I’m promoting obesity booga booga
So there’s a woman who is actively trying to become the fattest person ever. Predictably, some idiot blames the Fat Acceptance and Health at Every Size® community in general and me specifically. (Warning the next quote may be triggering, feel free to skip it).
I’m hope your [sic] happy that you and your “fat acceptance” friends and your stupid blog that nobody reads is going to kill this woman because you’re too busy promoting obesity to care about people’s health.
Zero points were awarded to this quote for logical argument. Either nobody reads my blog or it’s to blame for the behavior of perfect strangers. But let’s move on…
My friends and I do get accused of promoting obesity reasonably often so let’s just break it down.
First of all, from my perspective HAES and Fat Acceptance are based on three pillars:
- Everybody deserves respect.
- Health is multi-dimensional and not entirely under a person’s control. Our best chance for health is healthy behaviors, not trying to fit a specific height/weight ratio.
- We get to decide what health means for us, how high a priority it is in our lives, and what constitute healthy behaviors for us. Nobody else has the right to make these decisions or judge these decisions.
Based on that, it’s none of my business if this woman wants to become the fattest woman in the world or the thinnest. Just like I don’t get to control people who want to deep sea dive to the deepest point ever, or climb Mount Everest, or swim from Cuba to the US without a shark cage or whatever.
I can’t help but wonder, though, if — as a society — we weren’t so obsessed with weight, would people be trying to achieve extremes of large and small bodies. If we were comfortable with bodies of all sizes, would people even think to try to make theirs the biggest or the smallest? Or would we focus on keeping our bodies healthy? I don’t have any answers to this, but I sure am curious.
fiercefatties
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vesta44
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lexiedi
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dr deah
shaunta
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The Smokin' Deist
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drpattiethomas
“If we were comfortable with bodies of all sizes, would people even think to try to make theirs the biggest or the smallest? ”
I think not.
* Fat Acceptance does not “make people obese…” nor does it “promote obesity”.
* (our) Cultural bias, hatred and discrimination simply makes obese people an acceptable and very easy TARGET / SCAPEGOAT.
* It’s the culture we live in (and allow to be perpetuated) that simply can’t accept fat acceptance attitudes.
Side note; just this morning I’ve begun reading Heath At Every Size for the second time… I’m getting revved up all over again! Thank you, Linda Bacon (and Kindle!)
Just in case my comment comes off as … argumentative… I didn’t mean it that way at all! I like DancesWithFat’s post and agree with it wholeheartedly.
The only time I will stand for against women who want to be “the fattest” in the world, is when they have children to care for. An innocent child in need of many things all kids deserve while being raised by a mother who can’t physically get out of bed or walk around properly, of course I will have an issue with that.
“If we were comfortable with bodies of all sizes, would people even think to try to make theirs the biggest or the smallest?”
Yes, of course they would.
It’s because people try for extremes in all kinds of venues, so there’s no reason to think they would forego this one. If they don’t come by these extremes naturally they will make an effort to achieve them. Thus, you have the man with the longest mustache or woman with the longest fingernail.
And yes, many people would cheerfully sacrifice health to get something else they want out of life.
I’m not with you on #1. I don’t believe everyone deserves respect. All I can say is that I believe that respect should be a default, and that if you disrespect a person, they’d better have done something evil to warrant it. Being fat is not nearly a sufficient reason for disrespect.
I’m not even totally with you on #3. There are some cases where someone else should step in, such as when the person in question is a minor or suffers from dementia. But fully functional and nonfunctional are just the ends of a long continuum, and where do you draw the line?
You know what? If supporting the idea of including fat people in society in every way is promoting obesity, then I’m promoting obesity. Yup! I admit it, I’m responsible for the entire Promote Obesity campaign! (Note to CC: only kidding here, but amuses me to imagine that people think I have that much power.)
I’m going to call my campaign Promote Obesity With Every Resource, just because it makes a rockin’ acronym.
Ashley permalink
September 1, 2024 3:29 pm
The only time I will stand for against women who want to be “the fattest” in the world, is when they have children to care for. An innocent child in need of many things all kids deserve while being raised by a mother who can’t physically get out of bed or walk around properly, of course I will have an issue with that.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fat phobia rears it’s ugly head!
It’s for the children!!! ((snortlaugh))
So, does that extend to people with disabilitys too Ashley? Because some of them may not have full mobility either.
