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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Fat shaming week on twitter.....apparently.

38 replies

Darkesteyes · 09/10/2013 23:42

And yet people seem to think that its women putting pressure on themselves with regards to looks and weight Hmm

www.buzzfeed.com/alannaokun/some-terrible-people-on-twitter-have-decided-that-its-fat-sh

OP posts:
Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 10:49

I think it's on par with smoking. It's a bit lazy to be vastly overweight in most cases. It's not a coincidence that contestants on dancing competitions lose weight.
However, it's every individual's choice to be fat but I wouldn't expect it to become the norm or be applauded.

scallopsrgreat · 10/10/2013 11:40

Nobody is saying anything about "applauding" being fat yougotbale. They are just expecting not to be shamed and belittled and told they are lazy. It is not a coincidence that most of those comments are directed at fat women. Not men. Plus the criteria for being fat appears to be if your thighs touch Hmm

And being fat is nothing like smoking. Being fat doesn't affect other people's health for a start.

scallopsrgreat · 10/10/2013 11:43

And I'm sorry for using the word fat there - I actually hate it as a word so I don't know why I used it. It is a word that brings up connortations of shaming just by using it.

pinkyredrose · 10/10/2013 11:49

it's every individual's choice to be fat

That is such an ignorant and judgemental comment.

BuffytheAppleBobber · 10/10/2013 12:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 12:28

I don't see a difference between fat men and women personally. I do see it in the media.

It doesn't affect other people directly, being fat, but there should be a responsibility to not over feed children or feed them shit.

It definitely isn't healthy to be over weight

kotinka · 10/10/2013 12:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 12:38

Why? Medically it is well known to be unhealthy. You wouldn't want people to abuse their children with alcohol, smoking, so why would you with the children's diet. Especially if it isn't necessary.

scallopsrgreat · 10/10/2013 12:52

This isn't about overfeeding children. It isn't even about being overweight and the health implications of that. This is about men making women feel ashamed because they don't pass their fuckability test.

Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 13:19

I agree that's wrong, people can look how they want. What is the 'fuckabilty test'? I reckon the male and female human 'fuckability test' are very different. My gay mate is always at it.
I don't like the new phrase 'real women' as well. That needs to be scrapped. Very damaging.

The only objections I have are health.

WoTmania · 10/10/2013 13:34

I bet that what is considered 'fat' for a woman is not really fat but rather the mid to high range of the BMI chart.

Incidentally it's less unhealthy to be slightly overweight than slightly underweight but I very much don't that they will be having a 'skinny shaming' week anytime soon.

Another thing to take into account is that we know nothing of the circumstances of those people who are morbidly obese. They may have very real medical conditions that make weight loss hard. They may be compulsive over-eaters which is as much an eating disorder as anorexia or bulimia. It's far too easy to label people without looking too deeply at the real problems.

KillerKoalaFace · 10/10/2013 13:43

"Shaming" Sad

I'd feel the same if it was "Smoker Shaming". I've never smoked but "shaming" anyone is just cruel.

Why would anyone want to make another person feel shame?

And this isn't about health. If it was about supporting people in making healthy choices then they would have started a hashtag like #HealthyRecipeWeek or #EffectiveExerciseWeek but they want to SHAME people instead.

Sickening.

CaptChaos · 10/10/2013 14:13

It was started by return of kings, an hilarious MRA website full of paranoids along the lines of a voice for men.

Does anyone really take these people seriously? There's a post on their site which purports to come from some kind of psuedo-military group which has 'infiltrated' feminism. I mean, come on. Only the utterly insecure need to fat-shame, slut-shame or whatever-shame, sucks to be them.

There are more indicators of poor health outcomes than weight, funny how we don't genetic-predisposition-shame people, isn't it? It's all about a value judgement on 'who they'd fuck' probably with a healthy dose of 'who refused to fuck them' thrown in.

Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 14:27

Chaos - I agree you shouldn't shame. In my experience, I did get more attention from women, when I went from 14st to 12 st. It coincided with depression and exercise treatment so I wasn't presenting myself as more selfconfident. I think people will judge someone's fat %. However, they don't need to shame.
What other self inflicted indicators of health are there?

SinisterSal · 10/10/2013 14:34

The only objections I have are health

Only if it's your own health. Otherwise STFU, internet.

Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 14:50

Sal - true. It can also be a problem at cinemas, on planes, buses, etc.
I think it's more the moaning about weight that does my head in. My mate has been to the doctors (no illness), he's stopped exercising/dieting, and still moans about being fat. I got him a gym membership for his birthday but I can't get him to join me. Either he is happy how he is or he does some exercise. So annoying

CaptChaos · 10/10/2013 14:50

Obesity, as referred to by pp, is not always self inflicted. Before you judge someone's attractiveness dependant on their body fat % next time! perhaps you might take the time to get to know them.

By your measure, living in the wrong area, being poor, being ill advised or any one of a myriad other things could be classified as being self inflicted. Return of kings appears not to wish to tackle or shame any of them though. Would probably get in the way of their busy MGTOW/punter/PUA schedules. Hmm

Yougotbale · 10/10/2013 15:01

Chaos - it is largely self inflicted but not always. I agree. I don't think the other things are directly self inflicted at all.
A person may not be educated on nutrition, but because being overweight may be linked to an illness, visiting a GP will give them the information they need.
I was saying that other people judged me when I lost weight. I also don't think people should shame anyone.

I was just asking what were other potential signs of illness that are acceptedly mocked and shamed (not that I think fat is accepted). I could only think of baldness.

aturtlenamedmack · 10/10/2013 15:13

I find it gobsmacking that the response to this article is a debate about other peoples weight.
The concept of a fat shaming week is beyond vile.
Dressing it up as concern for the health of others is laughable.

mignonette · 10/10/2013 15:19

It is usually physically inadequate men like Giles Coren that fat shame. He has written a fair few columns aggressively targeting overweight people when he himself is a little tub with several chins. Nothing wrong with that until you berate others for the same appearance.

aturtlenamedmack · 10/10/2013 15:34

I agree mignonette.
Same goes for the Abercrombie and Fitch guy.
I think it says more about them than it does about fat people.
They must feel seriously inadequate to get their kicks from publicly lambasting strangers for their appearance.

mignonette · 10/10/2013 15:53

Yes they are usually inadequate little people ATurtle. I would never give A&F a red cent of my money after their discrimination against disabled staff members. We all do have economic power with regards to issues like this if nothing else.

scallopsrgreat · 10/10/2013 16:25

"I also don't think people should shame anyone." Yet your 2nd sentence on here was "It's a bit lazy to be vastly overweight in most cases."

Original poster
Darkesteyes · 10/10/2013 16:30

I was attacked by some of these men on Twitter last night when i stood up to them.

Ive been excersising and healthy eating for two months and only lost half a stone.

There are two other ppl in my Slimming World group who are experiencing exactly the same thing. Rather than showing on the scales its showing in my clothes loosening and im feeling a bit happier in myself.
I power walk for an hour every day I cant run because i am still looking for a sports bra to accomodate my 38K boobs (and genetics plays a part in this My paternal grandmother had a big chest too) but today i was so angry i DID run in short bursts. I now have slightly bruised and red breasts.

YY about Giles Coren mignon A few months ago he did an article for Easy Living about how men are badly objectified.

The same month he appeared in Red as one of four men in an article about how much they loved their wives.
He basically listed her body parts.

OP posts:
mignonette · 10/10/2013 16:34

Darkest

Flowers for you for standing up to them. Pathetic little worms that they are.

Well done for feeling better in yourself. Addressing the psychological impetus to eat is the way to go in the longer term and exalting in the good feelings that exercise and food enjoyment give will help. Power walking is great as is any kind of walking and it is a democratic, free way to lose weight, improve health and enjoy the outdoors. The boobs sound painful. Maybe there is a thread on here that can advise re sports bras?