Fat Acceptance

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Replies

  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    I hope the irony of "fat acceptance" being debated on a website that is designed to track calories in order for weight loss is not lost here.

    Isn't that kind of what got us here in the first place (for the fat people here not fitness goal people or weight gainers) . We accepted our fatness and did nothing to correct it ?
    ENOUGH with your reason and practicality! I will not stand for this!


    :wink:
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    It disgusts me that these people actually try to discourage others from losing weight. It's one thing to accept your own body. If you like being fat, then so be it. But do not try to influence others to stop dieting if they want to become healthier. I've read around some FA blogs, and a lot of them seem to think that other people should change to suit fat people's needs. Selfish and ridiculous.
    +1

    Agree with this as well. I think the whole Fat Acceptance movement is dangerous and promotes a dangerous lifestyle. For the other post saying all fat people are not unhealthy this may be true, for now. There is nothing healthy about carrying excess body fat on your person. If you're overweight by BMI scales because of muscle then you don't carry excess fat, just extra weight which is healthy muscle weight.

    I don't even understand how some people can convince anyone that an overfat person is healthy. Sure they may like the look but that doesn't mean it isn't harmful in the long run.

    I think everyone needs to upgrade their definition of health and fitness. Being healthy doesn't mean that you're simply able to exist. You should be able to run up a flight of stairs if you wanted to, have enough strength to lift heavy things and lift your own body weight, be able to run miles if need be. Doing all this while not getting overly exerted because you're carrying excess fat. Now I understand that someone who's in the obese range can do these things but we all already know they'll have a much easier time doing them at a healthy body fat. Its always in someones best interest to have their body run more efficiently. Its less stress on your heart, bones, and joints overall. If strength and efficiency come at a lower weight, I can't understand why anyone would want to stay at their heavy weight.

    I think rather than have a size acceptance movement they should focus their efforts and getting people healthy. Maybe trying to change social and environmental conditions that make people become fat in the first place. Creating the FA movement sounds more like accepting defeat. I know the goal of the movement isn't to promote obesity but it seems like everyone who supports the movement is trying to promote obesity. Yeah, we can make bigger airline seats to accommodate very obese people, but isn't it better to create early intervention programs to avoid this problem in the first place?
  • Drenched_N_Motivation
    Drenched_N_Motivation Posts: 1,004 Member
    It isn't your business what someone does with their body unless they want feed back. Want to make a change? Then buy them the correct food, train them, encourage them.. I have no desire to reply to your stupid replies any more, i mean really a "pity party"? It's people like you who make people scared if they're bigger than a size 4.



    Your pictures crooked.
  • Troll. :]
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member


    I think the problem you're having is that you're equating fat with unhealthy and thin with healthy and then underweight with unhealthy. Their health is not addressed because they think they're fine because they're not fat.

    To be honest it sounds like you are just sensitive to this subject. You made a generalization claiming I made a generalization.

    I am not equating fat with unhealthy and thin with healthy. Wait actually I am, well at least half correct.

    When you are fat, obese, over weight you are not healthy. Yes you may be making healthier food choices and or exercising and greatly improving your health but it is still not healthy. It is a matter of numbers. That is not to say that there are not skinny people that are unhealthy that cause a strain on society as well, I didn't day that. But being fat, there is no argument to say that is "healthy" that is just asinine, you can be healthier NOW than a skinny person who has cholesterol and blood pressure through the roof because they metabolize instantly but clog their arteries daily but that does not quantify a fat person as being healthy

