'Fat Stigma' is Spreading; What Can We Do?

There is no lobby or political focus group for the overweight, so we are fair game. Today most people don't make jokes about people who were "fair game" when I was a kid. I don't know that people were less sensitive ---just unaware of the hurt it caused. Most of us know better now. We no longer tell Polish jokes, or jokes about Jews, or African Americans ---or jokes that make ANY one group of people look stupid ---but I hear lots of jokes (on Leno for example) about fat people. There is certainly enough material out there to poke fun at the behaviors of celebrities and politicians (who have indeed chosen to put themselves in the public eye and sometimes choose outrageous behaviors) that comedians could certainly leave the overweight alone.

Studies have shown that making fun of or belittling fat people does not change their eating behaviors. They have to want to change or be forced to change by medical conditions, much as a smoker, drinker, or drug addict has to want to change. And of course, being overweight makes it difficult for people to exercise and when they don't exercise, they become more overweight which makes it even harder to move.

Bullying of any kind is just downright mean. At least schools are making some attempt to address the problem, whereas they used to just ignore it.

I was not overweight as a child, yet my grandmother called me her little "butterball." Maybe she thought it was endearing, but I hated it when she said it ---so it's not only kids who do it. Lots of husbands/wives use worse insults against their spouses. Report

Great blog Beth! Report

I often think that what I endured in early childhood from peers would be bullying now. I came from a family that was not wealthy, but was always clean, taken care of and LOVED. Yet now in my 60's I remember the names I was called, etc. Looking back I was not fat (5"7" and 138 upon graduation) but started a lifetime of yoyo weight loss. I finally can go to my reunions again and everyone treats me very well so I now realize it was childhood meanness. Please teach your children and grandchildren about kindness and not bullying. be sure they see your good examples. Report

This is a very thought provoking blog. Report

Awesome blog! People are so judgemental at times, myself included at times when I was younger I have to admit - I guess its a little bit of human nature, we see things the way we think they should be and don't understand why others dont do the same?.
It occurs in all sorts of situations, not just the 'fatty' thing. I recall one time as a young girl working in a big office block and the "rule" of the office was that if you were going up 1 floor or down 2 floors you were to take the stairs, not the lifts. One of the girls I was in the lift with made a comment along the lines of 'dont be lazy, its only one level' to a lady who got in the lift to ride one floor. Now this lady looked healthy and slim. She turned around to my co-worker and said, "honey, I'd be happy to trade backs with you". Turns out she had been in an accident and walking, let alone climbing stairs was very painful for her. I have always remembered that and am very careful not to judge before finding out the facts.
On the other end of the scale, at the same office, we had a lady who Id have to say was morbidly obese. It always saddened me - she was a lovely, lovely lady, and very pretty, but she had this bulk of a body (she was nearly a metre in diameter alone). But, what always annoyed me was at work she told everyone and they believed her about this gland problem which meant she couldnt lose weight. What she seemed to have forgotten, or just didnt recognise me, is that before I got my job I worked after school in her local dairy. She would come in before work and after work and buy enough junk to feed an army. and she did it most days. I never told anyone, or called her on it in private even but that was why she was fat, the choices she made, she may have had gland issues also, but her choices did not help. Sadly, but I guess not unexpectedly, she died of a massive heart attack at around 40yrs old. Her colleagues noticed she wasnt at work in the morning which was unusual for her not to have called so went to check on her and found her, had been out in the garden overnight. Always wonder if I should have called her on her food choices, maybe make her think about them at least. Report

Wildflower I was thinking that too, but i didnt have kids but I was thinking that but really who cares ?

