To be shocked at the swimwear section on this morning today??

[mosschops30]

John Scott was back because he likes dressing 'curvy' ladeez!

They had people on who are doing some sort of pageant, talking about how they were bullied for their weight issues in school and how this is giving them confidence.

He showed swimsuits that 'take 10lbs of you' swimsuits that 'go up to a size 32' and ways to drape a sarong to show off your 'curves'

AIBU in thinking that theres a difference in being curvy and being clinially obese?????
Yes its fine to not be a size 8, yes its fine to enjoy your food, yes its fine to wear swimwear whatever age or size you are ....... but calling these ladies 'curvy' One of them was clearly clinically obese, and he was celebrating the fact that these women could wear swimwear and embrace their bodies.

Sorry but you can embrace your body as much as you like, but being that weight is not healthy, its just as bad as putting super skinny size 0 models on there are saying how great they look in swimwear

"Why should it not be mentioned people are happy to point out when people are killing themselves through drugs/drink/tobacco but not through weight issues"

There have been programmes on weight issues, including one where some overweight people had chances to meet others who had done nothing about themselves being overweight. I cannot recall the name but do remember an American woman of some 60 stone who needed carers to roll her and give her a wash, as she appeared confined to bed (and had died before the programme went out). Another was a man who had lost one of his legs (don't recall the reason, but it was weight related).

It's one thing to go onto a show where your lifestyle is under the spotlight and another where some women, albeit clinically obese, are being asked to appear to model clothes for a daytime TV show.

In the first case, the health issues, along with your likely early death, will be pointed out, and quite upsetting for a participant, but they are doing it to get a 'reality check' and push themselves to change.

In the second case, if there was a chance those women would be given a nasty, judgemental, description, covering all the wrongs of them being overweight, not only would they be (understandably) upset - they were there to model some clothes - but any agency that put them forward would be angry at the This Morning show, and it would likely be blacklisted by many other agencies.

While I can understand your point (and did not watch the show), and accept that anyone who is overweight needs to be conscious and try to reduce their weight, it's far from the time or place - given the intention of their planned coverage - to be "blunt" about weight.

"curvy" might be too positive for you, but they were considering the feelings of their models, the audience, and viewers, and not someone judging the term as too sympathetic or even glorifying rather than realistic.

(FWIW, I'm overweight and was thinking just today, after a neighbour had been in hospital for a week - "where the hell would I get some pyjamas in case I ever needed to go back into hospital" - though I have lost 2 inches around my waist in the past 3-4 weeks).

'No-one I know thinks it's ok to be big'
Of course its ok.Everybody has a right to be whatever they want to be!

YADNBU.

The difference in attitudes towards the clinically underweight and the clinically overwight are shocking.

The word 'curvy' when aplied to a morbidly obese person is dangerous IMO because it applies what is most definitely positive terminology to an incredibly unhealthy way of living.

Obviously it would have been ridiculous for the guy to have said, ''Now here's some swimsuits for the morbidly obese!'' because they're trying to sell a product, but to encourage people who weigh shocking amounts to ''embrace their curves'' etc is as bad as encouraging an anorexic to not eat because they look ''lovely and slim''.

I honestly believe that we have a responsiblity as a society to ensure that people realise that being ridiculously overweight (or underweight for that matter) is not acceptable or healthy. Avoiding the issue of telling the overweight that they are in fact overweight rather than 'womanly' or 'curvy' just allows it to become normalised, and for people to become arsey that people are being 'fatist'.

I also get really agry at people that don't have the self-discipline to not get their comfort eatng under control and continually use it as an excuse. And I say this as somebody that used to be a size 24 and relied on this excuse frequently-
''Don't say horrible things about me being fat because then it makes me feel worse and I just eat more''. Prety lame justification don't you think? Why not focus on channelling those bad feelings into losing some weight, rather than getting snappy at anybody who dares to point out the obvious- that you're grossly overweight.

Since losing weight (I'm now a size 12) I've come to despise the hostility and defensiveness that so often comes with being overweight.

People are seemingly so reluctant to hear the cold, hard and honest truth but when they're risking their health to such an extent, I think it's what they need.