    Looking at a skinny person, from outward appearances any reasonable person would assume by look alone that they are healthier than a fat person. Being fat immediately places you into what a reasonable person would assume to be unhealthy. Therefore society is going to ascertain the majority, and make a judgement based on that. To say we have to accept it simply because there are skinny people that are unhealthy too when they are in the minority that just doesn't make sense.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    We shouldn't have any of these laws for any group. If anyone wants to prove themselves at equal make them earn it. Oh you're too fat to walk up the stairs well then I'm not hiring you to represent my company. Oh you've had 3 major weight related health issues? Ill insure you when you show you're correcting your poor behavior. When my dog jumps on the coach I swat him and get him down, I don't change the rules and make it to where he can be the just because he wants to be. We need to stop catering to everyone's feelings and go back to our former glory. In the service we kick out those that are too fat to do their job and I love it that wa. It should be a dishonorable discharge because they chose to no longer be contributing members of our service.
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,464 Member
    I think it's a shame that there even needs to be a movement. OF COURSE fat people should be accepted. Of course fat people shouldn't suffer discrimination and bigotry. It goes without saying.

    I felt this way for the majority of my life when I wasn't fat. I'll tell you, as a slim person, you get quite an insight into the public view of fat people, because people will say things to you that they would hold back from saying to a fat person. It's shocking what some people's view of fat people is like. I won't go into details, because I'm sure you all know what I mean.

    Like it or not, a lot of people are fat. And most are going to stay fat. (Some don't want to diet, or find it difficult to diet, and of those that do diet, we know that most will regain the weight). There's no point in making us feel bad about ourselves just so that we can pile low self-esteem on top of our obesity. It's not as if there is an international health problem of people TRYING to be fat that needs to be combated by fat prejudice (I know there are some people trying to get fat, but it's the exception).

    Over the past years it seems as if some other forms of prejudice such as racism and homophobia have become less acceptable, thank goodness. But fat prejudice still seems to be more acceptable. I hope that changes soon.
  • littleali
    littleali Posts: 179 Member
    Not all fat people are unhealthy (have you not seen Russias 'big ballet'?) and if people are unhealthy...why does it matter? Many people enjoy being fat. If it is not your body, why should you care anyway? Their body - healthy or not, fat or slim or able bodied or not or redhead, brunette or blonde has NO bearing on YOU. It boggles me that people get involved in something that ultimately doesn't really affect them so I am all for the FA movement. I find it wonderfully empowering!
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
    Not all fat people are unhealthy (have you not seen Russias 'big ballet'?) and if people are unhealthy...why does it matter? Many people enjoy being fat. If it is not your body, why should you care anyway? Their body - healthy or not, fat or slim or able bodied or not or redhead, brunette or blonde has NO bearing on YOU. It boggles me that people get involved in something that ultimately doesn't really affect them so I am all for the FA movement. I find it wonderfully empowering!

    Just googled "big ballet" and OMG, why am I just now finding out of its existence?
  • CookieCrumble
    CookieCrumble Posts: 221 Member
    A person is more than their weight. They have thoughts, feelings, desires, and emotions just like a skinny person. To me, "fat acceptance" isn't saying being fat is healthy, or ideal, or idolized. Its accepting that the adjective "fat" isn't the sole defining characteristic of a person. Fat people deal with a lot of assumptions made about them - they're lazy, dumb, slow, low-class. You see a person, and judge them immediately, simply because of their weight. That is unfair, and dehumanizing. We all have an inner life that lives on regardless of how our exterior appears.

    Fat people know they're fat. They're not blind. To me, fat acceptance is recognizing the person within the person, and treating them with the same humanity we should treat all others. Be kind, as everyone is carrying within them a struggle.

    I agree with this. A person's weight is no measure of their worth or value. I think there needs to be a better definition of what 'fat acceptance' is. If it means that you recognise the person, regardless of their physical condition, that is a very positive and good thing.

    I also agree that being fat is not something to be promoted in any way; it isn't healthy and it's akin to condoning smoking. If somebody choose to be fat/remain fat then that is their choice and they are free to make it, but it is a condition that is negatively perceived and whilst the person underneath is of value and worth, their chosen condition will put them at risk of discrimination.

    We have to take responsibility as a society for making better health choices - if not for ourselves - then for our children. Life is challenging enough with the added hindrance of excess weight.