As for being born that way ,, we are born with the same number of fat cells , they get bigger or grow smaller, and how we are raised and such determines alot , Part of me was how I was raised ,, having to clean up my plate or no dessert kind of thing or as I posted earlier I ate out of pure emotion , not that any of this is an excuse but if I had the knowledge then like I do now how to deal with issues, things would have turned out alot differently Report

As you measure it out to others you will receive it back to yourselves. I believe that a charitable spirit toward other overweight people is essential to my own weight loss. To some extent, we ARE born this way! Yes, by being determined and consistent, I can improve my health and eventually weigh less, but some of the factors that led to my current condition were out of my control. Not to mention the fact that no one can tell by looking how much weight you or I have lost lately or how hard we are working on it! Or how discouraged we may be by the constant battle! Let's all be kinder to each other. Report

After reading a post here that pointed out someones asinine point of view....

"well if I see a fat person at a buffet with three plates what am i supposed to think"

I have to comment. I go to the buffet maybe once a year and when I do I am commonly seen with 3 plates in my hand, and yes, I am fat.

Let me tell you why I have three plates... I have a husband who is watching our two children at the table because taking all of them out and letting them grab food at the buffet is a nightmare! I fill all three plates with a healthy balanced meal rather than having my children load them with pizza and desserts.


So think what you will about me and my three plates... I'm happy to carry them! Report

I know I was not born over weight but born under weight, in fact , even though my doctor as a child told my parents I was over weight at the age of 8 years old, thats where it all began,,, I lived my life in a shadow, of condemnation ,, I was judged by my family , by my peers, by friends of my parents,

I was taken to my first weight watchers meeting when I was 11 years old!! a friend of my mom pressured her into putting me on a liquid diet when I was in high school. My first year of college , my brothers advice to me : " Dont eat the cafeteria food its loaded with carbs and college guys dont date fat girls" so what did I do went to a "Medical clinic" and survived on 490 calories a day .

And looking back of pictures when I was a child and in high school I was not fat!!!!

Because of judgment from family , peers, strangers etc,,, I grew up with rejection , low self esteem I am just now knowing how to love myself, I married a man who loves me no m atter what , but it still hu rts!

I saw peoples comments and I am not going to call any out by name,, one person on here said , well if I see a fat person at a buffet with three plates what am i supposed to think , my answer is : ITS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!

i never carried three plates in a buffet but I was one who is a recovering emotional eater and would try to stuff down all the hurt with food, if i see a person like that in the buffet I dont judge t hem I see a hurting person just like I was a few years ago , I am learning how to handle my emotional eating and if we ever go to buffets Im alot wiser in my choices ,

this blog brought me to tears because I can empathize like alot of people here can , being overweight for me was not a choice , true , I did not make great choices when I was older and I blame no one any more , its up to me to change things but in order to do that I had to deal with the issues on the inside first. and I am making prog ress!! Report

it is always difficult to disregard and not take such judgements and/or attacks personally whether or not the particular attack is directed at me personally or someone else.

or whether the judgement and/or attack were directed at, say an alcoholic or drug addict or someone who picks their nose compulsively, or whatever _____________ is being attacked/judged or picked on.

or if the person wears the symbols or garments of their chosen religion.

or if the person were left handed or right handed... or does not have the trappings of modern society & money, such as cell phones, designer clothes/cars, etc...

people make the judgements/attacks.

should we condone it?

it is difficult to change these kinds of things and this is why we have to have the courage to say enough is enough... I stand against this and btw, here's are some ideas on how to stand against this pervasive fatitude attitude and bashing that is regularly heaped on people who are overweight.

Kudos to you Beth and to everyone who has stood up and said so, here, now. Please continue to have the courage to do what you can as you can... this is where and how change begins... Report

Perhaps we should consider the difference between shame and guilt. When one has done something wrong, feelings of guilt are appropriate, but need to have limits. Nobody needs to feel guilty about existing, even if that existence is in a shape not approved of by society. Shame on the other hand, is universally unhealthy -- for both the person who feels the shame and those thoughtless jerks who attempt to shame them. People who attempt to shame fat people are often pretty successful -- doesn't it feel good to be able to "help" other people feel bad about themselves? The purpose of that shaming is to demonstrate one's own virtue. In reality, we are all responsible for our behavior but we don't "choose" to be fat. Being fat is a moral transgression in our society. Each of us, fat or thin, is a product of a complex set of forces that have shaped a life. Some of those forces are under conscious control, some are not. Simple decency says you don't try to shame another person. You clean your own house before looking to the dirt in others' houses. Report

