Why are fat people discriminated against?

Question

Anyone who is overweight is treated worse than someone who smokes, drinks or takes drugs. WHY? All these things are emotional crutches or things that make people happy but unfortunately eating too much food shows up on the outside.

I'm sick and tired of people judging overweight people and being downright rude and discriminatory.

I am overweight but I consider my body to be womanly; big b***s, waist that goes in then curvy hips - what's wrong with that? Surely better than being like an ironing board with two grapes on!!!

PLEASE GIVE FAT PEOPLE A BREAK!

Answer 1

Although in today's western world, you are in the majority, being overweight has traditionally been considered a disgraceful physical state for many reasons, some entirely stupid, but, most of them very good ones.

I too dislike the emaciated look, extremes are never good, but, overly skinny individuals are basically not so ill regarded as fat people who are typically perceived to be lazy and out of control gluttons.

Besides being aesthetically displeasing and a health hazard, being fat is equated with little to no self control, self loathing and myriad other

negatives like body odour, profuse sweating and generally taking up far more space and consuming more oxygen and other resources for a condition that is commonly believed to be cured with self discipline.

All of these things produce a less than average regard for fat people, far less in fact than smoking and drug addiction engenders on average peer perception.  If you have given up on exercise and curbing your daily intake of calories, do consider bariatric surgery if your are grossly overweight, however, from your description, you do not seem to require surgical intervention, just a full commitment to radically changing your lifestyle.  You can do it.  

Answer 2

I kind of agree, but I have to say, I have a lot of friends who are overweight (would rather not call them 'fat') who are in fact miserable that they are that way.  Of course, I care they are unhappy and often chat with them to find out if there is anything I can do to help.  Usually it comes down to their own willpower (on their own admittance) and lack of exercise.

I think if you, or any other person is happy with their body, that is great and I agree with your wholeheartedly, you should not take it personally.

I also have to say, I have a couple of friends who are stick thin and often say (after eating their 5th Mars Bar in a row) they would like to put weight on!  So it appears it can work the other way too.

One thing both of them say is from the overweight people ' I wouldn't want to be stick thin' and from the thin people 'I wouldn't want to be fat, just gain a few pounds'.

Seems there is no happy medium.  I think the main issues of being overweight is the health issues.  It has been proven that it causes heart disease, breathlessness etc etc.  If these warnings were not given, if someone died of being overweight the families would likely 'sue' for neglect, which seems to be the way the world is going at the moment.

I think if you are happy with who you are, good for you - you go girl!

:)

Answer 3

Lol.  I like your word pictures.  Just give it time.  The world is having a food crisis.  America won't stay unaffected forever.  Soon you will look like a supermodel and all the skinny girls will look like Halloween decorations.

Other than that, sometimes overweight girls are very attractive.  It just depends on how overweight.  Their build matters too.

Answer 4

I agree also, I'm also overweight,people in today's world look at overweight people like we are some kind of disease like if they get to close to us it just might rub off onto them, I say f**k them, if they don't like the way i look then don't f**k'in look at me. Cuz I'm not on this planet to please you. I didn't choose this way to look but have excepted it. At one time in my life I was thin, but that was also before I had children and when I was young, I'm now much older and wiser and don't give a rat's *** about what people think or say about me. I'm who I am and that's that. As long as I am happy who cares what other people think. And if by chance they do want to have the nerve to say something to me, then good luck cuz after I smack ya down to the ground I'm then going to sit my fat *** onto you and smother you, then you won't be running your mouth again cuz you'll be dead.So beware you thin,skinny rude speaking people out there, this is one fat *** who won't put up with your smart *** remarks.

Answer 5

its really not fair that fat people are discriminated against.why not have a large hamburger body when you can have a supermodel's body?

Answer 6

overweight people are unhealthy, smokers are unhealthy, drug addicts are unhealthy, etc. all of these groups are ostracized. how many times have you heard a smoker be told to quit or smoke elsewhere. that is the same thing. they get tired of it and hopefully they will quit. by making you feel uncomfortable society is trying to make you healthier. if you don't like it get on the tredmill

Answer 7

its rather disgusting isnt it? EVERyone is a person..

Answer 8

That's a good question.  People can be mean.  Those who are overweight have loving hearts just as anyone else.  But those who have personal issues with others have issues with themselves.

Answer 9

i'm not saying being rude or bullying people because of their weight is ok. but i'm tired of hearing SOME fat people making excuses and wanting sympathy saying it's their metabolism and it's their genes. blaming everything and everyone else but themselves. please don't think i'm rude this is just my opinion

and

why're you getting surgery? just work out, you won't get scars. and theres a high chance surgeries can go wrong.

Answer 10

Lets be honest now,fat does not really look good and is bad for your health.

If some one see's a skinny girl she gets the same c**p so it's not just discrimination against fat people is it.

Answer 11

I believe some people are inconsiderate and judge you whether you are 'fat' or 'thin'. I believe these 'loaded' words are a matter of concept- like ugly, pretty, rich, talented etc.. I am about 6ft 2ins with large bones. I come from a family with men who have reached 6'4" in my generation. A cousin is about 6'6". My father was athletic in spite of his size.As he got older, he got thinner. When I switched to a vegetarian diet, I went from 'fat' size 18/20/22 to  'starved' size 10/12/14. My Mom almost had a heart attack! I am back to 'fat' and I am being advised by my sibling[6'3'] who piles my plate high with veggies to exercise more.He could be 200lbs today and without Gatorade to replace his liquids, he would be 185lbs or less in 3-5 days.He changes shirts[because of sweating] like they are going out of style. In my mind, he has a metabolism that is set at high. He says that is not the case.I believe the battle between fat and thin began maybe a generation ago with Twiggy, a model.People began to use  her and other models as a gauge and soon everyone was below average[thin], average or above average[fat, obese,overweight].I was never average, not even academically; and I believe[contend] that God likes diversity. That is why we have giraffes, hippos, elephants. As long as I am healthy, I would not worry if someone calls me fat. I am who I am because I am unique.Think about it!

