Is obesity becoming to normalised

[Unhinged]

So I was browsing the news while I was bored at work and came across this article that is trying to normalise bad health. Do you think the accepting of obesity has gone to far. If tgis role was reversed amd was about anorexia there would be outrage.

Link: http://www.abc.net.au/news/health/20...f-talk/9071462

Fat talk: Have you considered that what you say about your body could hurt others?


It's not often that a trending story about a fat person doesn't leave me feeling worse about the state of the world.

So you can imagine my surprise when earlier in the year, there was a public outcry in defence of fat people.

Ladies, We Need To Talk


ladies we need to talk promo
Listen to the full conversation between Bec Shaw, Yumi Stynes and Ally Garrett in the podcast episode Fat Talk.

It came after Mamamia boss Mia Freedman revealed private requests made on behalf of author Roxane Gay, who was in Australia to promote Hunger, a book about Gay's life and identity as a fat woman.

It wasn't just that Freedman disclosed these requests, but that she did so in a tone-deaf and fatphobic manner.

Her treatment of Gay was atrocious, and the outcry against Freedman was widespread and swift.

As a fat woman in Australia, I was genuinely surprised that so many people came out in defence of a fat person, because in my experience that simply never happens.

I was also astonished that so many people were taken aback at Gay's treatment, seemingly unaware that fat people face this kind of dehumanising and awful behaviour every single day.

Taking up space
For the crime of simply existing in my body, going about my day, moving through the world, and taking up space, I encounter revulsion, discrimination, hatred, and abuse.

I cannot describe how much of my time and energy is taken up trying to make myself smaller, trying not to impinge on anyone else, trying my best to avoid receiving the look of disgust that affixes itself to stranger's faces as we cross paths.

But at some point, I realised it doesn't matter how conscientious I am or how much effort I put in, people will dismiss me, judge me, and hate me anyway.

There is no way I can act that will appease the people on the internet who wish death upon fat people, or the man who flicked a cigarette at me and called me a "fat bitch" as I simply walked down a Sydney street.

These people are not alone in the hatred for all things fat; they are simply more overt.

What is your experience with fat talk? We're keen to continue the conversation. Email us at ladies@abc.net.au

A moral failing
We're all taught that fat is wrong, a moral failing. Women especially are taught that being fat is the worst thing you can be in life.

These lessons, they start when we're young. They happen everywhere and can involve anyone.

If you're not sure what I mean, let me share with you some scenes from my life.

I recently discussed these with Yumi Stynes and Ally Garrett in the ABC podcast Ladies, We Need To Talk.

'I think you've had enough of those; you don't want to grow up and be fat like your aunty!'
My aunt said this to me when I was seven. I wasn't fat yet. We were at family Christmas lunch.

My brother had just grabbed a handful of jelly snakes from the bowl, and I was choosing my favourites.

Her comments made me feel like I had done something wrong, but I couldn't quite understand what it was.

Maybe she was trying to warn me, or even save me, but all she did was help set me up to feel bad about food, and wrong in my body.

That's the through line with this sort of thing, whether it's about yourself or someone else — it's not going to make someone stay thin, or get thin.

Child's hand grabbing snakes from a bowl
I was choosing my favourites. (ABC)
'This size 10 doesn't fit. I am so fat, I want to die'
I heard this often when I went clothes shopping with my friends in high school. An experience that was a particular form of hell for me, because I was a fat teenager.

Fat talk harms


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Four in five women experience "fat talk" in an average week, and that people talk negatively about their own appearance as much as they talk about the appearance of others.

None of the clothes everyone liked fit me. So I would tail along, never trying anything on, and nobody else suggesting I do.

There were the discussions of how fat everyone felt, how they needed to lose weight before summer, how they didn't want to go up a size because it would be the end of the world, how having a bigger body would destroy their lives.

This happened while I was standing there, their peer and friend, much fatter than they would ever be.

All the while my tenuous belief that even though I was fat I was still worthy of love and respect was worn down with each remark about their own bodies.

There was always a clear message. Being fat as a teenage girl was the absolute worst thing you could be.

They were taught to hate fatness more than they hated hurting me. They were taught to be scared.

