The Fat Acceptance Movement… Thoughts??
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Can't it be both? People are really *****y to overweight people, even as our conception of "normal" becomes heavier and heavier. Someone once said that hatred of fat people is the last acceptible bigotry. While that's, um, totally not true, it is true that overweight people have to put up with a lot of hateful behavior and attitudes.
That said, the list of medical conditions suffered by overweight people, even those who stay relatively healthy, are astounding. Heck, let's start with the orthopedic problems alone! I certainly hope the fat acceptance movement isn't encouraging people to remain overweight.0 -
I didn't know there WAS a fat acceptance movement....0
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Also on this note, accommodations will always be made whether skinny or over weight for trivial things. Best to just get over it and let it not affect you. Would you REALLY complain about having larger airline seats? I fly a lot and I would definitely not mind that at all!
Yes! Less people on the plane = higher fairs.
I wouldn't mind paying a slightly higher fare to not be treated like a human sardine. But hey, that's just me.0 -
I don't think unhealthy habits should be glorified (ie. the woman trying to the fattest in the world), but I'm so sick of the concept that you can judge someone's health based solely on their size. Even with a BMI well into the obese range, I've never had high blood pressure or cholesterol, never struggled with diabetes, never had health problems other than seasonal allergies and the occasional flu. My activity has never been limited by my size. So why should there be any debate about whether or not my size is "acceptable"? I'm working on improving my diet and exercising more consistently, but it's less because of my fat and more because I'm trying to get out of an emotional holding pattern in my life. So let's discourage unhealthy habits while "accepting" everyone, regardless of size, shall we?0
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The problem here though I see is people generalize that fat people are lazy over eaters. I used to be skinny as a kid, then ballooned up to over 200 lbs due to a brain tumor. But because you did not know me you would assume I was fat and lazy, when in all actuality I would swim, bike and be just as active. The tumor instigated the weight loss and after many years, finally lack of mobility before they could identify what the problem was (I had a rare case of Cushings Disease - on my pituitary is where the tumor was).
Sadly the tumor screwed up my body as a whole and never was able to regain back what I had lost. I had to learn to love me as I was,even though society saw me as a fat lazy over eater. There are always exceptions to the rule.0 -
I think its good in the sense that no one should be judged or bullied based on their appearance. Bad that those who need to lose the weight for health reasons may not see the need to. Low weight doesn't always equal healthy either.... As for more accommodations being made for overweight people...its a double edged sword. More and more people need those extra accommodations but then I'd hate to encourage people to be unhealthy.0
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Based on what I've read and heard from friends, the "fat acceptance movement" is not about "I'm overweight, and I'm okay with it!" in terms of health. It's "I'm considered overweight according to society's measures, but I still have feelings of confidence and self worth."
We live in a shaming society -- fat-shaming, skinny-shaming, black-shaming, white-shaming -- you name it, someone out there shames it. With the obesity crisis coming into the limelight (via laws concerning sodas and new programs in schools for overweight children), fat-shaming is becoming more prominent -- and more nasty and degrading.
The "fat acceptance movement" has been caused not only by the obesity "epidemic: (and the resulting shaming) but also by society's perception of beauty. Because of how we have been raised, we believe that fat people are "lazy, ugly, non-motivated", etc.
The fat acceptance movement was established to help people who consider themselves obese, overweight, etc., to accept themselves and love themselves. Would you love yourself if you felt like the entire world was calling you lazy and ugly? Would you feel good about yourself if your body was always cast in a negative light with nasty societal consequences?
This movement isn't about "acceptance of unhealthy ways"; it's about acceptance of oneself and love of oneself. It's about self esteem and self-confidence.0 -
I think it's a great movement that is teaching people to love their bodies and also dispelling some myths tied with obesity. It promoted heath at every size and discourages body policing.
And frankly, if it's not for you, move on. But NEVER tell someone what they NEED to do with THEIR body.
Honestly, it's BECAUSE of this movement that I started being healthy again. It taught me to love my body no matter what, and BECAUSE I love my body, I want to start respecting it.
I also think that a lot of people don't really get the purpose of fat acceptance and see it as nothing more than promoting an unhealthy lifestyle. That's not the case and I would strongly encourage people to do a lot more research on it.0 -
Also on this note, accommodations will always be made whether skinny or over weight for trivial things. Best to just get over it and let it not affect you. Would you REALLY complain about having larger airline seats? I fly a lot and I would definitely not mind that at all!