Great post. I have a morbidly obese coworker who is fairly consistently pointed at/ commented on by children ( I work in a museum). I keep wondering what's going on with the parents/teachers? Making fun of people is never right and making fun of people for something that is difficult to change is even worse. I admire her fortitude for dealing with this on a daily basis with so much grace and you for encouraging people to accept themselves. As far as getting healthy goes- how much effort are we really going to put in if we don't love ourselves as we are in this very moment? Report

re: grandmajo09's comment, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Apparently you were born that way, and never did learn manners. Report

I thought the article was great and I appreciate your time and insight. I am fat. And I am beautiful. Do I like being fat? No. Does it hinder me in certain ways? Yes. Do I consciously think to myself "I want to be fat today"? No. I have a life, as a single mom I have 3 jobs, 4 kids, and Im constantly strugling to get by. My focus is always on where our next meal will come from, can I pay the mortgage, how can I afford clothes, so forgive me if what Im putting in my mouth happens to be the last thing on my mind. For those saying we CHOOSE to be fat, I think thats plain ignorance. Yes, lifestyle changes are the means to the end, but just because I happen to be more concerned about getting through each day with my familys' well-being intact, does NOT mean I am choosing to be fat. That is a judgement, which is exactly what this article was addressing. Dont judge. Walk a mile in my shoes and then tell me how it can be done better. At least I am conscious of my shortcomings. And I want to make changes. Why dont you commend us for trying versus condemning us because you think we can "do more". Report

What a WONDERFUL blog post! Thank you for being so forthright and for the practical go-to advice you put out there. It is sobering to realize that the stigma attached to weight is so entrenched in our society that we have to be reminded of the person behind the body. You say some universally true things that I firmly stand behind; thanks for being confident and courageous! Report

As the mother of two teenaged girls who recently went to prom, I have to agree that fat bias is VERY strong. I have one daughter that is a size 16. It was virtually impossible to find a dress in her size in any of the regular stores. (and the ones available were AWFUL) What irked and disappointed me, was these same stores..had plenty of choices in size 0. Now, one look at the statistics says that people are gaining weight, so why do these stores insist on catering only to one side of the scale, but not the other? Surely, the demand for a size 16 is probably much more in demand, than a size 0 would be. It was heartbreaking to see my daughter go through this. These stores should be ashamed of themselves. It's this sort of stuff that reinforces a negative body image..that often lead to unhealtier habits. Report

You are right on, Beth! ALL people should be respected. God loves us, one and all. Report

People still tease me in public and they don't know me. They don't know I've lost 145 pounds. They don't know I work out with degenerative disease, herniated disks, pinched nerves, arthritis and fibromyalgia. No, they judge me and make comments. If they had ANY idea of the pain I go through and the perseverance I show, they might think differently. Knowing humanity, however, they would just judge me for getting fat and having problems in the first place.


It isn't about being born one way or another. My use of the quote was about self love. If all you got out of that whole quote was that people are born fat... well, I just don't know what to say.

"I believe the SENTIMENTS in the following song apply to everyone, BIG OR SMALL. To quote Lady Gaga:

““There's nothin wrong with lovin who you are"
She said, "'cause He made you perfect, babe"
"So hold your head up girl and you'll go far,
Listen to me when I say"
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way.”"



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People will always treat people who are not like them - differently.

Being morbidly obese is a very hard way to live. Of course people are going to look at us. It is ugly. I hate being this way. But trying to get people to change the way they think about me - is not a priority high on my list. I have to change myself - because I am not healthy.

I am overweight for a lot of reasons. I like to eat. I love sedentary activities. I haven't found the exercise that I love and therefore don't expend the energy I need to in order to compensate for my calorie intake. For 24 years I have battled this unsuccessfully. My mother was overweight after giving birth to 5 babies. My father gained his weight later in life. My grandparents were all overweight most of their lives (based on photo's I have of them). Most of my siblings are as well - except for the one who starves herself on a regular basis.

