Quote:
Originally Posted by Novelist2B
Fat lives matter. Nobody's debating that. There should be no distinction between the value of a thin person and fat person.
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But surely in saying that there should not be facilities suitable for fat people (the term 'fatties' makes me uncomfortable as it is generally derogatory) like airplane seats or restaurant booths etc, aren't you saying that fat people DO have less value, that they don't deserve to use airplanes or go to certain restaurants, or other things. I have no problem with an airline charging more for a larger seat size, or a car company making a car for a particular market - but if YOU do and you limit companies from pursuing that market then you're imposing a punishment on the obese for their perceived sin.
How do you feel about adaptations made for disabled people? Special seating, parking spaces, toilets etc - do you object to those adaptations too or do you believe they are OK?
I think the issue at hand is as Ken very eloquently says is about whether you believe someone is to blame for their condition or not and if they are doing anything to help it.
Let me give you two examples:
A fat woman 450lbs, suffered serious abuse throughout childhood, suffers repeated bouts of depression, has PCOS, an eating disorder, but has tried and tried and tried to lose weight, but the depression, metabolic disorder and eating disorder all make things really, really difficult.
A 'normal' size woman is disabled and in a wheelchair following a car accident where she was drunk driving. she could walk if she put in the effort with the physiotherapy but she suffers depression and lacks the motivation to do the work.
My point with these examples is that you can look at a person and not know their history, their circumstances or their barriers to health. Sadly there is an automatic assumption when looking at a fat person that they are solely responsible for their own circumstances, and that a 'normal' size person in a wheelchair is there through no fault of their own. And I feel that you are falling into this trap with fat people - there is a strong sense of blame to the things you write.
There are so many different elements to obesity, maybe we should treat the morbidly obese with compassion as we would someone with any other health condition. Childhood sexual abuse and childhood trauma are a big predictor of morbid obesity as an adult. People with mental health problems often struggle with their weight in both directions. Medications can trigger large weight gains. Women with PCOS who are obese often struggle to lose weight and can gain weight suddenly and easily. Menopause can cause huge issues with weight gain and difficulties with loss. And this is before we get into all of the incorrect information regarding nutrition that has been fed to the public.
How do you judge which are the fat people to blame for their conditions and which ones get a 'pass' due to their other conditions, and who makes that judgement (you can't tell just by looking). Maybe they could get a special card that they present to show they are deserving of larger seating, or to give to those verbally abusing them, to show they're not one of 'those' fat people.
We shouldn't celebrate morbid obesity any more than we should celebrate any other abnormal adverse health condition. But just like we wouldn't try to ostracise a person with a disability or health condition, (we take steps to ensure they are included) we shouldn't limit obese people's access to the world. This is a health issue, not a terrible sin that they have committed.