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Anthea Turner - fat shaming and disablist (covid)

305 replies

FTMF30 · 12/02/2021 19:56

So Anthea Turner has felt the wrath of pretty much everyone for her recent Tweet. Very silly of her, being someone in the public eye.

I felt she was trying to make a valid point but failed terribly with that offensive cartoon. And what did she mean with the caption "Go for it"?
www.google.com/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/anthea-turner-twitter-fat-shaming-covid-face-mask-b919526.html%3famp

OP posts:
JustAnotherPoster00 · 13/02/2021 01:40

MNs upper middle class bias showing again, some of the comments on here are disgusting

There is a huge link between poverty and obesity, with the Tories having been in power since 2010 they have had ample time to address this

People who are hungry make poor choices

People who have very little money make poor food choices

People with very little agency due to poverty end up depressed and for the most part end up on antidepressants. antidepressants cause weight gain.

The prescribing of anti depressants has increased, levels of insecure work have increased, parasitic landlords with extortionate rents have increased, levels of obesity have increased, Hmm they cant be linked can they? Nah lets blame the fat and disabled that'll fix it, shame is a good motivator right?

wowier · 13/02/2021 02:18

Has anyone "genuinely tried to protect the NHS by looking after their bodies"?

Where do you draw the line with this?
speeding & in a crash = not looking after your body.
staying in the sun all day = not looking after your body.
using drugs/alcohol/smoking = not looking after your body.
not wearing a helmet &/or partaking in high risk sports = not looking after your body.
working too hard/too much stress= not looking after your body.

FTMF30 · 13/02/2021 08:20

@wowier

Has anyone "genuinely tried to protect the NHS by looking after their bodies"?

Where do you draw the line with this?
speeding & in a crash = not looking after your body.
staying in the sun all day = not looking after your body.
using drugs/alcohol/smoking = not looking after your body.
not wearing a helmet &/or partaking in high risk sports = not looking after your body.
working too hard/too much stress= not looking after your body.

The point that PP was making was in response to Anthea's comment about it being sad that there are plenty of people who try to protect the NHS by looking after their bodies (staying slim from Anthea's POV). But actually, it's unlikely people keep slim in the name of protecting the NHS, they do it for other reasons.
OP posts:
wowier · 13/02/2021 08:23

I know that, I just don't believe that's the way most people think.

hamstersarse · 13/02/2021 08:28

It is peculiar that obesity seems to be a disease that people can’t take responsibility for. Even on this thread, lots of “you can’t change it overnight”, “it’s emotional problems” etc

That may be true but they are not insurmountable. At some point, even though you can’t change it overnight, you have to wake up one day and decide you want to change. And that may involve dealing head on with whatever emotional trauma has lead you to use food as your protector.

guinnessguzzler · 13/02/2021 08:29

Interestingly, I believe it was noticing the difficulties some people had in losing weight and maintaining weight loss and the similarities in their histories that in part led to the original work around Adverse Childhood Experiences decades ago.

Littlepaws18 · 13/02/2021 08:31

Her point isn't valid. I hate the culture we have created where the size of your waistline determines the measure of your worth. Why do we constantly put these skinny idiots as our celebrities? Surely we should be celebrating intelligence and kindness and spirit not people who haven't eaten a decent meal in a decade!

Littlepaws18 · 13/02/2021 08:32

And you lot seem as shallow as her!!!!

MrsKJones · 13/02/2021 08:33

@HideTanner

Which twat opened the portal to 1997 and released Anthea bloody Turner back into our lives?
to b fair they were simpler times and the word corona only related to a type of beer
hamstersarse · 13/02/2021 08:34

@Littlepaws18

I’m not sure Covid gives any shits about kindness, it likes bodies that aren’t metabolically healthy, and the size of the waistline is a good indicator of that

FTMF30 · 13/02/2021 08:39

@wowier

I know that, I just don't believe that's the way most people think.
Well exactly. That particular point she was trying to make was a very silly one. Nobody thinks like that.
OP posts:
CoronaIsWatching · 13/02/2021 08:41

She's extremely unlikable

Littlepaws18 · 13/02/2021 08:46

Covid might not but fat shaming is not justified because of Covid. There's this underlying suggestion in her post that blame should be appointed to fatter people because they are vulnerable to Covid. It's totally and utterly wrong.

Hubblebubble75 · 13/02/2021 08:53

@SandysMam

I agree to an extent and I am someone who is over weight. Covid has terrified some obese people but yet they are not equally as afraid of heart disease and diabetes because they are “slow” growers. But I also know it is not as simple as lose weight and it is certainly far more complex than being greedy and selfish. I think coming from super perky Anthea it is very patronising though, not sure she shares the same issues as someone who can’t afford healthy food, has no time to exercise due to working two low paid jobs, or who emotionally eats following childhood neglect.
I was very overweight - I can’t agree it was down to not being able to afford healthy food or my childhood ( which was not rosy) I just loved bad tasty food. I actually find healthy food cheaper , if you buy from the right shops. I think these reasons are a bit of an excuse and ones I used to use myself
CherryRoulade · 13/02/2021 08:54

[quote hamstersarse]@Littlepaws18

I’m not sure Covid gives any shits about kindness, it likes bodies that aren’t metabolically healthy, and the size of the waistline is a good indicator of that[/quote]
This is true....but behind that is a growing culture of blame. That’s the unreasonable bit.