Answer 12

Why consider surgery when all you have to do is adjust your diet and exercise more. I don't think that many people are openly discriminatory to fat people I just think you are over sensitive because you don't like your own fat.  If you don't like it then do something about it. You will never stop people judging others.  If you were happy with yourself you would not care about what other people are thinking.  And no, being fat is not better than being slim and healthy.  And finally, your comment about the ironing board and grapes tells me that you unfairly judge people who are slim.

Answer 13

I do give them a break-unless one sits in the middle seat of a row with three seats on an airliner flying from NYC to LA. Not easy being crushed for a few hours. I demanded to be moved after thirty minutes, they did-into first class.

I'm not being cruel-being obese also is what's straining our health system here in the USA i.e. diabetes, heart, high blood pressure, etc.

Answer 14

Is this a question or a rant?

Some people are cruel, and it's something that most everyone has to deal with, not just overweight people.

But let me just note, that the facts are that if you are obese, you are unhealthy. It isn't good to be a stick, that's not what I'm saying, but it is definitely not good to be fat.

And if you think that the surgery will give you more self confidence, go for it. You'll feel better about yourself, plus you'll be healthier.

Answer 15

I agree that it is unfair.I have been thin all my life,and can eat whatever I want.I have a friend who LOOKS at a hamburger and puts on weight.People should never judge!I just asked a Q about fat women--I think some are so lovely!

Answer 16

I have no idea, to me it seems pretty stupid. And you know what really bugs me is that when people see that your fat they automatically assume you eat to much, well in some cases people eat a normal amount of food , they just fell to get adaquit exercise. Lossing weight is hard to do, and if anything people should try and help overweight/obese people try to lose weight, and gain confidence. Picking at them  and treating them as if they don't have any feelings or emotions is just going to add to the difficulty, I mean if you someone just actually took the time to think about it, don't you think that most fat people are unhappy with themselves and have already identified the weight gain and that they would rather be a normal size? All I can do is attribute it to arrogance.

Answer 17

I'm not fat; I'm dimensionally challenged!  ;)  I've heard a statistic that says most women (American women?) are at least a size 12.  I'm not buying it.  Have you been shopping lately?  Not that much to choose from in the larger sizes, if any.  I want to know where these size 12 and up women are buying their clothes.  Would people be as judgmental against something like mental illness if it was physically apparent?  Probably.

Answer 18

Look, when it comes to hiring, employers have a strong belief that your body type shows just how much of a hard worker you're willing to be.  I at first thought it was totally insulting, but now I agree, sorry.

You sounds angry and you describe yourself as "womanly", but we're not talking about you, we're talking about FAT PEOPLE, so RELAX!!!

Answer 19

cos they're a drain on resources! and they're fat!

Answer 20

You sound gorgeous. Take no notice! It's true that people who are overweight are probably discriminated against more so than someone who smokes/drinks/takes drugs. People are cruel.I've been very slim all my life, growing up I was called skinny a lot and I was sometimes frustrated when people said I'd lost weight and moaned about how thin I was. I ate very well! It's hard now, because I've put on some weight and now I'm just about average. Now people keep pointing out the fact that I've put on weight. Argh! I'll never win.

So, I say give everybody a break. Fat people and thin people. It's not nice to be so critical of someone's body.

P.s. I thought it might be important to point out that there's a limit. I'm not trying to say it's okay to be so big you result in having health problems and heart attacks. Nor is it okay to be so thin that your bones break everytime you move. Being fat/thin is okay, being unhealthy isn't.

Answer 21

ok. i vow to never point at a fat lady again.

Answer 22

Unluckily our society is based on appearance...

  

Answer 23

When people look at us they KNOW that we overeat and probably don't exercise!  Whereas those who are merely smokers or substance abusers look fine.  I suppose if they had a sign on their foreheads saying "I smoke" or "I'm an alcoholic" etc people would look at them in the same way (maybe).

Another thing, for all they know a thin person might be bulimic or anorexic.  

It's a matter of people judging a book by its cover.

Answer 24

Yeah! I'm fat. I get annoyed when people start giving me advise about diet and exercise. Especially when they drink everyday of the week and smoke like a chimney, or take drugs and lie aound on the dole all week. Quite annoying! If you look at most peoples lives, there are usually things that they do which drain resources. It also annoys me when poeple comment about people putting on weight. So what! I work in a bar and I had some drunken bum calling me big un, so I just said "Yes concorde nose, what can I get you"? He looked a bit surprised, but he's been very polite to me ever since! Ha ha.

By the way westmins, I have five kids aged between 9 and 16. I do all the housework and motherly things and also work 20 hours a week in a bar. A few years ago I did a full time college course as well as work and keep the house. The only reason I've cut my hours down recently is because my boys dad died last year and my second eldest has took it really badly, so I can't do weekends anymore, I need to be there for him. I do know plenty of people who aren't overweight who do nothing apart from sit around scrounging and sponging their life away. They all come to the bar I work in to spend there dole money on booze and f**s on a tuesday night. So maybe you should get your facts right!