At my height my weight puts me in the "obese" category, my curves are a little beyond my control. Due to disability I can't exercise (not enough to shift the weight, or even stop it), I struggle enough with the helplessness of my reflection. I need to see that it isn't the end of the world, that it is ok (not ideal - I know this, so do most overweight people, do we really need our noses rubbed in it?!)

I need to know that I shouldn't have to hide inside, and that a swim suit isn't the scariest item of clothing. Especially as swimming is probably the best exercise.

But you know, obviously it's far too gross for larger women to feel sexy.

fat people aren't stupid though - they KNOW they're not healthy. They KNOW it isn't good for them...

I KNOW I run the risk of diabetes and everything else, but why can't I see a larger woman modelling a swimsuit?

I am SICK and TIRED of "plus size" shops having clothes modelled on size 12/14 models. It's for a fat person so have a fat person model it, then I know it will fit and what it will look like!

marygunner, great post.
i have been told by many an overweight person that i cant have an opinion on anyone who is under/overweight, as i've never been either

MayGunner

Particularly the bit about the 'Wah Wah you telling me I'm fat just makes me eat another 14 pies and it's all your fault'.

I also get really agry at people that don't have the self-discipline to not get their comfort eatng under control and continually use it as an excuse. And I say this as somebody that used to be a size 24 and relied on this excuse frequently-
''Don't say horrible things about me being fat because then it makes me feel worse and I just eat more''. Prety lame justification don't you think? Why not focus on channelling those bad feelings into losing some weight, rather than getting snappy at anybody who dares to point out the obvious- that you're grossly overweight.

Do you often think that bulimimcs have no 'self-discipline'? or should they just try a bit harder not to throw up after every meal?

Do you think that Alcaholics and drug addicts to just need to be told to try harder and to stop being lame?

Oh look everyone, all these years people have been training to help addicts of many things overcome thier illness and all this time we just needed someone to tell them to have more willpower.... thank fucking christ for MayGunner

No, but I personally think that an addiction to over-eating is very different to being physically dependant on a Class A drug or alcohol.

I'm sure many would agree.

Maygunner , how long have you been the weight you are now? Is it something like 90% of people who have dieted that regain the weight they lost, and then some?
Just out of interest, did it just take someone telling you that you were obese to make you lose weight? Did you not already know?
There seems to be a certain amount of self-loathing coming through in your post. Do you recognise that in yourself?

I agree there is no physical or cemical addiction as such but over eating usually stems from an insecurity somwhere in the mind and when your head has been programmed for maybe 10 years or more to find comfort in food and over eating then it takes a shed load of will power and support and a lot of time to change it, not someone swanning in and saying 'oh don't be lame, try harder.'

Take me for instance, i am overwiehgt, not massivly, im not morbidly obese but i do comfort eat and overeat this is probably becuase right up until i moved out of home at the age of 14 i NEVER knew where my next meal was coming from because a lot of the time we didnt have food in the house, my natural reaction as an independant person was to grab hold of food like a gift or a treat and eat it all before it was taken away, so 9 years down the line i am a fat adult, i know that and so does anyone looking at me but the urge to turn to food when im feeling emotional is as great as many other addictions at times belive me i know.

There are loads of causes of our national tendency to overweight. Loads and loads of causes.

Better for larger people to feel there is swimwear that might conceal/flatter a bit so they can get out and exercise and maybe become more healthy.

There are so many larger people now that we have to cater for their needs and be sensitive to how they are described.

i.e not as the Daily Mail does it... "Look so and so is Fat!"
"Look this woman Looks Old!"
"Look t his woman went out without her slap on, ugh"
"Look this woman is too unhealthily skinny - yuck! Look at her scrawny neck, ewwwwww"
"This woman is sexy, mmmmmmm, look at her lovely slim tummy in a cozzie mmmmm I'm a perveted old misogynistic copy editor, they let me do all these headlines and pick the stories. Ooo look at La Katona what a woof woof!"

i'm sorry,but to me, becoming furiously angry at others who eat too much is excessive and seems a bit like having 'ishoos' to me.

and coraltoes, i don't think overeating causes your hypothalamus to malfunction, it's much more likely she overate due to a medical problem,not so much fun to be understanding as to judge though,is it?

am not obese,incidentally, just sick of the vitriol against those that are,strangely often from those who have been themselves,whom you'd expect to be a little understanding.

