lbs. But I have done 5 5ks this year and one 10k. If you saw my wall today...I hit 310 days on MFP!! I'm a beast baby!! We'll get there....dont berate us!!

    *disclaimer-I am yelling @ the same people that the OP is yelling at! ;)
    Congrats on all these achievments!!! That is fantastic you GO girl and thank you for understanding my point!
  • Errica32
    Errica32 Posts: 40
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    <
    TOTALLY AGREES!
  • Babygirl928
    Babygirl928 Posts: 378 Member
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    I think overall, people are to quick to judge...period!! We should never judge other people but it does happen regardless of weight, body shape, personal views and so on. Judging can be due to numerous things...self esteem, personal experience, ignorance....I think there comes a point to just ignore it if it is not directly at yourself! Sometimes I will open a post, start to read and get out of it....no point in wasting my time on things like that...I think thats why I stick to the Success Stories LOL!!

    With that said sometimes the comments that bother us do so because it has struck a nerve or hit close to home...I am in no way agreeing that obese people are lazy and undetermined but when I was was at my highest weight thats exactly why I got there (so I would agree for me alone on that)...yet I constantly get the you don't know what its like to be fat because of judging me the way I am now....the only person anyone should judge should be there self. Peace, love, beauty and happiness for all!! (If I had it my way!) :)
    :heart: this and I dont normally let the forums get to me but there were just so many that i felt i should say something. Regardless of how we got here or what demon we are facing we should be supportive of one another and not pointing out negatives. thanks for this. Good luck to you
  • reneegee23
    reneegee23 Posts: 233 Member
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    ? I haven't seen threads attacking obese people.
  • Tidman68
    Tidman68 Posts: 1
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    I have a slightly different view: This is the internet. It is open to the masses and within the masses there are a few winners and a whole lot of losers. You cannot take offence at anything stated by strangers in an anonymous forum. If they are fat bashing, they may actually just be stirring the pot and not really have an issue with fatties. Or, maybe they are a fit musclehead who really is an arrogant jerk. You don't know, and shouldn't care. If you're looking for kindness and support, then just read the threads that offer it and ignore the rest. My old man used to have a saying "Nix Illigitimus Carborundum" he told me it was latin for "Don't let the *kitten* grind you down!". Sage advice indeed.
  • kurenaikumo
    kurenaikumo Posts: 271 Member
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    The root of the issue is the way obesity is portrayed in media. For example, I saw a documentary on obesity on TV, more specifically, Food Addiction. I was under the premise that the show was made to help people understand the illness of food addiction, and gain compassion for those suffering from it. Instead, what I got was so disgusted I had to turn the channel. In the opening 5 minutes I saw wide angle shots of a completely naked, more than morbidly obese guy laying in a recliner barely covered with a sheet, with lesions all over the leg skin, with a ridiculously large heaping platter full of food. The camera proceeded to zoom in to the man's mouth with more than a bite of food in it, while chewing in a very unmannerly fashion (slobbery, sauce all over the upper lip, smacking sound). It turned my stomach. Tell me honestly that that sight wouldn't psychologically cause one who did not know a person with Food Addiction to think of trigger words like "gross", "disgusting", "glutton"?! It certainly wouldn't inspire compassion or a desire to see more, would it? The only media I've seen positively portray obese people is Biggest Loser, and even there the opening show always includes shots of the contestants sitting in their cars shoveling in Big Macs and Whoppers...

    There is no way in hell ANYONE on this website should be harassed or spoken ill of. Anyone willing to make an effort to change their lives should be encouraged, applauded and admired.
  • whayamean
    whayamean Posts: 50 Member
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    You're gonna have to give me links to these fat bashing posts because I'm on here practically all day and I don't see any (except for the occasional troll). I do see stupid bashing posts though - usually well deserved.

    The forums aren't the place to get close and personal support and critique - you need to build up a solid friend base for that.


    This is true! I personally haven't seen the threads on here. I have encountered it in other social groups or in person. Ignore the jerks and pay attention to the shiny happy people.
  • Babygirl928
    Babygirl928 Posts: 378 Member
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    I have never seen a fat bashing thread. If they exist, they are culled quite quickly. Skinny bashing, on the other hand....every where. Including people being accused of have eating disorders or using steroids.
    I talk about obese bashing becasue it was rampid this week and yes it strikes a nerve. I have never bashed skinny people as I used to be extremely skinny and accused of the same thing. I think a general stomp on negativity is the point.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,720 Member
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    This is going to sound rude, I don't mean for it to, but that will kind of illustrate my point.

    The best thing anyone can do is stop believing that every person on this website is supportive and kind and "sharing your journey."

    They aren't. Some people are here to lose, some to maintain, some to gain, and some to pretend to be a 19 year old woman looking for sex when they're really a 48 year old iron worker. New people sign up by the hundreds everyday. There are going to be jerks. There are going to be rude people. No matter what thread gets posted nothing is going to make rudeness on the internet vanish because nothing can make rudeness in life vanish.

    Best to have a supportive group of friends that helps you on your way and not expect every stranger on the forums treat you the way you expect to be treated. Best of luck to you.

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