Yes! Less people on the plane = higher fairs.
I wouldn't mind paying a slightly higher fare to not be treated like a human sardine. But hey, that's just me.
Me either. I'm just using that as an example.... there are many, many more. The point is there would be laws in place to force these things on society, which is okay and fine by me..... but I would be scared that people would become complacent and not feel it necessary to change.
And I don't care if someone is overweight or not..... this is just a political stand point.0 -
I think that it's very sad that we live in a country that has such a huge obesity problem that we no longer recognize what a healthy weight looks like. Over 60% of Americans are overweight or obese.
People don't realize that the damage done by obesity and being overweight is LONG TERM, not short term, and the cost to society is a generation or more of people whose quality of life and life expectancy is WORSE than the previous generation. That's the real problem I have with this "fat acceptance" movement. It just throws all of that to the side and says, "we're fat, and it's fine" It isn't fine, not for any vanity reason, but for the damage to the health of the nation. The truth of it is that most people who are overweight or obese are not physically active and overeat.
We need to stop focusing so much on "accepting" obesity and focus more on improving the health of the nation.
FYI: I do NOT condone putting anyone down because of their weight or size. That's completely unacceptable. Just want to be clear on that.0 -
Yes.! This!I have known and loved many in the fat acceptance movement. I like strong, powerful people.
Weight is not the be-all of health. These are individuals that swim marathons in the ocean! Individuals who eat clean, delicious food they cook themselves. Despite my years boxing, and the belt on my wall - these are individuals who could take me down in a heartbeat if such was their whim. These are individuals who love themselves and thier bodies.
And yes, these are individuals who still are capable of feeling stung when they are judged, belittled or verbally attacked.
No, shoveling junk into your body is not healthy or a act of self-love. But there are those that do that and are skinny. Size isn't the issue. Eating well, exercising often...these are indications of health. Not size.
The woman who wants to be the largest in the world is as sad a case as the one who wants to have the most children.
And many heavyweight boxers can be judged as 'fat' as well.0 -
I haven't seen other posts on here with this topic so forgive me if I am being redundant. And no, I wouldn't say that I am trying to stir the pot but more so just facilitate a discussion.Like I said, this topic was brought up on another thread I was on but due to the number of other comments and conversations that were going on at the same time, it was hard to keep it going.
I'm confused. If the thread still exists, you should still have access to it via a search if nothing else?
Okay... You can either comment on the post or not- it's your choice.
Very well. I accept that you don't want to answer the question for unspecified reasons. Enjoy your day...and thread.
Dude, she said she wanted to continue the discussion since the previous one petered out due to being just a sidenote to the other discussion. That's totally legit.0 -
I'm fat and have NEVER accepted it. I rather have poor self esteem then trick myself into believing that how I am living right now is healthy and good for me. I am trying to change it. I've tried to "accept" it, but my morals just...wont let me.0
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One of the most epic rants ever. It's a good read. Especially when I used to be in that camp.0 -
But if smokers have to pay more for insurance, so should lazy overeaters <~ i say that to differentiate between those with actual real live legitimate disorders that prevent them from moving.
Well then so should cyclists who ride their bikes to work as they are more likely to get hit by cars. And people who ski, because they could break their leg, or worse if they aren't wearing a helmet. And people who don't eat enough - they can get ill too, let's up their insurance. Should lazy overeaters who don't happen to become fat as a result also pay more? Where does that thought process end?0 -
Also, one other thing I need to add. A big part of this movement is taking away the stigma of being fat. It's stripping it down and saying "Yes, I am fat. That is an accurate term to describe me."
It's pointing out the stupidity in acting like fat is the worst thing you can be (and I have seen a LOT of that attitude on this site, sadly).
It's trying to cast off the misconceptions that fat people are lazy, gluttonous, greedy, etc.
When someone looks at me, they get all those impressions. And you know what? I'm not any of those things. I work out and I (try) to eat right.
And the BIGGEST thing is that fat is not an indicator of health or the substance of a person. Being fat doesn't make someone a bad person.
(I THINK that's all I have to add for now)0 -
Live and let live. It's as simple as that. If we can accept people that spell "lose" "loose" we should be able to accept overweight people.0
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I haven't seen other posts on here with this topic so forgive me if I am being redundant. And no, I wouldn't say that I am trying to stir the pot but more so just facilitate a discussion.Like I said, this topic was brought up on another thread I was on but due to the number of other comments and conversations that were going on at the same time, it was hard to keep it going.