I would guess that most parents would have/find a way to take care of their kids either a partner or helpers maybe family, otherwise they’d be bad parents and being a bad parent does not equal having limited mobility. Kind of like you’d expect people who engage in dangerous hobbys should plan for their kids futures if their(the parents) hobby kills them(the parents). I also wouldn’t think being very large would absolutely take ones mobility away.
I think people might engage in size records because people just do stuff like that, I mean why the largest elastic band ball? I think the perception of it would be different though, not such an idea of horror at it.
I wonder if this is the same person you are talking of http://jezebel.com/5836598/worlds-heaviest-mom-decides-to-start-weight-loss-blog .
Have you seen the cover of the Lane Bryant magalog?! It shows partially clad plus-sized women. They’re getting so many complaints because people don’t think fat naked women can be sexy. Check out their Facebook page
Even if you are promoting obesity the diet industry is promoting anorexia and anorexia kills. Keep doing what you are doing!!!
I agree. There is nothing wrong with promoting obesity.
George Carlin was such a fat hater
Yes he was (an avid fat hater). George was usually right-on when it came to observational comedy - including many of Americans’ habits, politics and overt consumerism.
However, when it came to fat people, George was just plain ol’ *hateful* in his stereotypical tirade against them… George got a little bitter and hateful as he aged. :: shrugs::
Latest fat-hating, statistic-fabricating, bullshit article to run on AOL/Huffington Post about the scourge of the earth; Fat People:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/11/normalizing-obesity_n_956111.html
I’m always reading about how us fatties are raising the cost of medical care with our diabetes and other maladies and while that may be true in the short term, in the long run we actually cost the system less because we die sooner according to them. I wish they’d make up their minds.
Newsflash, Don, it’s not even true in the short term….
As a matter of fact, it is more common for most fat people to AVOID doctors - for any and all but the most dire circumstances (usually an emergency situation). They do not commonly run to the doctor for every cold, or any brief or minor aches or pains they may have.
One reason for that is because they don’t want to be treated badly or lectured to about being ‘too fat’; while their symptoms are dismissed — merely attributed to being too fat.
Another reason is because a large majority of fat people are in lower income brackets and health insurance is pretty hard to come by. Can’t afford to run to the doctor for every little thing. So no, until a hard-cold-facts *reliable* study comes out to prove that old chestnut, I’m not going to buy the idea that fat people raise the cost of health care…
Beware Fab, I smell a troll.
Peace,
Shannon
actually, I think Fat Bastard has used ths alias before no?
I’d still like to learn what they (GurlyGirl or Don Wand) mean by “promoting obesity” whether they think there’s anything wrong with that or not. I’ve never known a fat acceptor to do that.
I know Shannon… the pseudo-porn name was an immediate tip-off.
But I had a few minutes to spare.
http://fivehundredpoundpeeps.blogspot.com/2011/08/another-woman-wants-worlds-fattest.html
I have no respect for these women, they are poster children for the schizophrenic society we live in. Why defend this? That woman is seriously ill or doing a PR stunt.
While I don’t have much of a reaction to women actually striving to be the fattest of them all (except for maybe ”Uh, why?”) but I have to agree…what’s the point of televising it to the world?
We are just as healthy if not healthier than skinny folks.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_T9qRRconOdI/SZj6U9qDc9I/AAAAAAAAACI/RfB3ntKh_3E/S230/Eliz.jpg
Post a link to the cold hard facts for this troll that shoots down this ABC News anti fat propaganda.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=8184975&page=1
Almost 10 Percent of U.S. Medical Costs Tied to Obesity
MONDAY, July 27 (HealthDay News) — Obesity in the United States now carries the hefty price tag of $147 billion per year in direct medical costs, just over 9 percent of all medical spending, experts report.
In fact, people who are obese spend almost $1,500 more each year on health care — about 41 percent more than an average-weight person. Beyond those costs are the disability and early deaths caused by obesity, Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a press conference Monday.