Even though I have empathy for other folks who are overweight (because no one really likes to be this way) - and I teach my children to not make fun or tease people because of it, I really believe it does come down to the choices we make and we are responsible.

Granted - my doctor just upped my thyroid hormone meds - and since that last increase I have lost 30 pounds - but - I also have stuck to eating only veggies, lean meats, whole grains and fruits with a little dairy thrown in - completely cutting out sugar, processed foods and fats (eating only about 1200-1500 calories a day). So a lack in thyroid hormone didn't cause me to gain over 100 pounds. I still have a very long way to go - at least another 70 pounds. Everyday it is a battle.

You said 'heavy people are not weak.' You are right -
It isn't fair to generalize - but ... I am very weak.

You said babies are not born fat? My father was 15lbs 15 oz when he was born (and grew to be a man over 6'4" - and was not considered a fat adult until he was in his late 50's). I was over 9 pounds. 2 of my sons were over 10 pounds ( and I was at a normal weight when I had them - but I praise God that both of them have inherited their father's metabolism and are thin and healthy ( and tall 6'2 and 6'5"). I gained my weight as a stay at home mom who stopped being active and moving around and enjoyed eating too much.

I guess I am tired of the excuses we make for ourselves as obese people. Yeah - it is very hard to be overweight - but the facts are - I did this to myself - I have no one to blame but me - so I need to get over it and make the changes necessary to be healthy again.

Besides - at that point, people will just find something else to make fun of me for.

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sorry but not too many babies are born overweight ..that's all I'm saying so no you were not born that way.. Report

good blog! Report

I've noticed that when I'm wearing my sun glasses people think that if they can't see my eyes I can't see....or hear them! Who's stupid now haters?! Report

I agree with alot of the comments on here. Yes we shouldn't make fun of others but for being overweight/underweight the person has made some choices and is active in that decision. Whether to eat this or not, exercise or not. Those are all choices made by the individual. What I can agree with in the article is not to make such broad judgement calls on people's appearance period. There are many factors that lead people into either category. Plus someone made the point that they lost quite a few pounds but would still be considered overweight and thus seen as lazy. It's true when I go to dance class/zumba I always get people surprised at how well I can move as well considering I am overweight. Report

Obviously, all people should be treated with respect and dignity. But I hate, hate, hate the comparison of the "fat stigma" to racism and sexism. I'm white, but I know that if I boiled all the discrimination that minorities in our country have had to endure down to just being made fun of by little kids or being ignored at cosmetics counters, I would be doing them a great injustice. I'm not saying that heavy people don't have their own burdens or discrimination, but it simply does not compare to the legacy of slavery, and being deprived of basic civil rights such as owning property and voting.

I guess if you're looking at things superficially, you could say that no one chooses to be fat. But I know myself. Even though I didn't choose to be fat, I chose to let my exercise habits fall by the wayside when I started working. I chose to eat big, unhealthy lunches at work, only to go home and eat a regular dinner. When I was in law school, I'd go to a student group meeting and eat the pizza there, meet my boyfriend for lunch an hour later, then eat dinner later that night. I chose to do that. It didn't just happen to me because of my "metabolism" or "genetics." I may not have chose the consequences, but I literally have no one to blame but myself. Report

"I was born this way" hits a raw nerve with me. I wasn't born this way. I was born 7.6lbs ,naked and a clean slate. My family, my community and my life experiences made me this way. Now I am an adult and I am able to make the choices in life to make myself healthy so I can enjoy all the world has to offer. It is now up to me to make the right choices to be a healthful influence on my family and to those in my community, which includes teaching them to be respect to all people. The best way to teach them this is through my own example. Report

I fight the stigma within. I used to think it was everyone else. They pick on me because I am big. They don't wait on me because I'm large. Until one day I walked into the store with an in-shape friend of mine. The store had a mirror to the right and I noticed the two of us. My friends was walking with her head up, her shoulders back, and a pep to her step. She was also making eye contact with everyone. On the other hand, my head was down, my shoulders drooped, and I only made eye contact if called upon. While there are definitely very rude people in this world, many people take their cues from us. If you don't love you (pudges, rolls, and all), then I wouldn't count on others stepping up to the "love me some me" plate. Report

I believe in treating all people with dignity. I also try to control my (unspoken) opinions about others until I know them well enough.