I'm confused. If the thread still exists, you should still have access to it via a search if nothing else?
Okay... You can either comment on the post or not- it's your choice.
Very well. I accept that you don't want to answer the question for unspecified reasons. Enjoy your day...and thread.
Dude, she said she wanted to continue the discussion since the previous one petered out due to being just a sidenote to the other discussion. That's totally legit.
LOL. Thank you!! I really didn't feel the need to explain myself to him but thank you for (hopefully) clearing it all up! LOL. I am not going to wade through 200 posts every few minutes just to find the one I was commenting on when I can have it right here.0 -
We need to stop focusing so much on "accepting" obesity and focus more on improving the health of the nation.
Then instead of promoting an ideal weight, we need to be promoting a healthy life style.0 -
My only opinion on the movement is that it's free to exist. People should be allowed to weigh whatever they desire.0
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We need to stop focusing so much on "accepting" obesity and focus more on improving the health of the nation.
Then instead of promoting an ideal weight, we need to be promoting a healthy life style.
They go hand in hand. You can't be 200 lbs overweight with a body fat percentage over 50% expect to be leading a healthy lifestyle. Doesn't work like that. You don't get that big without overeating and spending years of your life not being active.0 -
Just to toss something into the mix, we have a huge STRESS acceptance level in America - even though it's proven in countless studies to significantly increase the risk of a variety of costly chronic diseases. I never quite could understand people who would like to "tax" the overweight without also wanting to tax the overstressed.0
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We need to stop focusing so much on "accepting" obesity and focus more on improving the health of the nation.
Then instead of promoting an ideal weight, we need to be promoting a healthy life style.
They go hand in hand. You can't be 200 lbs overweight with a body fat percentage over 50% expect to be leading a healthy lifestyle. Doesn't work like that. You don't get that big without overeating and spending years of your life not being active.
And, yet, there are plenty of people who are 150 and can be lapped by a 200 lb person. There are people who weigh 130 lbs who eat way worse than someone who weights 200 lbs. Every body works differently. You cannot hold them all to the same standards.0 -
Good point!Just to toss something into the mix, we have a huge STRESS acceptance level in America - even though it's proven in countless studies to significantly increase the risk of a variety of costly chronic diseases. I never quite could understand people who would like to "tax" the overweight without also wanting to tax the overstressed.0 -
Interesting topic. I think it's safe to say that it's human nature to make snap judgments on appearance. That said, it's not often fair.
To have self-confidence, to love yourself, to feel comfortable in your own skin - that's a wonderful thing. But is it worth glorifying the end result of potentially bad habits (as in an overweight person who became overweight through overindulgence) at the price of sending yourself to an early grave? I don't think so.
In a sense, it seems these issues should be separated. Teach self-confidence? Yes. Pave the path for declining physical (and possibly mental) health by saying "Hey! It's okay if you become morbidly obese because you eat Taco Bell, McDonald's, Pizza Hut for every meal! We'll all still love you!" Absolutely not.
The push for the acceptance of more natural figures in modeling, advertising, in the sizing of clothing, etc. is great (although if the weight trends in our country continue on their current trend, those sizes will keep going up and up and up). That said, paint a picture of this in your mind: A figure walking toward you - arms sagging, flabby and extended gut, legs so wide the individual is waddling. It's not a mean narrative - it's becoming a common sight everywhere. THAT is not natural. That is most likely the result of years of not caring for oneself, and that should never, ever be praised.
Some people don't want to change, don't see a reason to change, love every ounce of who they are, and I respect that. But it doesn't mean I accept it as what is or should become the norm.0 -
We need to stop focusing so much on "accepting" obesity and focus more on improving the health of the nation.
Then instead of promoting an ideal weight, we need to be promoting a healthy life style.
They go hand in hand. You can't be 200 lbs overweight with a body fat percentage over 50% expect to be leading a healthy lifestyle. Doesn't work like that. You don't get that big without overeating and spending years of your life not being active.
And, yet, there are plenty of people who are 150 and can be lapped by a 200 lb person. There are people who weigh 130 lbs who eat way worse than someone who weights 200 lbs. Every body works differently. You cannot hold them all to the same standards.
You did not read what I wrote, so I'll say it again:
You cannot be 200lbs OVERWEIGHT with a bf% over 50% and expect to be leading a healthy lifestyle. Does not work that way at all. I said nothing about people who are at a healthy weight and not living a healthy lifestyle. Yes, there are inactive people who are at a healthy weight range who eat junk, but statistically, they are not nearly as unhealthy or at nearly the same risk as someone who is obese and leading a similar sedentary lifestyle.