'If I had cancer, at least I'd be skinny'
I heard this at a party while I was at uni. I was very drunk on cheap white wine, lying on a friend's bedroom floor, with several other drunk young women.

A friend of a friend told us that she had been sleeping with a guy we all knew, but he didn't want anyone to know about it.

She said this was because she was fat, and he was embarrassed about his attraction to her.

I'd heard this before. Lots of men feel ashamed that they might have the hots for a fat woman. It's seen as pathetic to stoop that low. Why would you do something so disgusting?

So fat girls and women enter relationships where they can easily be made to feel less than disposable, or like they should be grateful someone will be with them.

The conversation pressed on, and this woman got more and more upset about how fat she was, and how unattractive she was made to feel.

She ended up in tears, and said that in her darkest moments she had hoped she would get sick, because if she had cancer at least she would be thin.

She wanted to have cancer, instead of being fat.

I was lying near her on the floor, living in a body much bigger than hers.

Her words made me feel worthless, like maybe I shouldn't bother even being alive.

'No, I can't have cake, I'm on a diet'
"I'm trying to lose weight for summer"; "I put on two kilos, I'm so disgusting"; "I need to lose weight before I go back on Tinder."

These comments are just everywhere. In every workplace. In every friendship group. Women being so hard on themselves and their bodies, not considering how the negative self-talk might be affecting everyone around them.

As a fat person, you are subject to insults and abuse from people who think you're disgusting, and don't care if you feel bad.

You also have to deal with not being able to buy clothes, catch a flight without stress, and all the other ways the world is not set up for you to live in it.

You deal with all the shitty ways you're represented in the media.

You deal with discrimination from doctors, and employers.

Be kinder to yourself, and each other
The part that wears you down most is hearing the insidious fat-hating stuff from the people you care about.

It's making fat jokes. It's being served smaller portions than your brother so you don't put on weight. It's the judgment dressed up as unwanted health advice.

It's the insidious nature of the beast, the power of fat-hate that you encounter day after day.

It starts early, and it never seems to stop. We tell ourselves that the worst thing we can be is fat, that it's a kind of moral failing.

If all of this is true for them, even though they are thinner than you — there's only so long you can hold out, before you start to believe they hate you too.

Come as you are to fat yoga


Pic for fat yoga teaser
Mainstream yoga classes filled with lithe, athletic-looking Anglo women are leaving people with bigger frames feeling intimidated and excluded, writes Hayley Gleeson.

I know that friends and the people around me, those who participate in negative self-talk about fatness or their own bodies, aren't trying to hurt me.

They are simply products of a society that has taught them that their bodies are wrong, and that fatness is especially wrong.

It has taught them to be scared of being fat; it has taught them that self-worth is inextricably linked to how thin they are.

All I ask is that we try to be more thoughtful, and that we try to consider how we can begin to break this cycle.

The first step, I think, is being kinder to yourself. Negative self-talk might help you feel better in the moment as you seek camaraderie, or reassurance, but it only has negative effects in the long run.

None of what has been described actually helps people remain thin, or get thin.

All it does is create a ping-pong effect of negative feelings about our bodies.

We teach our girls to be focused on worrying about getting fat, instead of being healthy and strong.

And we teach fat people that they aren't worthy of respect, or love.

[Radaney]

I mean she seems to be having a lot of issues with being fat.

So maybe she should just..not be fat.

Being fat is mostly a choice. Very rarely do people have a irreversible or unconquerable medical issue that causes them to be undeniably fat.

You'd think having all these issues would be very motivating to go running and have a better diet but I guess the laziness and self control is just too hard?

Can't exactly be sympathetic.

[belfpala]

Being fat is mostly a choice.

She can't choose the fundamental laws of physics, but has to live with them. If energy in exceeds energy out, the excess must be staying somewhere.

That said, "shaming" in general is not a good way to get people to change behavior.

[Radaney]

She can't choose the fundamental laws of physics, but has to live with them. If energy in exceeds energy out, the excess must be staying somewhere.

That said, "shaming" in general is not a good way to get people to change behavior.

Yeh I know, this applies to all of us and we're not all fat. It's a choice to eat like shit and not do enough exercise.

