Why is it rude to call someone fat but totally acceptable to call someome to skinny?

Question

I am naturally very thin and it annoys the h**l out of me that people can say to me "your way to skinny" but its considered rude and nasty to say to someone "your too fat". It drives me insane. I cant help that I am thin!

Answer 1

Because in today's society people believe that being overweight is less attractive than being underweight. Just like in a period of medieval times, people believed that being overweight was more attractive because it meant that you were wealthier than most people.

Answer 2

because skinny is supposedly a good thing according to the media and people think that they are complimenting you by saying that

Answer 3

its NOT ok to call some1 skinny - that is just as offensive as calling some1 fat. people who claim it is ok are jelous n obsurd unfortunetly u have to stand your ground.

Answer 4

Hehe, I get that a lot too...  I guess that's what I get for being 5'5 (165cm) and 101lbs (46kg).

I have always been naturally thin just like you and it is annoying that people call you too thin.  I can understand people not wanting to be called too fat but that gives them no reason to say that other people are too thin.  Just because someone is thin does not make them "too thin".  Why is no one ever saying "Wow!  You're such a healthy weight!"?

Take it as a compliment (though I always wish I had more meat on me because I have very little shape XD lol).  IThey are probably just jealous.  I think it is "acceptable" because being skinny is "ok" whereas no one wants to be fat.  In media skinny as seen as how people "should" be.  So that's what everyone wants - not to be percieved as "fat and lazy".  But yes, it is annoying.  Some people are naturally thin.  Next time someone says that to you just tell them "Thanks" ^_^

EDIT: To the answerers telling thin people to put on more weight - I eat between 3-5 meals a day.  This is how I am - thin.

Rant over :D

Answer 5

because looking skinny is better than looking fat duh

you may be un healthy to skinny or to fat but looking skinny is better

Answer 6

im so with you on that one!! im really skinny and everyone comments on it, its just as bad for the self-esteem issues as being called fat

Answer 7

Because the world has gone mad with all this political correctness stuff. Let's face it if you are fat you are fat ,if you are skinny you are skinny. Usually either is caused by that individual over eating or under eating, there are a few who have metabolic disorders, a few with mental disorders but in the main the affected person needs to learn about self discipline. I ,for one, refuse to buy into this other c**p.

Meanwhile, I would never ever call anyone fat or skinny, it's not my business nor do I care if they want to eat or starve or drink themselves to death. In the end it's their choice.

Answer 8

As someone with a slim build, I know where you are coming from! The answer I think lies in the cultural perceptions of the 'ideal' body shape. In the perceptions of our society, being overweight is considered undesirable and so calling attention to someone who is larger than the preconceived notions of what is 'ideal', is considered very rude. Contrast this to 17th Century Europe, when being curveceous was seen as being associated with beauty. These days, being 'skinny' or slim is not considered such a burden, as the modern ideal of beauty holds up thinness as the benchmark. So calling someone 'skinny' isn't seen as being as rude as highlighting someone's extra kilos.

In reality, those calling you skinny are probably quite jealous of your build. There is usually only one reason for calling attention to the perceived faults of others - and that's insecurity!

Answer 9

Ask these people what they mean by their snide remarks?  Why are they comparing you to someone else?

Answer 10

its not!!!....what makes you that its acceptable to call other people skinny?....maybe your just surrounded by shallow people.......not trying to be disrespectful sorry if i come out  that way.....

Answer 11

I totally agree with you. I am always being called skinny and i find it very annoying. People make jokes like "are you gonna have tic tacs for lunch" and watever. But its totally offensive to make fat jokes, even though you shouldnt really say fat jokes in the first place lol

but yeah people think its ok to say that your too skinny but its not ok to say that someone's too fat and its soo annoying

Answer 12

OMG! I get that a lot too. It pisses the c**p out of me lols. I may appear slim and people call me a stick but my BMI is within the healthy weight range. And it's funny cause one time someone called me a stick and I asked them if they say that in a bad way but they said I wasn't unhealthy skinny ... but isn't that a bit contradicting as comparing someone to a stick means they are anorexic?

Answer 13

I dont think it is acceptable to call someone skinny either. I have known women with eating disorders and when some are called skinny by people, sometimes it actually makes them want to go out and diet more to show people how skinny they can get- so no, it can be just as offensive and damaging.

People call me tiny because Im shorter than average and they make me feel like Im some kind of midget- but 155cm is not midget by any means! It all comes down to people who cant keep their mouths shut and just accept everyone is different. Like when they call small people jockeys or tall people basketball players its just laziness and not thinking about the person inside.

And yes people do say rude things to fat people all the time- maybe not always overtly but definitely rude to them such as making comments about diet and food etc.

Answer 14

this is because being skinny is not as bad as being fat...if u are skinny it means u are active, and saying 'u r skinny' is usually considered as a praise..(but it isnt a praise)it is a comment.and being fat means u r lazy and do not do enough excercise to burn calories...so as we compare -being active is better than being lazy..

Hope you Understood.

Thanks!

Answer 15

Girl , i get that all the time too . Mainly it's from people who are jealous. just brush it off, they just want you to feel bad about your body because they are mad they are fat.

Answer 16

Its just that skinny is more accepted as attractive than fat. Because skinny is what's shown in magazines etc as beautiful, therefore calling someone skinny could be because of jealousy, or someone feeling spiteful, or just considered water off a ducks back for a skinny person, not hurtfiul.

But there's no reason for people to call u that, u shouldn't have to feel that way. Its not fair. It seems roles r switching n skinny people r teased.

I had a friend that tried so hard to put on weight, she even took steroids, but they just made her face fat n nothing else :s I'm jealous of her lean legs n concave stomach, she's jealous of my aility to chieve muffin tops n b***s.

Its not right.

Not sure what u can do but tell people.

Answer 17

Well if u say someone that u r fat it means you're referring to his/her bad habit of eating too much.

Answer 18

Becuz:

http://www.crazyshit.com/site/pics/image...

Answer 19

That's a good question. A person once told me I was too skinny and then she becamse anorexic a year later. True story.

Answer 20

When you are told you are too thin, it's like they are trying to suggest something helpful, you have room in your stomach for food, don't worry about getting fat.

If I were thin and people kept telling me so, I wouldn't take as an insult. I'd take it as a compliment. You wouldn't want to be too fat, the insults are far more hurtful. When someone says a person is too fat, they generally mean that the person is useless and lazy, and that is why people say it: to insult someone.