You can delude yourself into thinking that you're somehow special and that we're all different, but the truth is the science says completely otherwise. Being obese puts you at significantly higher risk of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Plaque buildup in the arteries begins in CHILDHOOD, and children and teens who are overweight or obese already have the beginnings of heart disease by the time they are 18 years old. What do you think being obese for 20 or 30 years of your life is doing to your body?
Sorry to break it to you, but the human body is something that can be studied, and conclusions can be drawn from those studies that are relevant to you, the individual. You are a human being just like the people those studies investigated. No different.
Being obese is a severe health risk, period. Doesn't matter if you can run laps around a sedentary 140 lb person.0 -
Ahem.
http://kateharding.net/faq/but-dont-you-realize-fat-is-unhealthy/
"8. Even fat people who are unhealthy still deserve dignity and respect. Still human beings. See how that works?
9. In any case, shaming teh fatties for being “unhealthy” doesn’t ****ing help. If shame made people thin, there wouldn’t be a fat person in this country, trust me. I wish I could remember who said this, ’cause it’s one of my favorite quotes of all time: “You cannot hate people for their own good.”"0 -
I am wholly against intolerance and discrimination, but I do not think society should be burdened with making adjustments to make things bigger for the increasingly obese population. People come in all shapes and sizes, and all of us who aren't the "average" size, which is to say most people have to make their own uncomfortable accommodations at times. I'm short, and this world was not created for short people- I assume v. tall people feel the same way- do I demand special seating sections at movie theaters and concerts so I don't get stuck behind a tall person? No.
Also, I was given some interesting reading material by another MFP member regarding the health consequences of obesity, and I really took time to consider the arguments being made. They were making the point that obesity is not a health problem and it is a discrimination issue to view weight as a health crisis. I see the point that they were trying to make- that being overweight is BY ITSELF not a health issue- BUT after reading about it I have to say I wholeheartedly disagree. Obesity is a MAJOR risk factor in a ton of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, cancer- and the list goes on and on and on. It is enough of a risk factor that it can be considered a health issue. Smoking is BY ITSELF not a health issue either- but its a very well documented risk factor for lung cancer, emphysema etc.
I think having a healthy body image at any size is very healthy emotionally, and as a society we should be supportive of all different kinds of body types and ideals, but saying being overfat is healthy is a step too far.0 -
Also on this note, accommodations will always be made whether skinny or over weight for trivial things. Best to just get over it and let it not affect you. Would you REALLY complain about having larger airline seats? I fly a lot and I would definitely not mind that at all!
Yes! Less people on the plane = higher fairs.
I wouldn't mind paying a slightly higher fare to not be treated like a human sardine. But hey, that's just me.
Me either. I'm just using that as an example.... there are many, many more. The point is there would be laws in place to force these things on society, which is okay and fine by me..... but I would be scared that people would become complacent and not feel it necessary to change.
And I don't care if someone is overweight or not..... this is just a political stand point.
My concern is that I just wonder how far these accommodations are going to go (bigger rollercoaster seats, more heavy duty elevators, more escalators, more moving walkways like in the airport, etc.) and how much they will end up costing us tax payers to do it all. And like KBGirts said, I also wonder how many people who may have been considering losing weight will no longer follow through with their plan because of all these new and shiny accommodations that will be made for them. It’s tough for me because on one hand, the b**ch in me would say that accommodations do not need to be made for people who chose to be a certain way, but I know that is an ignorant comment to make because I KNOW that not everyone who is overweight chose to be overweight and would probably give anything in the world to be even a few pounds lighter.
IDK, it’s an interesting topic and I’m curious to see what others have to say.0 -
Ahem.
http://kateharding.net/faq/but-dont-you-realize-fat-is-unhealthy/
"8. Even fat people who are unhealthy still deserve dignity and respect. Still human beings. See how that works?
9. In any case, shaming teh fatties for being “unhealthy” doesn’t ****ing help. If shame made people thin, there wouldn’t be a fat person in this country, trust me. I wish I could remember who said this, ’cause it’s one of my favorite quotes of all time: “You cannot hate people for their own good.”"
Please go back and read my original post.
I NEVER suggested that people should be shamed at all, in fact said the exact opposite. Stop putting words in my mouth.0
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