Trying to get sympathy explaining all the societal and physical issues you have being fat is hilarious because you'd think it'd motivate you to no longer be fat but apparently not.

[Selky]

*googles the article author*

Just as I expected, why am I not surprised.

[Deleted]

We are masters of justifying bad habits, no matter how dire

But I often times think about it, and I don't exactly recall a period where we were particularly against it either. We didn't exactly confront every fat person that we would come across, and often times wouldn't actually touch upon the aspect of them being overweight. But we didn't have the same exposure to the notion of it being unhealthy that we have today, and I think that creates a somewhat interesting perspective that only once we really learned about its adverse affects on health did we have more judgement about it (same with smoking really). A good example is people even older than myself (no age-shaming!) because they'll often times tell a pretty standard slightly skinny person that they need to eat more, simply because being skinny wasn't the best indicator of ones status.

Anyways, I do understand a certain aspect of not shaming, simply because it doesn't have a universal responds of wanting to better ones situation, and can actually have adverse reflexes. But on the other hand, we do have to deal with the reality that being obese (and I am talking hanging guts, not just a slight bit of fat on the belly), is not a healthy life style and that we need to encourage such people to loose weight. But again, a universal method is yet to be created and we do also have a situation of a world where we are more and more sedentary and that our food contains more and more calories.

Lastly, I think in general its mostly just the exposure of a continuously connected world that means that we come across these case more, because as I started out with, we are masters of justifying bad habits, we just haven't had that opportunity to hear of them before.

[MonsieuRoberts]

Becoming?

I think North & South America specifically are long beyond obesity "becoming" normalized.

[Gestopft]

You'd think having all these issues would be very motivating to go running and have a better diet but I guess the laziness and self control is just too hard?

If it was that easy we'd have far fewer fat people. It's not just a combination of patience, willpower, and lifestyle changes, but the vicious cycle of frustration and unhappiness is hard to overcome.

It's easier to do right by yourself if you aren't full of shame and self-loathing.

[Jonnusthegreat]

We are masters of justifying bad habits, no matter how dire

But I often times think about it, and I don't exactly recall a period where we were particularly against it either. We didn't exactly confront every fat person that we would come across, and often times wouldn't actually touch upon the aspect of them being overweight. But we didn't have the same exposure to the notion of it being unhealthy that we have today, and I think that creates a somewhat interesting perspective that only once we really learned about its adverse affects on health did we have more judgement about it (same with smoking really). A good example is people even older than myself (no age-shaming!) because they'll often times tell a pretty standard slightly skinny person that they need to eat more, simply because being skinny wasn't the best indicator of ones status.

Anyways, I do understand a certain aspect of not shaming, simply because it doesn't have a universal responds of wanting to better ones situation, and can actually have adverse reflexes. But on the other hand, we do have to deal with the reality that being obese (and I am talking hanging guts, not just a slight bit of fat on the belly), is not a healthy life style and that we need to encourage such people to loose weight. But again, a universal method is yet to be created and we do also have a situation of a world where we are more and more sedentary and that our food contains more and more calories.

Lastly, I think in general its mostly just the exposure of a continuously connected world that means that we come across these case more, because as I started out with, we are masters of justifying bad habits, we just haven't had that opportunity before.

I agree with almost everything you wrote, except this piece. Food always contains the same amount of calories, people are just more oblivious to the fact that tastier food typically has more calories. If you are fat, you either care about it or don't. Without pressure, why care? Fat acceptance leads to more people being fat because it is no longer considered a problem or based on environment - "it's just who I am!"

[LiiLoSNK]

It's pretty normal to see fat people when I leave my house.

[Gestopft]

I agree with almost everything you wrote, except this piece. Food always contains the same amount of calories, people are just more oblivious to the fact that tastier food typically has more calories.

Added sugars are a thing. They weren't always as big of a thing.

[Underverse]

It reads like a blog post.

People should be discouraged from being overweight. But not insulted for it.

[Jonnusthegreat]

Added sugars are a thing. They weren't always as big of a thing.

And sugar always has the same amount of calories. People just don't read labels and/or they aren't intelligent enough to read labels and/or they are deliberately misleading in certain countries.

