Body shaming, and "My Big Fat Fabulous Life"

[CapnAwesome]

My roommate has seen the show, and he says it is not about her losing weight at all.

This.  It is not about her losing weight, it is about her accepting her medical condition making it hard for her to lose weight even when she tries (and she does try).  
These are not the same thing, they are the opposite thing.

I need to put a disclaimer that I have not seen this show and only  know about it from this thread but, isn't it a little dishonest to have someone with a rare medical condition as the center piece of the show? Most seriously overweight people do not have a medical condition that prevents them from losing weight. Sure for her it's legitimate that she has to accept her body and do her best because she genuinely has little control over it. This is NOT the case with the vast majority of the morbidly obese, who have normal metabolisms and no medical conditions. Metabolic differences are largely a myth anyway.

http://examine.com/faq/does-metabolism-v...wo-people/

[Athene]

but people are judged with outright cruelty for being overweight.

Obesity is unhealthy.  Having gained childbirth weight is hardly a proper comparison.

True. Lots of shit people do to and with their bodies is unhealthy. I don't think people view these other things with the same level of vitriol as obesity. Personal disgust seems to be at play, masquerading as concern.

[CapnAwesome]

Obesity is unhealthy.  Having gained childbirth weight is hardly a proper comparison.

True. Lots of shit people do to and with their bodies is unhealthy. I don't think people view these other things with the same level of vitriol as obesity. Personal disgust seems to be at play, masquerading as concern.

Personally, I think people are more openly and publicly vitriolic towards smokers than the obese.

[Aroura]

Obesity is unhealthy.  Having gained childbirth weight is hardly a proper comparison.

True. Lots of shit people do to and with their bodies is unhealthy. I don't think people view these other things with the same level of vitriol as obesity. Personal disgust seems to be at play, masquerading as concern.

I guess you did not see my rant in the smoking thread?  lol.


So, I guess no one is allowed to discuss it, or else we are body shaming. That is the level it has gotten to, and that IS a problem.  If a doctor bringing up your weight is now considered body shaming, then there isn't anything anyone can say, I guess, without being accuse of operating out of personal disgust, rather than concern.

Should I not care that my 34 year old friend had a heart attack?   If she'd had it due to smoking, AND there was a TV show glorifying smoking, you'd better bet your ass I'd have the exact same discussion, here.

This has gotten to be a lose/lose situation for everyone.  : You can't even bring it up without being accused of body shaming.  That's kind of my point.

[KUSA]

All joking aside, I love a big fat ass on a woman. And big fat tits that flop to the side when she lays on her back. Skinny girls are ok if they are cute but nothing beats a big fat ass.

[Pyrrho]

True. Lots of shit people do to and with their bodies is unhealthy. I don't think people view these other things with the same level of vitriol as obesity. Personal disgust seems to be at play, masquerading as concern.

Personally, I think people are more openly and publicly vitriolic towards smokers than the obese.

Fat people don't usually have their fat waft over into other people's faces.  And most smokers throw their butts on the ground.  Smokers very often ask for it.  Not all, of course.  I have met a few (very few) smokers who are considerate of others.

[Silver]

There is also a difference between a skinny woman having a fat ass and being obese. Seriously.

[CapnAwesome]

Personally, I think people are more openly and publicly vitriolic towards smokers than the obese.

Fat people don't usually have their fat waft over into other people's faces.  And most smokers throw their butts on the ground.  Smokers very often ask for it.  Not all, of course.  I have met a few (very few) smokers who are considerate of others.

I think this is an example of what I'm saying. What you are saying isn't really that bad but lets rework that into something about fat people, say:

"Fat people throw their candy wrappers all over the place, they are asking to be made fun of, very few are considerate of others"

That would be considered horrific fat shaming. It's definitely a double standard.

[BrokenQuill92]

but people are judged with outright cruelty for being overweight.

Obesity is unhealthy. Having gained childbirth weight is hardly a proper comparison.

That's totally untrue. People call women fat after giving birth all the time. Never mind that it's perfectly acceptable to gain 30 or so pounds during pregnancy.

[brewer]

My roommate has seen the show, and he says it is not about her losing weight at all.

It's a retread. Glamorizing and rewarding, should not be endorsed.

Counterpoint. For some people food is like a drug. The act of eating and/or getting that full/over full/distended feeling gets the dopamine flowing. Unlike a drug, you can't quit eating all together. Well, you can but then you have other issues. Another point, if it's not directly effecting my life I not sure it's something worth getting worked up about. If it's their choice to be obese and accept all of the associated negative consequences (health/society/expense/.......) and I'm not directly effected then I'm OK with it all.