    Just wanted to say to Piinci also - what a lovely profile picture, you look so serene and beautiful! :flowerforyou:
  • We shouldn't have any of these laws for any group. If anyone wants to prove themselves at equal make them earn it. Oh you're too fat to walk up the stairs well then I'm not hiring you to represent my company. Oh you've had 3 major weight related health issues? Ill insure you when you show you're correcting your poor behavior. When my dog jumps on the coach I swat him and get him down, I don't change the rules and make it to where he can be the just because he wants to be. We need to stop catering to everyone's feelings and go back to our former glory. In the service we kick out those that are too fat to do their job and I love it that wa. It should be a dishonorable discharge because they chose to no longer be contributing members of our service.

    This was bad from the start, but it fell apart when you decided to compare a group of people to your disobedient dog.

    Also, from your profile: "a general hatred of those who are obese"

    Props for being upfront, but I'm pretty sure that just takes you out of this argument altogether.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    We shouldn't have any of these laws for any group. If anyone wants to prove themselves at equal make them earn it. Oh you're too fat to walk up the stairs well then I'm not hiring you to represent my company. Oh you've had 3 major weight related health issues? Ill insure you when you show you're correcting your poor behavior. When my dog jumps on the coach I swat him and get him down, I don't change the rules and make it to where he can be the just because he wants to be. We need to stop catering to everyone's feelings and go back to our former glory. In the service we kick out those that are too fat to do their job and I love it that wa. It should be a dishonorable discharge because they chose to no longer be contributing members of our service.

    This was bad from the start, but it fell apart when you decided to compare a group of people to your disobedient dog.

    Also, from your profile: "a general hatred of those who are obese"

    Props for being upfront, but I'm pretty sure that just takes you out of this argument altogether.

    How are they any different the human psyche is extremely similar to dogs especially in children under five which is where a lot of this disgusting behavior starts. The simple analogy of saying never reward bad behavior will always stand as true.
  • We shouldn't have any of these laws for any group. If anyone wants to prove themselves at equal make them earn it. Oh you're too fat to walk up the stairs well then I'm not hiring you to represent my company. Oh you've had 3 major weight related health issues? Ill insure you when you show you're correcting your poor behavior. When my dog jumps on the coach I swat him and get him down, I don't change the rules and make it to where he can be the just because he wants to be. We need to stop catering to everyone's feelings and go back to our former glory. In the service we kick out those that are too fat to do their job and I love it that wa. It should be a dishonorable discharge because they chose to no longer be contributing members of our service.

    This was bad from the start, but it fell apart when you decided to compare a group of people to your disobedient dog.

    Also, from your profile: "a general hatred of those who are obese"

    Props for being upfront, but I'm pretty sure that just takes you out of this argument altogether.

    How are they any different the human psyche is extremely similar to dogs especially in children under five which is where a lot of this disgusting behavior starts. The simple analogy of saying never reward bad behavior will always stand as true.


    You misunderstood. I disagree with you on a fundamental level, that's just what made me roll my eyes and stop listening. But I guess you're a perfect example of your own analogy, because obviously someone's been encouraging your intolerance to an incredibly obnoxious level and has yet to give you a swat for it.
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    Original post removed after walkner88 updated his profile.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    The only people who may "give me a swat" for my desire to rid the world of obesity are those with some psychological issue where they have convinced themselves its OK. Obesity is medically defined at the state of having stored excess body ft to the point of drastically increasing ones chance of medical and health issues. My profile says a hatred of obesity not fat people. Obese people are never healthy. Obese people are doing something wrong and are for some reason being taught or told by other obese people that its OK.
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    My profile says a hatred of obesity not fat people.
    Maybe you are ESL but "those who are" refers to people not a medical diagnosis.

    *Edited to note that walkner88 has changed the wording on his profile.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    Ill agree I should change the phrasing there, but there shouldn't be a single one of us who ever tells anyone its OK to be obese.
  • The only people who may "give me a swat" for my desire to rid the world of obesity are those with some psychological issue where they have convinced themselves its OK. Obesity is medically defined at the state of having stored excess body ft to the point of drastically increasing ones chance of medical and health issues. My profile says a hatred of obesity not fat people. Obese people are never healthy. Obese people are doing something wrong and are for some reason being taught or told by other obese people that its OK.