Start here, “Big Mikey”…. (Nearly) everything you need to know about the Obesity Myth under one cover. All studies are sufficiently cited; and sources are both independent and respected. Apply even an ounce of critical thinking skills, and it’s easy to determine which is more believable- mainstream/corporate controlled/diet industry funded MEDIA, or:
http://www.obesitymyths.com/downloads/ObesityMyths.pdf
Fat BastardBigMikey,I’m attempting to get access to the study for this report. I’ve been wanting to read up on obesity medical costs anyway. In the meantime, here’s a great explanation of why obesity is not driving up healthcare costs: http://www.healthbeatblog.com/2010/09/no-obesity-is-not-driving-health-care-inflation-part-1.html
Peace,
Shannon
I’ve read that great book by Paul Campos. It took a lawyer and not some fat hating scientist or fat hating surgeon general to show that there really isn’t an obesity epidemic in the US. Compared to 30 or 40 years ago the so called obesity rate may actually be lower now than it was then. The reason we see so many more big folks is that they are less shamed now than they were then. This is not to say that fat hatred is still not around it is, but thanks to the highly effective efforts of the fat liberation movement we have eliminated a lot of it.
Fat Bastard? I love it! That Mike Meyers character was a scream and I can be a real fat bastard when need be.
Thank you Shannon for bust the fat people cost the health care system more myth.
Shannon with all due respect you posted a link to a site that bashes fat people and Big Mikey politely pointed it out.
Are you saying that there is an obesity epidemic. The article in the link you posted clearly states that there is an obesity epidemic and Paul Campos says that it is all a myth. Where is your stance? It’s a simple question Shannon. Is there an obesity epidemic? Yes? No?
I find it a bit disturbing that someone points out what you posted was clearly anti fat and you accuse that person of being a troll. You are losing credibility. Then you further compound it by insulting BigMickey and posting off topic drivel.
The FA movement has stalled and this sort of senseless infighting and paranoid suspicion is why. Please try being a bit more rational. Nothing Big Mickey said was trollish in the least. It WAS very supportive and accurate.
Lori/Big Mikey/Fat Bastard,
You realize that you have written here so frequently that, sadly, I’ve grown all too familiar with your stylometry. I’ve most recently exposed your idiotic attempt to use at least five personae at once. Today I verified with Elizabeth Fisher that this comment was not submitted by her, and I have seen you use Ms. Fisher’s identity previously for trolling purposes. Your first “Big Mikey” post came just minutes after your Fisher post, which happens every time you get a wild hair up your ass to troll us, which happens WAY too much for a guy who is supposedly a fitness buff… go climb a fucking cliff and jump off already. You post one pseudonymous comment, then quickly post another because you don’t have the patience to wait and see if we bought it.
You’re an idiot, Fat Bastard. And the worst kind of idiot, too. You’re an idiot who thinks he’s clever. From here on out, I’m not going to hesitate to delete your crap the minute I decide that it’s you. Soon we will implement a registration system, which will put another barrier between you and FIerce Fatties. You’re a sad, stupid little man who needs mental help. The amount of energy you have put into that ridiculous blog that nobody reads, let alone the countless hours you spend trolling both FA and fitness sites, is not healthy in the least. You need help.
Finally, to answer your questions: no, there is not an obesity epidemic. Obesity rates leveled off for women and children in 1999 and for men in 2003. There was a shift in the average weight of this nation of about 7 to 9 pounds, but it seems we have reached a saturation point. If NHANES finds an increase at their next report, I’ll stand corrected. But for now, it seems that even if this is an epidemic, it has reached its peak.
As far as the post I linked to, I never said obese people don’t cost more, but I do challenge the assertion that obesity costs the country upwards of $100 billion per year, as the methodology used to calculate those estimates are highly flawed and include double counting of diseases and the misleading inclusion of all metabolic disorders as caused by obesity. Just as the CDC’s initial estimate of 400,000 deaths was the work of statistical shenanigans, I believe the costs of obesity have been manipulated to be as shockingly high as they can be. I won’t know for sure, though, until I have a copy of the report in hand.
This is our space and we have no interest in entertaining trolls, even for the sake of public evisceration. But, quite frankly, you are the only troll we have, except when you beg your buddies to join you. Nobody cares what you have to say and nobody wants to read it. So, go play somewhere else while the grownups have a real conversation.
Peace,
Shannon
Hey Lori,
I side with Campos 100%! Shannon did not read the article because if he had read past the title he would have seen it for BS that it is.
Shannon like crying troll when somebody points out where he screwed up. He posted the link and he is calling me a troll for posting what was in it.