I have the same question as Nowherewoman, Maygunner. I think it ie really great that you managed to loose that much weight, I admire you for that but the fact that you did one day have the "clic" that gave you the strength to go that way, well me and other women have not had it yet and I think you should be the very last person to judge me/us.

"No, but I personally think that an addiction to over-eating is very different to being physically dependant on a Class A drug or alcohol.

I'm sure many would agree."

Well I do agree it is different but not for the same reason. You can isolate a drug adict/alcoholic/smoker from the source of his/her addiction but cannot do the same to someone who over eats IYSWIM.

I was never an alcoholic but use to drink on a night out, sometimes too much. I used to smoke as well and found that totally giving up on both was a walk in the park. Now, I know a lot of people who have tried to stop both and found it very hard and gave up. The fact that I could do it does not mean I can take the moral highground, it just means it is achievable. Now, when it is going to be achievable for them is up to them, not me.

"Now, I know a lot of people who have tried to stop both and found it very hard and gave up." They gave up giving up of course or it would make no sense!

i was watching with dh and even he said it was degrading to put those women on tv in swimwear, and he comes from a very large family.

i know these ladies were happy to be doing it and it was a good example of larger lady clothing but why oh why do it????

Because some people are overweight and they are still alive and need the same normal life as anyone else. Why is it more dgrading for a fat woman to show a bit of flesh than it is for a slim one?

Haven't read the whole thread here but wasn't the piece yesterday introduced on the back of a recent beauty pageant that was for women over a size 18?

I got the impression the models were all people who had been in that beauty pageant and it was about showing that women that are larger can still be beautiful.

Not all models have to be a size 6.

As a larger lady myself, you can call me "cuddly", "curvy" "fat" or "morbidly obese" I found it quite refreshing.

Mosschops - what was your motivation in starting this thread? To make us obese people feel worse about ourselves? To have other people who don't understand pat you on the back and say 'Yes MC, they should all be called obese and be berated on a breakfast show about swimwear?'.

It is on the TV daily, it is in the newspapers daily. People are described as fat or obese in the way that if you substitued that for black/muslim/indian would be classed as racisit - but because it's 'fattist' that's OK - they don't count.

MC - FFS you smoke - that affects others, my weight does not. It astounds me that you feel in a position to take the high road?

Did you know people that are not obese on the outside can be carrying more than enough fat on the inside to do the same level of damage to their hearts etc?

Do you really think it makes obese people think 'Oh MC is right, I will do for her what I can't do for myself or my family?'

Do you not think we are painfully aware, every minute of every fucking day that society is judging us and finding us lacking?

Maygunner, bunnylebowski - unbelievable, words fail me.

I'm not even going into the background of why & how I got where I am, but I hope it makes all of you judging feel superior.

Titsalina :(

Fanjo (and others) Thank you - your support means a lot to me x

"The fact that I could do it does not mean I can take the moral highground, it just means it is achievable. Now, when it is going to be achievable for them is up to them, not me."

Well put, gorionine - I think some of the comments here are from the "Snap out of it" camp, to someone who doesn't need chastisement but understanding.

I suppose there are "evangelists" who (like a sister of mine who gave up smoking and then became the harshest critic of smokers) seem to assume "If I've done it, then anyone should be capable" and it's clear that we're all somewhat different in eating habits, exercise options (or none) and so on, so there isn't just "one solution".

Far easier to judge than show any sympathy, even if sympathy is perhaps the wrong description, when one wants to motivate without being extraordinarily nasty!

Yes, plain and simple "nasty" is how I'd describe many comments. Living up to some of the worst criticisms of MN in the press, perhaps.

Tegan - FFS - because obese people need swimsuits too and for us it is good to see them on people with similar figures because it's going to give you a much better idea of what you are buying than seeing it on a size 6?

I am disgusted at your husband attitude - I bet he wouldn't have the guts to say that to his family.

Given the extra comments between reading Gorionine's post and now, I should say "some" not "most" were nasty!