    After this, I'm done, because you're obviously ridiculous in more ways than one. But c'mon. Seriously. Your profile says.... My Inspirations: a general hatred of those who are obese.

    Those who are obese.

    I got a feeling you know what those words in that order mean. You didn't say you hate obesity, you said you hate individuals who are. That's not some minor error of semantics. You openly admitted that you hate people who are obese. Own up to it, and stop trying to justify it. Because ultimately, the state of someone else's health is none of your business, despite whatever sensational, misquoted statistics you read that one time somewhere on the internet.


    *edited for typo (hilariously)
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    Ill agree I should change the phrasing there, but there shouldn't be a single one of us who ever tells anyone its OK to be obese.
    Cool, if you change the wording on your profile I'll edit/remove my first response to you calling for the block/ignore.
  • walkner88
    walkner88 Posts: 165
    I won't deny it. We have obese people who are causing so many issues for the US military. They are costing us millions of dollars a yet in increased healthcare which is causing us to have to lower personnel in order to make ends meet in this time of austerity. So do i hate that we are losing good men and women to retention boards all because others can't take responsibility for their own actions? Yes. I do and always will. But do I hate every person who is obese? No. I put that in there when angry about the retention boards and should edit the phrasing. But I do hate anyone telling others that it is OK to be obese.

    http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Articles/2010/06/23/Too-Fat-to-Fight-Obesity-is-Costing-the-Military-a-Hefty-Bundle.aspx#page1
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
    I think fat acceptance is mostly about fat people trying to make being fat the norm. That way they don't have to feel so bad about being overweight themselves.

    I hope that doesn't happen because I don't want kids growing up thinking that's healthy.
  • I think fat acceptance is mostly about fat people trying to make being fat the norm. That way they don't have to feel so bad about being overweight themselves.

    I hope that doesn't happen because I don't want kids growing up thinking that's healthy.

    That's a seriously misinformed opinion.
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
    I think fat acceptance is mostly about fat people trying to make being fat the norm. That way they don't have to feel so bad about being overweight themselves.

    I hope that doesn't happen because I don't want kids growing up thinking that's healthy.

    That's a seriously misinformed opinion.

    What's your take on it?
  • I think fat acceptance is mostly about fat people trying to make being fat the norm. That way they don't have to feel so bad about being overweight themselves.

    I hope that doesn't happen because I don't want kids growing up thinking that's healthy.

    That's a seriously misinformed opinion.

    What's your take on it?

    That at its core its essentially like any other anti-discrimination organization. The point overall is to say that a person is more than just this one aspect of his or herself, and that they deserve to be treated equally despite this difference. It's fighting against the fact that it's way to common to assume that a person is less than because of their weight. But, I mean, there's also more to Fat Acceptance, and more representatives than just that one link. If you're so inclined, one of the other members linked to other sites with their first introduction on the concept, and that might give you a broader scope that's about more than people trying to get legislation for bigger plane seats. But looking up info on it is literally at your fingertips (I'm not trying to brush you off, I just don't think I could give you a comprehensive introduction to FA reading myself).
  • victoria4321
    victoria4321 Posts: 1,719 Member
    I think fat acceptance is mostly about fat people trying to make being fat the norm. That way they don't have to feel so bad about being overweight themselves.

    I hope that doesn't happen because I don't want kids growing up thinking that's healthy.

    That's a seriously misinformed opinion.

    What's your take on it?

    I think its more about fighting discrimination and bias against morbidly obese people.


    I think its okay to a certain extent. I disagree with the movement when it comes to creating extra accommodations for very obese people. One example I can make up is possible job discrimination. While on one level I agree that it unfair, on the other I don't think a company should have to pay extra for one employee. So if the person would be so big they don't fit in an office chair, why should the company buy them a new chair?