[Deleted]

I agree with almost everything you wrote, except this piece. Food always contains the same amount of calories, people are just more oblivious to the fact that tastier food typically has more calories. If you are fat, you either care about it or don't. Without pressure, why care? Fat acceptance leads to more people being fat because it is no longer considered a problem or based on environment - "it's just who I am!"

You are right and it isn't stated that well. What I meant is accessibility to calorie high food. When I was young candy bars, chips and soda wasn't exactly the most common thing in stores and considered to some extend a more luxury item to purchase. But even something normal like rice and spaghetti becoming more prominent to eat with dinner, instead of potatoes, and in about the same portions, even though they can contain twice and thrice as many calories.

[Halyon]

Yo...you're not Tennisace! What is this heresy?!

Anyway, OT; Pervasive, negative talk does do harm in the long run... If all you get is insults, dirty looks and condescension, even in some cases when you actually try to do something about your weight, it stressed people right the fuck out. It takes a lot of effort to loose weight if it's based in your normal dietary and exercise routines. Humans are animals of habits, and changing them isn't as easy for everyone as a lot of people are claiming all the time.

Yes, being overweight tends to be by choice, conscious or not. It can be due to work schedule not allowing for proper exercise, and knowledge of nutrition not being adequate to compensate, or simply not giving a shite (obviously, these people won't care if you berate them either).

Point is, most of the time, you won't get far by being a cunt to people over their weight. If they don't care, you're just a cunt talking shit about someone. If they care, you're the cunt who possibly makes them feel worse about themselves, causing them more stress. And this is a valid point with how goddamned pervasive this negative attitude over what other people do with their lives is. You don't like to look at them? Look away or ignore them. And don't tell people what to do uninvited either, if they're strangers. You don't know their circumstances, and assuming things is just dumb.

Is being obese bad for your health? Yes it is. So's being terrified of being percieved as overweight if you're not. Or if you are overweight, it's stressing. Stress isn't healthy. But I know some people will just say 'get over it and go to the gym'. Get over yourself. Contribute to a positive mindset and help people instead of being cunts who put people down, it only makes yourself look worse than their weight does them, if at all.

And sugar always has the same amount of calories. People just don't read labels and/or they aren't intelligent enough to read labels and/or they are deliberately misleading in certain countries.

People aren't always told how to properly read labels either. And even then, the main problem is portion sizes when we eat. That was one thing that surprised me when I started with a personal trainer. 'Healthy' portion sizes are a fair bit smaller than 'normal' portion sizes. It's easy to over-eat nowadays.

[pionock]

I think obesity is one of those things that shame is necessary. But it needs to be on a personal level. I needed to feel shame when I was highly overweight; to get the motivation to finally do something. We should never encourage bad lifestyles, but we should also properly educate on what foods contain, nutrition wise, and how to dial in what you need for your body.

The one excuse I can't stand is the glandular one. Even if your thyroid is messed up, you can mitigate the results as best as you can. Nobody is obese because of a pure glandular issue.

[Total Crica]

I needed to feel shame

Everyone responds differently to different things. Shame me about my weight and you will just get stared at while I continue to live my life not giving a shit about what you think about my weight. I have no reason to give a shit about what you think about my weight, you see.

[Katie N]

Everyone responds differently to different things. Shame me about my weight and you will just get stared at while I continue to live my life not giving a shit about what you think about my weight. I have no reason to give a shit about what you think about my weight, you see.

For someone who doesn't care you seem to be very involved with telling people you don't care. xD

[Stelio Kontos]

A lot of bad behaviors are being normalized. Why focus on just obesity?

What about the junkies? The folks having unprotected sex with random partners? Idiot drivers? Smokers (both nicotine and marijuana)?

And something doesn't have to be normalized for me to mind my own business and not act like an asshole to someone. It's none of my business if someone else is overweight, or a smoker, or promiscuous.

[Total Crica]

For someone who doesn't care you seem to be very involved with telling people you don't care. xD

Just because I don't have a reason to give a shit about what someone thinks about my weight doesn't mean I don't give a shit about anything at all, so I am not seeing your point.