Fat and proud?

[Jamieson 90]

I don't go out of my way to be mean to fat people, like I don't just randomly go up to fat people in the street and say "OMG YOU'RE MASSIVE! Just look at those rolls *pokes belly* god you must hate yourself!" etc, but do I think it's an attractive and healthy life style? No, definitely not.

Is fat acceptance a thing? I don't know but IF it is then I think it's a bad thing. You shouldn't be proud of being fat just as you shouldn't be proud of being a smoker or an alcoholic; they'll all have drastic negative effects on your health and those around you. Now of course some people might say that's taking it too far, but is it? Is it going too far when you need bigger ambulances, stretchers and hospital scanning equipment because you can't fit into it? Is is going too far when someone has to take up 2 seats on a plane or train because they can't otherwise fit? No I don't think it is.

The fact is that unless you have a medical condition that affects how you control your weight, then being fat is a choice, it's a lifestyle, and if you choose to live that way then you have to live with the consequences.

 

[Spineyguy]

Because of the unique way the internet works as a social platform, people will express all kinds of opinions that they don't really mean. Some people will act venomously to others because they don't consider a username and a profile picture to signify an actual human being, and others will say anything to protect themselves from the horror of self-criticism.

There is such a thing as 'fat acceptance', but it's actually quite rare. Just from the thirty or so overweight people I've known with any sort of intimacy, I'd say perhaps five of them were actually comfortable with their bodies. Personally I think this is a shame, because by and large it's a product of social pressures and an 'all or nothing' mentality that's prevalent in a lot of social spheres. The mob thinks that you either have to be at peak fitness or you're a fat, lazy slob with no morals, but when you actually talk to individuals you find much more complex and interesting opinions.

What it boils down to, anyway, is that western civilisation is constantly progressing in terms of the affordability, availability and nutrition of food(and other things, obviously). What this means is that people will engage in lifestyles which predispose them to being a certain size. Obviously each lifestyle has its advantages and disadvantages when it comes to overall longevity, overall enjoyment of life, overall wealth and the way in which others view the individual. What it boils down to is the internal struggle of ideals vs reality, ever has it been thus. The only reason some people get angry on behalf of themselves or others is because of the theoretical 'they', who we use as a scapegoat for unwelcome opinions that we hold ourselves.

None of it really matters. Health, weight, life-expectancy; none of it matters at all. People who've eaten nothing but cold rice and cycled 700 miles every day for their entire lives drop dead at 45, while my Nan ate what she wanted and drank half a bottle of brandy with every meal and lived to 96. Everything that supposedly tells you how healthy you are is just statistics. Happiness can't be measured, the UK government has proven this; because people want to think there's a right and wrong answer to every question. So when asked 'are you happy?', people lie. Whether or not you are happy is not something you tell other people, regardless of whether it pertains to your body-image, your career, finances, self-esteem or anything. It has to be a question you ask yourself and it has to be an answer you arrive at of your own accord. Attempts to derive self-esteem and acceptance from outside of your own head are futile and damaging.

 

[Adeptus Aspartem]

People being fat is a-ok as long as it doesn't become an economical problem for everyone.
For example if Switzerland had similar obesity/overweight rates like the US then people would probably start taxing weight or trying to impelement ways to reduce those numbers. Why? Because we've social health insurance and you can't expect all of society to pay the medical bills of the people with unhealthy eating habits.
The first thing that would happen would be a petition for a fine/fee ontop of your health insurance based on your weight. We already have those for smokers and depending on your age anyway.

So jeah: Being overweight/obese is (afaik) per definition unhealthy.

Then there's the other problem mutliple people already talked about. That people with normal weight (mostly women) are considered "fat" by some people because they're not ultra thin.
And that has to stay and at least over here i noticed a diffrence in the past decade. The super stick-thin models are no longer the beauty standard rather "slim but curvy" and the acceptance of "normal" is gettin' bigger steadily.
Nivea's ads usually display average women since a few years now - they're doing this deliberatly. And they're not alone anymore.

 

[Ihateregistering1]

I think the Fat Acceptance Movement was created with the idea of "don't shame fat people" (which is a good thing, as evidence has shown that fat shaming doesn't help people lose weight, and in fact often makes the problem worse). However, I feel like since then it has morphed into "there is nothing wrong with being fat EVER, and anyone who says otherwise is the equivalent of a racist" which (in addition to being an absurd leap of logic) is also scientifically and medically inaccurate.

The thing is, under normal circumstances I'd completely agree with all the folks saying "if someone is fat, who cares? It's not our business", but if you live in basically any industrialized country (The U.S. included), then the overweight population causes large increases in medical costs and other costs (often borne by taxpayers), so, in fact, it IS 'our business'. Hell, in the US alone the latest numbers say obesity adds around $150 to $190 billion in medical costs, and that's before you get into other costs:
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/09/25/obesity-high-mostly-hidden-costs/

Additionally, if you work with obese people (or have them under your employ) it can be problematic as well, as obese people are significantly more likely to miss work and to file workers compensation claims. Again, this costs others money as well:
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=412250

So while I do support the idea of not going out of your way to shame overweight people, telling people that there is absolutely nothing wrong with being overweight, and potentially even encouraging them to be that way (ie. 'big is beautiful!') helps neither them nor society at large.

 

[Thaluikhain]

And even if they were real do you think it's right to include them as part of your judgement of a fat acceptance movement? Does that person who thinks they're Japanese colour your views on racial discrimination? Do you judge any group or movement by its worst members?

Of course not.

That's social justice for you: you think it's too crazy and they're just joking, while they're serious about it.

Not really, transfats and so on really, really piss social justice types off, and aren't taken remotely seriously by anyone who isn't claiming to be transfats.

 

[ShinyCharizard]

Damn..... I've been reading through some of the comments in that article and the follow-up one..........

I didn't think it was possible for people to be that stupid. There are some hilariously wrong opinions in that thread. Just utterly wrong.

OT:

Personally, I think the idea that people shouldn't belittle people who are overweight is fair. But the movement has been hijacked by people who seem to think being overweight or obese is something to be proud of. That is fucking stupid, utterly fucking moronic and laughable.

 

[rosac]

I'm going to catch a lot of flack of this but- You shouldn't be proud of being fat.

Now by fat I mean SERIOUSLY overweight, not just like a roll. If you become a burden for your own body just because of how fat you are, then stop. That's nothing to be proud of in my mind. Your lack of action has caused this. There are wheelchair bound body builders, and they can stay in shape without legs to run- the easiest form of cardio I can think of.

Sorry, it just frustrates me. For the record I weigh 60kg and am 5'9" I'm aiming to turn the fat I have into muscle in order to improve at my sport, as well as to bulk my noodle arms so I can actually wear vests. yes, I am very very vain and self conscious at times.

 

[Nowhere Man]

Spoiler: For proof, here is a picture of a real plus sized model Robyn Lawley.

That's what's considered plus size now a days? Good lord she's heavenly!

As with anything, there are terrifying extremists within the movement that make it look unhealthy.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/t1.0-9/1622018_598919266885330_8266436300003849763_n.jpg

Thank's for the good laugh. I needed that today