To think Prejudice against fat people is NOT as bad as racism.

[goodnessgracious]

To think the article in the Times today claiming that prejudice against fat people is as bad as racism and that it is one of the last socially acceptable forms of prejudice is ridiculous.

Firstly, obesity is normally caused by an addiction and has health implications for the obese person and further implications on society as whole. How can this be compared to racism in any way?

Also, it is not the last socially acceptable form of prejudice because I believe society is just as (if not more) prejudiced against smokers, alcoholics and gamblers and all people with addictions which have costs toward society.

AIBU to think that although it is not right to be prejudice against obese people it is ridiculous to compare it to racism.

Copied article extract below...

"Prejudice against fat people as bad as racism, say scientists "Dr Jackson said that prejudice against overweight people pervaded society and needed to be challenged. “People think it’s one of the last socially acceptable forms of prejudice. You just have to look at the comments section on media reports on obesity to see that obese people are subjected to labelling and even abuse and attack.”

"Getting your weight down to 9 stone can help any woman get a job"

Dont be so bloody daft Greengrow Women are not all the same. You have your own twisted version of feminism.

Alsoflamingo

"The percentage of overweight people who genuinely can't help it (because of genetic issues or whatever) is tiny."

how do you know this?

Well - this is what the NHS website has to say about it:

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Causes.aspx

They are quite dismissive about the idea that people can't lose weight 'because of my genes'. They do mention one particular rare genetic condition that can make it more likely that someone can become obese, but make it clear that in the vast majority of cases obesity is caused by lifestyle factors. If you have a problem with that - maybe take it up with the NHS and query their data.

Really I think it is absurd that we are even having this debate. Eating too much and eating rubbish food will make you fat. End of. It is beyond obvious.

And think about it - a generation ago there weren't nearly as many overweight people. The genetic make up of the population hasn't changed over that period - their lifestyles and what they eat has.

That rare genetic disease they mention (PWS) apparently affects 1 in 15,000. Just saying.

I have never known anyone fat that didn't overeat. I've seen shed loads of denial and misunderstanding about food but it is a simple equation.

Exactly.

Ive cut my portion sizes and now eat very little.

Weetabix with strawberries and/or blueberries for breakfast.

One or two boiled eggs with soup for lunch.

And veg with chicken or fish (sometimes a small potato for dinner. Its still taken me over a year to lose not quite 3 stone.
In the past two weeks ive had two men ask me out.

Now coupled with Greengrows comments above if all this had happened ten years ago (and similar did happen back then) when i didnt know as much about feminism i would be thinking "Well these blokes obviously like me the way i am unlike Greengrow and probably her feminist friends.

Luckily ive been an MNer long enough to know she is the exception rather than the rule......but 10 years ago .....not so much and i would have thought that that is what feminists were like. So if there ARE any young women just getting interested in feminism reading this comments like that could give them completely the wrong idea and they could end up getting the wrong idea about feminism completely.

For me my relationship with food was screwed up as a child, food was a reward and also a comforter. Food has become inter linked with so much. Cinema equal two hours munching, ten pin bowling equals a burger, shopping involves some sort of milky coffee and a cake, drinking with a kebab or curry. None of these should involve food but habits become hard to break especially if food is used as an emotional crutch as a child combined with self esteem of being overweight.

Thom its a battle that i have won. But it was fucking hard work. And i know im now showing signs of orthorexia. Because i wont touch anything sugary. I can remember exact dates e.g. Last crisps were last New Years Eve. Ive been told this is not normal behaviour.

Steroids are a bitch for making you fat.

No requirement to overeat at all.

Just saying.

(That was to flamingo and angels btw)

I agree with Thomyorke that the way we view food and what is considered 'normal' eating is skewed.

There are often threads on here where people jovially exchange anecdotes of overeating (eg. Lotus spread, creme eggs etc). It's like an actual pastime. If anyone says anything along the lines of it not being a great idea, then they are labelled a killjoy or told to mind their own business.

Which is fine, but then it does make me a bit when on threads such as this one, there seems to be this total absolution of any responsibility for being overweight, with things like 'genetics' being blamed instead.

Our relationship with food is completely messed up and I do think that big companies/advertising etc has its part to play in this. But ultimately, in the vast majority of cases, the decision lies with the individual.

alsoflamingo

By posting the link you have gone from anecdotal made up stuff on the internet to a reported fact with more links.

The fine line to tread, no one should have abuse for any reason but we need to be able to talk about obesity. There are many reasons for adults being overweight but most of these reason do not translate to reception children being obese. A 16 year old should not need gastric bands and we should not be in a position that the future generation will have a shorter life expectancy.

There is loads of research to show the impact on the brain of sugar and how just like alcohol (which is also a sugar) if you have some many want more. The answer which is not easy for most people is to change how you eat for life.

I don't agree with people on this thread saying it is easy at all. I've been saying the opposite. I think it's often addiction, a disease in a sense. If it were easy just to say not to the cakes or the alcohol people would not suffer as they do and indulge even when it's killing them.

However I also stand by my comment that many employers recruit 9 stone women over 18 stone women. You improve your job chances if you lose weight (unless your job is sumo wrestling). That is just a fact. It does not mean I am saying it is easy for the 18 stoners to get down to 9 stone. It isn't.

Ive lost a lot of weight but there is NO WAY i can get down to 9 stone. Nor can many perfectly healthy women.

That post is very likely to be triggering.

Two GPs and a practice nurse told me there is no way i am meant to be as low as that weight.

I think feminists like Greengrow do a lot of harm to the cause. Because if i was reading those posts ten years ago it would have given me completely the wrong idea about feminism and i would have rejected it completely.

We're talking about how hard it is to lose weight which I am explaining. Not feminism. That's a red herring here.

Part of the current weight issues is that people often don't eat very much real food any more and too many sweets and chocolates and processed foods although I am not saying it is easy to give up the things that tend to make people put on weight.

You see, Darkesteyes, your version of "very little" food sounds like a normal, healthy, balanced diet to me. I wouldn't lose weight on that, I wouldn't think.
I think our perceptions of "normal" eating have become very skewed.

Healthy weight for an average height UK woman is 8 - 10 stone. No one disputes that. Some women however are very tall so that's then obviously not the right weight range. If you're 10 - 12 stone you might not look great naked but you probably won't be keeling over immediately. If you're 18 stone you're highly likely in due course to have a load of health issues. However saying all that does not make it any easier for people to lose weight.

I have to agree. I sometimes read what people eat in a day and think there's no way I could eat that much.

We're all very different. For example, I haven't been able to eat breakfast since I left Junior school but I know many people who can't start the day without it.

Horses for main courses and all that.

Sorry, I meant I read what they've written they've cut down to eating and I still couldn't eat that much.

Joss its little compared to the way i was eating many years ago Thats all i meant There are other joys in life other than food which im fully ready to explore right now. I know its a normal healthy diet. But its also not normal to be terrified of even touching a biscuit. Its called orthorexia.

Greengrow your posts are incredibly harmful. There are plenty of women who look great naked at 10/12 stone. I think your problems are escalating because last time you came on one of these threads and said the "optimum" weight for women was 11 stone Now today you have been saying its 9 stone.
Is it going to be 7 stone next time?
And i do look great in the 10/12 stone range The erections of 3 different men were testament to that.

Joss Ive lost 3 stone on it. Im getting lots of male attention and im FUCKING LOVING IT!