For instance, I'll never forget the lunch that I had with a good friend who was complaining about her inability to lose weight. "No matter what I do, I just can't lose weight! It must be my metabolism." What was in front of her? A grilled cheese sandwich, French fries, and a large chocolate milk shake. What was in front of me? A lunch salad (dressing on the side) and a glass of unsweetened iced tea.

I have been thin and I have been fat. My weight has always borne a direct relationship to the choices that I've made, however, I know this isn't true for everyone. My mother, for instance, took a medication to treat breast cancer that made her gain a lot of weight. She ultimately lost all that weight - and then some - as she lost her fight with cancer.

When it comes to drawing conclusions about another person's weight, there is no "one size fits all." And there's still no excuse for treating people with anything other than dignity. Report

I love it when people assume that because I am a woman of size that I am out of shape. It generally motivates me to work harder and feel great about myself.

For my 50th birthday I challenged myself to do a fitness class at my gym for each 10 years. 5 for 50. I completed 5 hours of fitness classes in 7 hours. Something not many could do.

I was talking with one of my spinning instructors one day after class and it had been an interesting class. As there had been a couple of new people in the class. They were 20 somethings and about a size 2 or 3. They both had a hard time keeping up and had to stop several times to rest. I on the other hand matched the cadence of the instructor. However if someone who did not know us was to be asked to say who was person in the best shape they 20 somethings would likely be picked not the big girl. Whne in reality the bit girl was kicking the skinny ones butts.

My point is that just because someone is big does not mean they are out of shape. Lazy and do nothing but eat.
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Sorry, I can't sympathize. I have more people make fun of me for being skinny than I have ever made fun of for being fat. If someone overweight is at the gym, I am more likely to encourage them than snicker. But if the same person is at the buffet with three plates in their hands, what am I supposed to think? We're all adults. We all make our own decisions. If it's not weight, it's the pattern on your dress, or your hair cut, or your shoes aren't trendy enough.
I just don't care what people think (so now I'm a bitch!- and I'm ok with that)
What matters is how you feel about yourself- I feel great! How about you? Report

I agree that there should be NO harassment to a person because of their size. As a plus-size woman, I know what it's like to live with that stigma. BUT - I have also been living right since the first of the year. I really struggled at first with the fact that I'm still overweight. (I'm currently 276, down 44 pounds since January first.) I have a long way to go and I had a little crisis over that in March. Of course, God's timing is always perfect and that month I had a women's retreat in Bloomington where I came to realize that just because my body still bore the effects of my previously sinful lifestyle of overindulgence and laziness, my behavior was no longer sinful. Yes, I still indulged in unhealthy things from time to time, but I was in a process of giving those addictions and desires up to God and He was really blessing me. I'm still losing weight and getting healthier everyday. A stranger meeting me on the street could easily judge me to still be an over-eating, lazy person. I used to worry about that when I would walk into Zumba class. But then I thought, as healthy as I'm getting, if it motivates a skinny person to exercise more when they see a "fatty" like me dancing circles around them at Zumba, then they can think what they want to think. I'm not always going to have this chubby shell! I totally disagree with Lady Gaga. When we bear the effects of poor (or, as I consider it, "sinful") behaviors, that is NOT who God intends for us to be. He intends for us to be whole and healthy and effective in our lives. There is a strong, healthy woman inside of me who IS as God made her to be. As this chubby shell is melting away, she is being revealed. To God be the glory! Report

if I say: "I was born this way.", "I am beautiful even if weigh 70 kilos, 90 kilos, 100 kilos" - I would lie and cripple myself. If me and my child pass an alcoholic, lying all stinky and dirty - I won't let him make fun of him, but I'll tell him, he should take a picture of him and memorize it to know what he can become, if he doesn't have will power. the same is with fat people.

