Why does society hate fat people

[welshcakes4]

For most of my 20s, I struggled with being overweight, mainly because of my unhealthy eating habits and not exercising enough. I definitely turned to food for comfort, especially when I was feeling down. I’ve never really been a drinker, smoker or taken drugs, so food was my go to. I’m 32 now and I’ve completely changed my life around. I’ve adopted a much healthier lifestyle and lost 4 stone, which has made me feel so much happier. Since I’ve slimmed down, I’ve noticed a big difference in how people treat me, especially men, but women too. Their attitudes have shifted, and they seem a lot friendlier now. I know this is a bigger issue, just look online and you’ll see all the nasty comments and jokes about overweight people. I came across one earlier, and it was surprisingly the women who were being vile.

It’s fine to disagree with someone’s choices. I guess the same could be said for alcoholics, drug addicts, etc, but why all the hate and vitriol? Why are we treated like second class citizens? We’re not bad people, we just have our struggles with food. We haven’t killed or harmed anyone. It’s so strange to me that people can get so worked up and angry over someone being overweight. I’ve genuinely never understood this.

I don’t think it’s anything to do with perceived attractiveness or confidence etc.

From experience,

I think it’s because overweight people are perceived as a burden. I’ve worked quite a few jobs that have involved running teams and team activities and 90% of the time there are eye rolls, sighs, or despondent looks from at least one person when teamed with somebody overweight, even when they try to hide it, because the immediate assumption is that the overweight person is going to be less able and contribute less because they are perceived as being lazy,undisciplined and weaker, leaving others to carry their share.

These sorts of opinions spill over into numerous areas…work life, team sports, group activities etc.

Its sounds cruel, and it is, but I think its a bit tribal and ‘survival of the fittest’.

Have you seen the number of nasty comments, from men AND WOMEN, about toned and fit women, saying that muscles make them look like men (as if) and a long list of insults I can't be bothered to repeat.

Haters gonna hate, insecure people will always need to find a target. Normal people just get on with their life.

It's a shame that on the other hand, discussing being overweight or stating that someone is fat is seen as body shaming and hatred. Sometimes it's just factual.

I've had the same experience (name calling from strangers) as someone who is objectively ugly, regardless of my weight - it's my face, there's nothing I can do about it. I agree with you 100% about the confidence argument. In fact, some of my worst memories are of this happening when I did feel confident - having dressed up, put make up on - and was cut down sharply by some bloke who thought he was hilarious shouting insults at me.

Disgust? Disgust?? I've never felt 'disgust' at someone's ill health! I am shocked anyone would even use that word. Sympathy, empathy, care, compassion, sadness. But 'disgust'? Where did you get that from?

@BubblesandTiara it is not all in the heads of fat people. The net effect of the (apparently acceptable) attitude you describe is that fat people face continual disapproval and poorer treatment day in day out. It’s not “hate” in the sense of deliberate behaviour, but the effect is still negative and harmful. And not at all the same as you being ignored when scruffy.

It's especially true in childcare settings, most people simply won't employ overweight nannies

Keep telling yourself that

I tend to agree with this. As a species, we're fairly new. Technology aside (due to brain size), we haven't evolved so much beyond our origins (yet), a lot of our behaviour is testament to this.

You can't force people to find everyone attractive, and following, to be more helpful

It's not even about being acceptable or not, but you react more positively to people you find more attractive, or you relate with

I am not pushing for discrimination at all, but it's human that people give better treatments to someone they're naturally more attracted to. That's life.

Everyone does it.

It's a moral failing. You're unable to control yourself. I'm saying this as a former fatty for many years who has now developed morals, apparently, via Mounjaro!!!!!

I can't even be bothered to read the OP, but by the title alone I just want to say 'are you kidding?' Society has never been more tolerant, accepting and non- judgemental of fat people than it is at present. You only have to look at TV adverts and models for chain store fashions etc now to see how far things have come in terms of acceptance and inclusion of overweight people.

And even if some people are still very critical of obesity, nobody hates anyone for it. It's the obesity itself they don't like, not the obese person. They don't enjoy looking at obesity and they are quite rightly concerned for the health and fitness implications of so many people these days. It doesn't mean they hate everyone walking around in fat bodies.

Because people are judgemental, nasty morons.

I don't see how weight is how we view attractiveness obviously if you're 20 plus stone thats not necessarily attractive but I don't think being skinny is attractive either especially as people age it really ages people and especially women its nice to have a bit of shape nobody wants to look like a ruler.

I think it is historical. Greed and gluttony ( traits people associate with being fat) are 2 of the 7 deadly sins.

Touched a nerve did I @Nevs ?

Since I’ve slimmed down, I’ve noticed a big difference in how people treat me, especially men

Well yes, like I said. Some people don't enjoy looking at obesity and they don't fancy obese people. They may even been completely turned off by it to the point that it's a real ick for them. If men are friendlier to you now it's because they find you attractive, whereas before they probably didn't. That doesn't indicate that they hated you for being fat. Just that they didn't fancy you fat.

No, I don't think it's to do with the cost to the NHS as you get the same attitudes across the western world including countries where health is more privatised.

I don't think so - we don't look at wealthy people that way, and they hoard resources to a far greater (astronomically) extent. We fawn over and admire them .

Being over weight potentially indicates that:

1. a person doesn't care about their health
2. a person doesn't care about their appearance.
3. a person has no self control.
4. a person is greedy.

All those things are personal traits that are less appealing.

I am not overweight as I care about my health, but I do fall under #2 that I don't care massively about my appearance. I am often in trackies with no makeup and hair looks messy. It's amazing how differently people treat me when I put on smart clothes, straighten my hair and wear make up. Which is odd as I feel far more comfortable and confident in trackies!

Not trying to sound halo like here but I've never judged people on appearance, just something I've always felt a natural and ingrained part of me. For more important and relevant has been how people interact, their personality. I have of course been aware of physical features but they they haven't played a part in my opinions of them.

As someone who has been up and down on the scales as well, I think it's how we see ourselves that projects partly on how we're treated. Unfortunately there of course many who will judge and treat differently. Xxx

People do judge those who eat junk food - UPFs are quite a new idea, but the judgement will come for that too.
As for sports injuries, it's difficult to quantify how much those people also save the NHS over the course of their lives.
Plenty of people DO judge driving when unnecessary e.g. able-bodied people who drive short distances they could walk or who bring massive cars into city centres.

Is this a serious question?

This is basically what I was getting at. Why do you have to be attracted to someone to treat them nicely though? There are plenty of men that I don't find attractive, but I’m still not rude or nasty towards them. How can you claim it’s not hate when someone hurls personal insults and calls someone names just because they don’t find them appealing?

If these comments about society having an innate dislike of the overweight, how would celebrities such as Dawn French or (previously!) James Corden be so popular?
I believe perception is down to how the person presents themselves.

I've never heard of people being abused in the street by strangers for eating a mars bar or carrying a football.