Fatphobia

[GutsyShark]

My Instagram algorithm keeps showing me “plus sized travel” etc clips saying things like it’s not my body that’s wrong it’s the airlines whose seats are too small, claiming this is an example of fatphobia.

Mostly Americans so we are talking about people who are severely obese, not just slightly heavier than they should be (like me!).

Im not looking to judge, I get that this a complex issue but AIBU to think this is such a dangerous mentality?

It’s the same as Iif there was a pro smoking or pro sunbathing without suncream movement is it not?

You will be delighted to know op that some media outlets are declaring the 'body positive' movement over. There has apparently been a swing back to extremely thin models on catwalks.

We can all look forward to getting back to the good old nineties and embracing heroin chic. At least this time we can all attain that beauty standard thanks to weight loss injections! Last time round my sister ended up with anorexia and I passed out a couple of times with hunger.

What angers me is seeing people shaming horse riding stables for not letting them ride horses they are far too heavy for.

I’m actually in favour of weight loss injections, I think they could be what saves the NHS. I look at them purely in economic terms - if it’s cheaper to give weight loss injections than treat the consequences of obesity later on then why would we not use them? We don’t complain about having to give diabetics regular injections of insulin.

I’m sorry to hear about your sister, I hope she got the help she needs.

You're very naive if you think there's not a knowledge gap!! Of course there is, many many of the service users I work with have no idea about health and nutrition. This doesn't just go for obese people either.

That does annoy me too. Because yes, some heavier people can ride but it's all about the horse and its size/conformation. They set their weight limits based on the horses they have. If you weigh 16 stone and their biggest horse is a 15.2 dainty TB, sorry but you aren't riding.

That does annoy me too. Because yes, some heavier people can ride but it's all about the horse and its size/conformation. They set their weight limits based on the horses they have.

Yes and most heavier people that ride, ride well, which is always going to be easier on a horse than a beginner/someone that doesn't ride well.

I’m certainly not naive thanks. It’s the fact that this statement was applied (yes OP has now backtracked and said that applies to people of all shapes and sizes) to overweight people. You’re actually very naive if you honestly think anyone wants to be overweight. Do you honestly think people don’t know that if they eat bloody broccoli and chicken etc or whatever that they’ll lose weight? Do you honestly think that people are overweight because they don’t know they could eat salad? Because that… is naive. I guess they’re just lazy as well as stupid.

BP doesn't make healthy weight people decide to eat their way to obesity. It hasn't made being extrememely overweight aspirational or even acceptable, and most obese people would chose not to be if they could. At worst it's dismissed as bravado, and largely ridiculed or ignored in the main stream. At best it makes people struggling with their weight feel a little less rubbish about themselves, so the good probably overrides the (imagined) harm. And anyone who for any reason is drawing attention to the poor conditions we are all forced to endure in aircraft seats too cramped for health and comfort gets a round of applause from me.

I actually don’t like seeing anyone riding a horse. The horses have to be broken in and made to endure it. It’s not something they’d want for themselves. Hence the reason they throw people who insist on sitting on them off at the first opportunity until they’re ’broken’ in. Says it all really.

So many fat bashing threads lately
Are you all feeling shit after overeating at Christmas or something,so starting a thread for everyone to pile on makes you feel better.
We've had the would you employ an obese nanny thread
A obese husband thread who's wife doesn't fancy him
Constant weight loss injections threads where it's cheating
It's constant
I think all the thin people jumping on board to remind us how unhealthy, unlovable, unwanted ect we are ,are feeling threatened by the weight loss jabs ,
I suppose when you have had thin privilege your whole life ,and that's given you a sense of superiority,your bound to feel like the rugs been pulled from under you .when suddenly all these awful fatties are getting thinner .it totally must be traumatic for you all ,and I totally sympathise....