I'm sure there are health conditions, that can't be so easily cured and cause obesity. But these are not 100% of all fatties. The majority just ''CHOSE TO BE FAT''. Chose not to exercise, chose to get pleasure from food, chose to look that they. And I'm sure they are ready to pay the price for that - to be laughed at at school, be discussed, be blamed.

Slender people pay another price: 5-times a week exercise. Celery instead of chips. Carrots instead of candy. 2 liters of water every day, and no soda. A piece of cake once in two months... and lots more. Well instead you get rapt attention, compliments, control over your body, energy and health.

I wasn't born this way. I was born beautiful and healthy! Let's not abuse ourselves and then shift responsibility to "born this way".

(: Report

What I find priceless is the fact that the stigma is increasing and yet we are also getting fatter. Obviously, fat people are criticizing other fat people. Have you ever seen a man with a huge beer gut make some slight about an actress who is overweight, or even make a rude comment about his wife or daughter, but he doesn't even take into account his fat? Have you seen a woman talk about other women who are fat, and yet they themselves are also fat? Yep and yep! Some people feel that even though they are overweight they aren't as bad as "that person" or they don't even see their own fat. Or, perhaps they feel better about themselves when they are criticizing someone else. Report

I let peoples comments about my gaining weight bypass me.Why ?For most of them now have gain weight themselves.And it is them that make an excse for their weight.As a matter of fact you could say half of them avoid me.An when we do see one another it is them that glance to their own body.I say not a word.So before you laugh at an overweight person remember that could be you one day. Just talk to one of my--" I'll never look like that' friend oops my used to be friend. Report

"To quote Lady Gaga.." oh sweet heaven there are a million better people out there to quote. Report

I was raised in a very fit and healthy-weighted family, and never once did we comment on people's weight. It makes me sick to my stomach that people judge others on their weight, whether high or low, and go to such extremes as ignoring them or laughing at them! Everyone has their mountains to conquer, and weight is just one of them. More power to those who can accept you for who you are! Report

I will always speak up when somebody makes a comment such as "I can't believe they let themselves go that far" some people just don't have sensors. Report

I don't make fun of them or push them. Instead, I teach them to make healthier choices, which is their decision to follow. Report

As usual you have hit the nail on the head! You have, as always provided me with some new way of thinking about an issue. The pain factor, is something I have recently become aware as many of my peers and former acaquaintances have seemed to have mobillity issues, and weight often appears to be a part of the challenge. I really took note when you made the point of the extra effort it takes for someone heavier to do everday tasks. It is so true. My experience has been a long struggle through many extremes. This is something I should never forget even as I slowly make improvements of my own. Report

I treat everybody, I meet as an equal. Very good blog. Report

How unfortunate that weight bias, remains one of the last "acceptable" prejudices. I sincerely hope this & many more articles, will bring about awareness & healing. Report

You go Beth! Report

I don't personally care how someone got too thin or too heavy, I care that they are treated as a human being. I care that they take steps to be as well as they can be given their set of circumstances. If ANY of you think I personally make excuses for myself or cry poor me, read my page. I overcame and lost 145 pounds using SparkPeople. I am still losing and gaining more ability every day.

Sometimes things are not excuses, but instead are reasons.

I am only asking people to show humanity, compassion and kindness, despite size.

WHY is it an argument here to treat people with dignity? (All people) Report

I won't even attempt to argue with the folks who are responding to this article with blame and judgement. Not a good use of energy. It took the passage of FEDERAL LAWS decades ago to get most racially prejudiced people to keep their comments to them selves (they are, of course, free to THINK whatever sad thoughts they like). They are missing out on interacting with some wonderful people, and don't even know what they've lost.