If Shannon were honest and truly a fierce fatty he’d allow the fat haters on her and then kick the shit out of them. He’s not all that fierce I guess.
I watched the TeaTard debates the other night and I loved it when they ran their ignorant mouths. The best way to promote fat lib is to let the fat haters talk freely and then hoist them on their own pitard!!
C’mon Shannon, show some balls!!!!!
Mikey,
I saw how they cheered when one of them shouted let him die when referring to an uninsured patient. It was disgusting. Wolf Blitzer nailed them! Your point is well taken. I liken the teabaggers to fat haters. I say let them run their mouths.
You have great wisdom. We need to take the fight to the fat haters. Anyone who runs and won’t confront them is a coward. I say to the fat haters.. BRING IT ON! We are ready for you!
Lori
I quit going on Big Fat Blog because they started accusing everyone of being a troll. They turned off a lot of fat people with their closed mindedness. We fatties are not monolithic. Fat guys are woefully under represented in the movement as are most women.
Fat people need a voice but it needs to be a coherent one.
Okay, so we’re realizing that Lori and BigMikey are one and the same right?
Here is the link Shanon http://www.healthbeatblog.com/2010/09/no-obesity-is-not-driving-health-care-inflation-part-1.html
I most certainly read the article.
Here is the second paragraph: “It is true that obesity has become epidemic. As the CBO study points out, “From 1987 to 2007 the share of adult Americans who are obese has more than doubled –from 13 percent to 28 percent.” Over the same span, the amount that we spend on health problems associated with obesity has soared: “health care spending per adult grew substantially in all weight categories between 1987 and 2007,” the researchers write, but “the rate of growth was much more rapid among the obese. Spending per capita for obese adults exceeded spending for adults of normal weight by about 8 percent in 1987 and by about 38% in 2007.”
The article continues: “Here is the quote, verbatim, and in context: “if recent trends in adults’ body weight continue, by 2020, the share of obese adults would reach 37 percent. Projected spending per capita would be $7,760—about 3 percent higher” than it would be if obesity rates remain where they are today.”
It say that there is an obesity epidemic! It says that obesity will be 37% by 2020. It says that will raise the cost of health care by 3%. Since by 2020 25% of our GDP will be health care 3% is a huge number. Why are you promoting and defending this lie.
THERE IS NO OBESITY EPIDEMIC!!
Pricilla,
Read the article and stop being part of this witch hunt.
Do you agree with Shannon that there is an Obesity epidemic or do you agree with Paul Campos? I agree with Paul Campos author of the Obesity Myth.
Before you judge me, read the article. Think for yourself.
Shannon, did you read the whole article? It sounds like a little bait and switch fat hate bingo to me.
QUOTE: “It is true that obesity has become epidemic. As the CBO study points out, “From 1987 to 2007 the share of adult Americans who are obese has more than doubled –from 13 percent to 28 percent.” Over the same span, the amount that we spend on health problems associated with obesity has soared: “health care spending per adult grew substantially in all weight categories between 1987 and 2007,” the researchers write, but “the rate of growth was much more rapid among the obese. Spending per capita for obese adults exceeded spending for adults of normal weight by about 8 percent in 1987 and by about 38% in 2007.”
Maybe you should have read it more carefully. It is pure fat hatred and fat phobic double talk.
BigMikey,
I don’t believe for one minute that you aren’t a troll and that you aren’t Fat Bastard. You’ve already posted multiple comments on obesity and health care under multiple names and the only reason I haven’t deleted this as well is that it isn’t patently insulting. This is a subject I will definitely be addressing in the near future as soon as I get my hands on the actual study.
Obviously you didn’t read the link I provided, otherwise you would have a better grasp of the multiple health care issues that have resulted in rising rates, including the skyrocketing number of malpractice lawsuits. My father-in-law was nearly driven from our town by the cost of multi-million dollar malpractice insurance and it was only when the hospital agreed to cover those charges that he stayed.
Simplifying this issue as the fault of fat people is over-simplistic and childish, which is exactly what I would expect from you.
Peace,
Shannon
Good call Mickey! That article is exactly what you say it is and apparently you pointing that out bruised somebody’s ego.
BTW, who do you side with Dr Paul Campos who says there is no obesity epidemic or the fat hater who wrote the article that says there is?
That article is what you said it is, fat hatred and fat phobic double talk.