Joking aside
As I was being flippant

It's actually really hard trying to get help for weight loss on NHS
The tier system takes years to work through,with no help offered untill surgery,which the waiting list is 5 years in my area.
Doctors are dismissive,and literally say eat less ,move more
It is an addiction,like drugs ,like smoking.but with drugs and smoking you can stop doing it ..you can't stop eating,you have to try to manage it yourself in moderation.
Plus it's obvious you have a problem with food , everyone can see your problem and judge you for it ,before they even get to know you
The stigma around being fat is immense
And I think these plus size influencers are fighting back ,tired of being judged and looked down on living in a larger body.
No one is better than anyone else , we are all born and we all die .

You're incredibly rude and defensive so I'm assuming you're overweight? Some people absolutely do not know about calories, nutrients, eating in a calorie deficit, how to go about cooking from scratch. Just because you do and chose not to does not mean others do. And also some people are just hacky lazy about food and nutrition actually.

I must admit that I am tired of these incessant 'this is crippling the NHS' comments all over the internet, usually made by people who are NOT the one needing help.

However, what will actually fix the NHS is an overhaul of management, appropriate investment and funding, and a cessation of selling most of it off to foreign entities. Bringing dentistry and other types of care back under it's wing will save a lot of future costs.
To add to this - providing better mental health services now will save costs in the future and help the job market, relieving the benefits system too.
Also being more proactive about sending people for physio to avoid falls and illness in later middle age.
There are many areas where the NHS ought to be far more pro active, not just regarding bodyweight. More focus on how to lower stress would be a start as it tends to lead to MOST modern issues.

Coming form a horsey family, I have to admit that no one was obese or even fat, but nobody was model skinny either.

Obviously the whole starving yourself, anorexia promoting movement wasn't health either.
There is a balanced middle. Why do people have to swing from extremes? Just because you don't promote one end of the spectrum doesn't mean you are pushing people to the other either.

Yep, until it collapses and we have a privatised healthcare system.

All thanks to big food corps and a system that won't protect its citizens for fear of being labelled a Nanny State by the press.

The weekly aren’t fat people stupid/ lazy/ only have themselves to blame thread.
And it’s only Monday morning.
Well done on keeping up the quota OP.

I would like see more regulation and airline seats having a reasonable minimum size and leg room- not necessarily to accommodate plus size passengers, but not so small that people over 5'7" are really uncomfortable.

It's not just about comfort, there must be a safety issue with packing more people in.

You’re assuming I’m overweight? Oh. My. God.

Anyone thinking the NHS is crumbling because of obesity and NOT due to managed decline is living in a dream world.

Their message isn't reaching the demographic that are becoming obese, nor those with obese children. some interference from government is necessary regarding UPF's. Like the way we went about exposing tobacco.

I agree, people are increasingly normalising obesity.

Good job on pretending the thread doesn’t exist. You don’t sound particularly sane to be fair.

You’re calling my mental health into question, is that correct?

You're actually giving the opposite view to the person you've quoted. They are saying that people shouldn't expect to ride horses they are too heavy for because stables set their weight limits based on the horses they have.

How could you possibly know that most heavier people ride well? It's a ridiculous thing to suggest you could know. No one who weighs too much for a horse should be riding it no matter how good they are at riding.

Agree with this.

I think the anti fat shaming is in large part a backlash against the 'women must be stick thin' movement.

I think it's a complex issue. I don't see the positives in body shaming people or bullying them. Liking yourself is important, no matter your size.

Being overweight is unhealthy and I've yet to meet an overweight person who doesn't think so. Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure etc are testament to this.

However, overweight people are human beings and have a place in society. There are many reasons why someone may be overweight such as trauma, mental health problems, poverty and illness.

It's also disturbing that we are seeing a huge increase in people admitted to hospital with vitamin deficiencies. Poor people tend to have bad diets, overweight and have lower life expectancies.

Ok dear, going to leave this conversation here. Go have a cup of tea and calm yourself down.