    I think the fat acceptance movement is to fight discrimination like this. I'd have to admit myself that I'd be guilty of making judgements if I was hiring. They might be just as qualified as the next person but personally I'd probably be judgmental towards a 400lb person. I know its unfair but its part of the persons appearance. Just like you'd get judged by your clothes and anything else on an interview, very excessive weight is also another part that distracts people from your skills.

    I don't even know how you can accomplish this movement without making it seem like its okay to get to such an unhealthy weight. How do you get people to put aside their judgements about very obese people without ingraining in people that living that way is okay?
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    A person is more than their weight. They have thoughts, feelings, desires, and emotions just like a skinny person. To me, "fat acceptance" isn't saying being fat is healthy, or ideal, or idolized. Its accepting that the adjective "fat" isn't the sole defining characteristic of a person. Fat people deal with a lot of assumptions made about them - they're lazy, dumb, slow, low-class. You see a person, and judge them immediately, simply because of their weight. That is unfair, and dehumanizing. We all have an inner life that lives on regardless of how our exterior appears.

    Fat people know they're fat. They're not blind. To me, fat acceptance is recognizing the person within the person, and treating them with the same humanity we should treat all others. Be kind, as everyone is carrying within them a struggle.

    Well Said.
  • rawfull
    rawfull Posts: 178
    I agree with your comment totally. I feel obesity is caused by people medicating themselves for the emotional pain in their lives.
    Dr. Gabor Mate explains that all addictions, overeating, smoking, drinking, gambling, compulsive shopping, and drugs are simply people medicating the pain in their lives. Dopamine levels in the brain have much to do with overeating.
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
    OK I thought that would just be covered under all the other general anti-discrimination laws. I agree that they should be entitled to the same as everyone else but I don't think they should be entitled to extras, ie larger seats, convenient parking, etc. After all there is (usually) a fairly easy treatment for obesity.
  • naomi8888
    naomi8888 Posts: 519 Member
    I have to disagree on one point, obesity is not like smoking at all. You don't have to smoke to live, but you have to eat. And your eating patterns, attitude towards food, and tendency toward obesity are all set when you're young when you simply have no control over it. If you're an overweight child you've got a lifetime of fighting against obesity ahead of you.

    Now, regarding this movement: I'm still a fat person myself, having just dropped from an obese BMI to an overweight BMI, And having faced size discrimination myself, I fully believe that a person is not their weight.

    However, I don't give much credence to the fat acceptance movement. It would be one thing if the movement, from what I know of it, was encouraging its members to work toward a healthy weight, but they're not. The message that I've heard from them is that fat people are fine just the way they are, and **** anyone who doesn't like it.

    I chose not to like it.

    Their movements message is "People are weak and wont be able to change/learn how to maintain their weight, so society needs to adapt to them".

    Did you miss this part in the first couple of lines???

    "I have to disagree on one point, obesity is not like smoking at all. You don't have to smoke to live, but you have to eat."

    Yeah we all have to eat, but we can choose what and how much.
  • Biggipooh
    Biggipooh Posts: 350
    I think people are not reading the site.

    Its saying society should change for obese and super obese people.

    Should a transit company have to build bigger buses for people that weight 300lbs plus?
    Should airlines have to make seats bigger for 300lbs +

    Also they are saying people cannot control themselves so regulations should be imposed to force people to accept everything

    Its a crock of ****. I am not saying discriminating against fat people should be tolerated, but forcing society to accommodate them is not the way to go about it.

    Its just another way to dumb down america any way you slice it. There cannot be a gap between people economically or physically so the government and special interests groups will try and close that gap by putting an upper limit on what someone can do/think.


    This is a very friendly country. They like to accommodate everyone. When I first came to the US, I saw, that pretty much everything here is translated into spanish. Instead of people forcing to be integrated and learn english. I am from germany and a lot of turkish people live there but nowhere you will see translations into turkish. It's like, they don't give a sh... over there. (I don't know if thats good or bad.....) When a very obese person walks around in germany, everyone turns their heads or makes comments. This is very different over here. People have way more acceptance.