A person with Down Syndrome is more likely to be overweight and die from Coronavirus.
A person on high dose steroids is more likely to be overweight and die from Coronavirus (although it’s possible that the steroids themselves may offer a degree of protection).
A person living in poverty is more likely to be overweight and die from Coronavirus.
Black men are about 10% more likely to be overweight, so probably cultural influences, but possibly genetic influences.
Someone waiting a long time for a hip replacement is more likely to be overweight.

A thousand reasons why people are overweight and at increased risk. Vilifying them and sewing their mouths up probably isn’t the answer.
Funding for health education. Funding for high quality school meals with lots of fresh vegetables that are a requirement not an option, lengthening school day to increase sport and exercise provision, increasing benefits levels, high tax levies and restrictions on junk food sales might be more effective than being nasty.

If you are overweight, it’s not an overnight or simple option to lose weight. People contracting the virus can’t magically lose weight to stop themselves becoming ill from it.

Perhaps if we all paid increased taxes to fund free supervised gym membership on prescription, built community healthcare resources like playgrounds with lots of equipment, opened up lidos to all again, increased benefits levels, offered better provision for mental health problems- group sessions, exercise groups, chat cafes and social functions, and restricted parking near schools we’d see a healthier society.

Misericordia · 13/02/2021 08:55

We're 4th in the world for covid deaths but only 36th for obesity levels. New Zealand, Australia have higher obesity than us and they've done well. We aren't the fattest in Europe either to the charmer who said we're the fat man of Europe. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_obesity_rate

SimonJT · 13/02/2021 08:57

@Heartofglass12345

Fuck me I can't believe some of the comments on here. I would love for some of you to say to anorexic people, you've had a year to put on weight, just eat for gods sake!! I am obese, I emotionally eat and I know that, it's fucking hard and I hate myself. I don't need people like you lot telling me I'm the reason the NHS is struggling. Tell the people who don't think covid is real, who keep breaking the rules and spreading it!
To be fair on here they would be applauding someone who is underweight, after all on MN eating half a tin of soup makes you greedy.
Misericordia · 13/02/2021 09:01

Belgium has a higher Covid death rate than us and they are 81st in the world for obesity levels. It simply doesn't work to try and put it all at the door of obesity

gottakeeponmovin · 13/02/2021 09:01

@KilljoysDutch first mention? It's been a year of mentions

FTMF30 · 13/02/2021 09:02

@wowier

The communications campaigns from the government has been all about staying in, keeping apart and wearing masks. Very little about keeping fit and adopting/maintaining a healthy diet. The only hint of this was "allowing" us out for 1hr a day to excercise. It is amost like they are ushering us into poor physical and mental health.

I agree we need more education but obesity rates tend to be high in economically poorer areas so I'm not sure a pamphlet on eating better will do the trick.

Communications campaigns aren't just limited to pamphlets through the door though are they?

If that were the case, you wouldn't see people people getting so incensed with anger about those who don't wear masks or social distance. But many do because we, as a nation, have received the message of social distancing and mask wearing a million times over via TV adverts, political announcements, billboards, posters, podcasts, interviews, celebrity endorsements, etc.

There hasn't been even 1/10 much a push on encouraging people to attempt to remain active and maintain/adopt a healthy diet (for both body and mind).

OP posts:
Misericordia · 13/02/2021 09:08

France has got double the number of hospital beds and three times the number of critical care beds. Probably explains why they've done better than us but easier to blame fat people

ThenCatoJumpedOut · 13/02/2021 09:10

Oh, I thought the cartoon had a different point: we ruin our own health wilfully (hence the fast food bag) yet are very sensitive about others not looking after US. So it’s very me me me. Also blaming potential illness on others and taking no personal responsibility for our own health. I thought that was the point of the cartoon (and Anthea)

Alcides · 13/02/2021 09:13

It is very revealing that the over riding assumption is that people who aren’t active and exercising are lazy. Many people living with disability have mobility issues. And everything that would help - pools, gyms, physiotherapists- aren’t available in lockdown.

wowier · 13/02/2021 09:15

A person with Down Syndrome is more likely to be overweight and die from Coronavirus.
A person on high dose steroids is more likely to be overweight and die from Coronavirus (although it’s possible that the steroids themselves may offer a degree of protection).
A person living in poverty is more likely to be overweight and die from Coronavirus.
Black men are about 10% more likely to be overweight, so probably cultural influences, but possibly genetic influences.
Someone waiting a long time for a hip replacement is more likely to be overweight.

Exactly

gottakeeponmovin · 13/02/2021 09:16

@ThenCatoJumpedOut that's exactly how I read it too. And completely understand some people have medical issues but about 50 percent of everyone I know over 50 is overweight. Not from medical issues but from lack of exercise and enjoying their food - that is the norm. Yes there are people who have to take steroids and it makes them out in weight but those are a small percentage of the population who are obese