What can I do about it? I've taught my daughters to care more about who and what a person is than what they look like. I've taught them to respect themselves. While 2 of my daughters are overweight, and built suspiciously like my side of the family, they are strong and healthy with advanced belts in Tae Kwon Do. At nearly 50 I've finally learned to be kinder to myself and that I shouldn't believe most of what people say about size if their intentions are unkind. I challenge fat stigmatizing comments just as I would racist, sexist or homophobic remarks whenever I can. Not for their benefit--for mine and for my daughters. Report

While I agree with BLONDIEGRRL and JJ4311, I still think this blog does a great job of providing solutions to not perpetuating the stereotype of overweight and obese people. As an educator and a person who was formerly considered "obese", I think we can still recognize obesity as something a person did to themselves without ridiculing them and being condescending. I expect my students to treat each other with respect. What good comes from damaging someone's self-esteem (who probably doesn't have the highest self-esteem to begin with if they've gotten themselves to the point of obesity)?

So yes, while people make excuses for themselves and excuses aren't going to help them, I think we should be more encouraging rather than condescending and mean, which is what I felt was the original sentiment of the blog. My parents are obese. I know how hard it was for me to lose this weight. Why would I approach them negatively and ridicule them if what I want for them is to successfully lose weight? Report

I love it! GREAT blog. I love it. Report

As a child, I learned to binge as a way to handle my emotions - definitely had an eating disorder. When obese, in my attempts to lose, I would practice bulimic or anorexic behavior before I had even heard about it in the media. When I was skinny, I would practice bulimia to stay skinny. After learning about what I was doing and why, it took years to slowly change my responses to my emotions. Just as each one of us is unique, each one of us has to find their own unique way to get and be healthy. Spark People is helping me be healthy.

Sometimes people need to be educated to become aware of their learned behavior both in the way they treat others and in how they treat themselves. Great blog and comments, people! Lots of unique perspectives to ponder on. Keep on speaking out, please. Report

Awesome blog! i loved it! Report

I agree with JJ4311. First of all, I do not under any circumstances condone someone being ridiculed or belittled because of their physical appearance. However, I am reading a lot of excuses into blogs like this one. The vast majority of people who are overweight made themselves that way through overeating and lack of exercise, and they need to own up to that instead of crying "poor me." I used to be fat. I got fat because I ate too much and didn't get enough exercise (imagine that). But I chose to do something about it. I feel like blogs like this one go a little too far in encouraging an unhealthy lifestyle. Report

Thanks for the blog. Fat stigma is rampant. I think it is the only legal prejudice....jobs, airlines, etc. Report

Great blog, as usual Beth..

I have a question for those of you who say that being fat is a choice they make by eating the wrong foods and leading a sedentary lifestyle: does that make it right for the rest of the world to judge them??? If you, for example, had an extraordinarily big nose, should people be able to make fun of you for that because you could have surgery to correct it but do not??

You seem to be losing sight of the main issue, which is that no one has the right to judge another by their appearance. A fat person is no less a person than a skinny person. They have the right to look any way they do and still be treated with respect. Who but themselves are they hurting? Why does society think they have the right to turn their noses up at them, to judge them, to tell them how to lead their lives? Never mind the fact that most fat people do wish it were different, do know they are fat, do try their best to make it change. Get off your soap box and worry about yourself.

I am fat, have been for most of my life. I am a lawyer, hold a responsible full time job in my community, I am a mother, a wife, I care for my family and my home, I am on the board of my son's cub scout pack and a co-den leader, I am his hockey team's team mom, I have helped to coach his baseball team, I have been on the board of his baseball leagues directors, I help out the PTO when I can..shall I continue? How dare anyone look at me and decide that because I am fat, I am lazy? I am not sitting at home eating bon bons..I dare most people to walk in my shoes for a day, as my days generally start at 5 am and run non-stop until 9 or so.. Lazy? I don't even know the meaning of the word.. Fat? Yes, I know the meaning of that word, and begin every day with the resolve to change it. Some days are more successful than others, but I never stop trying.

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