102 replies to this topic

[Mishelle]

I came across this tumblr http://thisisthinprivilege.org/ which is basically a submission blog for fat people to explain how they've been discriminated against because of their weight.

 

 

Do you believe that fatphobia and thin privilege exists? Have you experienced it or seen it?

[Adam]

I think heavier people are treated unfairly. Weight is not a direct indication of health, and a lot of people don't seem to understand that. I don't know what in the world thin privilege is, but it seems like there's a privilege for everything these days.

[Adam]

But the fact that heavier people are treated unfairly indicates that thinner people are more often treated fairly. That's what thin privilege is.

I also believe it exists. It's like you see in the movies when a group wants to get into a club and the bouncer lets the thin, objectively pretty women in, but the bigger girls wait in line. That's essentially, an example of thin privilege and how being thin and attractive changes how people perceive you and what you are given in life.

When I was a lot thinner I definitely had more privilege than I do now that I've developed chub.

Interesting. I'm sure when my metabolism slows down in a year or two, and I gain some weight, I'll have more of an opinion on this. As for now, I've never seen thin privilege in action (IRL, that is) -- i'll keep an eye out. Thank you for enlightening me ^^.

[Romy]

Weight is not a direct indication of health,

Yes it is.

[Swar]

Yeah, it's definitely a thing. Pretty much everyone from my mom's side of the family is overweight, so I've heard quite a few stories. But most of them are adults, so it doesn't happen as often. My cousin, however, who's only a few days younger than me, is really overweight, and I know how much he suffers. From looks to bad comments, the guy goes through a lot, and it makes me feel awful, because I don't have that problem.

 

One thing I feel though, is that there are different standards for men and women. Society prefers very skinny women (but that seems to be slowly changing), while men are expected to be strong, muscular, manly. I've been made fun of for being skinny. Even though it's not as bad as my cousins goes through, for example, it hurts. A lot, sometimes.

 

 

I just wish people only cared about being healthy, not about weight.

[Mishelle]

I think heavier people are treated unfairly. Weight is not a direct indication of health, and a lot of people don't seem to understand that. I don't know what in the world thin privilege is, but it seems like there's a privilege for everything these days.

 

Yeah like Kate said, thin privilege is basically being treated better because you're thin.

 

I see it a lot in the dating scene. I've never had a problem being asked out on a proper date but a lot of my fat girl friends say that basically dudes will just message them and ask for sex because they assume a fat girl won't have any standards or can't do any better so they'll be willing.

[Lollita]

Yeah, it's definitely a thing. Pretty much everyone from my mom's side of the family is overweight, so I've heard quite a few stories. But most of them are adults, so it doesn't happen as often. My cousin, however, who's only a few days younger than me, is really overweight, and I know how much he suffers. From looks to bad comments, the guy goes through a lot, and it makes me feel awful, because I don't have that problem.

 

One thing I feel though, is that there are different standards for men and women. Society prefers very skinny women (but that seems to be slowly changing), while men are expected to be strong, muscular, manly. I've been made fun of for being skinny. Even though it's not as bad as my cousins goes through, for example, it hurts. A lot, sometimes.

 

 

I just wish people only cared about being healthy, not about weight.

 

I've been made fun of for being skinny too. They've said I dont eat or that I must be sick and stuff. 

I just wish people cared about their health and personality and not the looks.

[Hikimaru]

Yes it is.

Not necessarily.

[Lollita]

Yes it is.

 

Nope. 

[Mishelle]

I'm not a doctor but I can definitely say that I'm healthier now at 200 lbs than I was when I was 160 lbs, depressed and starving.

[Lollita]

Let's just say you are right about this, and this next statement isn't to you but to people in general who use the argument that being overweight isn't healthy:

Why is it anyone else's business how healthy someone is?
What does health have to do with how you're treated?
Just say it is an indication that you're unhealthy, would people who are fatphobic treat someone with cancer the same way?

That's what I don't understand about that whole argument.

 

^ THIS 

+rep

[Coops]

Let's just say you are right about this, and this next statement isn't to you but to people in general who use the argument that being overweight isn't healthy:

Why is it anyone else's business how healthy someone is?
What does health have to do with how you're treated?
Just say it is an indication that you're unhealthy, would people who are fatphobic treat someone with cancer the same way?

That's what I don't understand about that whole argument.

THIS.

 

But people do treat people differently based on health. Ableism.

 

As a disabled person, who qualifies for a disabled parking pass, I refuse to get one. People think it's their fucking business and leave horrible, nasty notes on the cars of people like me. Some even call the police, because they think people like me are faking.

 

The exceptions: contagious viruses and immunocompromised people/children, and STIs. The rest isn't anyone's goddamn business.

[Mishelle]

THIS.

 

But people do treat people differently based on health. Ableism.

 

As a disabled person, who qualifies for a disabled parking pass, I refuse to get one. People think it's their fucking business and leave horrible, nasty notes on the cars of people like me. Some even call the police, because they think people like me are faking.

 

The exceptions: contagious viruses and immunocompromised people/children, and STIs. The rest isn't anyone's goddamn business.

 

I will never understand how people can get upset over a damn parking spot, of all things. Especially since these issues can easily be remedied by having more handicap parking. Most of the time places only have one or two spots available.

[Coops]

I will never understand how people can get upset over a damn parking spot, of all things. Especially since these issues can easily be remedied by having more handicap parking. Most of the time places only have one or two spots available.

Because people believe they are doing good and protecting real disabled people, you know, the ones in wheelchairs.

 

Ableism makes me bitter if you couldn't tell.

[Swar]

Weight definitely isn't a direct indication of health. Your lifestile is. What you eat, how often you eat, if you exercise, if you drink, if you smoke... Are those related to your weight? Of course, but your weight (the number) doesn't represent your lifestile. You could weight the same by eating completely different, so you could be either healthy or not. See what I'm trying to say? Your weight doesn't fucking indicate if you're healthy or not.

[Coops]

Weight definitely isn't a direct indication of health. Your lifestile is. What you eat, how often you eat, if you exercise, if you drink, if you smoke... Are those related to your weight? Of course, but your weight (the number) doesn't represent your lifestile. You could weight the same by eating completely different, so you could be either healthy or not. See what I'm trying to say? Your weight doesn't fucking indicate if you're healthy or not.

Source: medical student.

 

I would argue it is an indicator, but it's not a very good or reliable indicator of health because it can be very misleading. And unless the person is talking to a doctor, a person's weight is irrelevant, unless they are asking if those pants make them look fat.

[Swar]

Why is it anyone else's business how healthy someone is?

This is very important. If it's not affecting you, why would it be your business?

 

A lot of people drink, and drinking isn't (usually) good for your health, does that give me the right to insult or bother people that drink? Hell no, as long as you're not risking other people's lives, you do you.

[Swar]

Source: medical student.

 

I would argue it is an indicator, but it's not a very good or reliable indicator of health because it can be very misleading. And unless the person is talking to a doctor, a person's weight is irrelevant to literally everything unless they are asking if those pants make them look fat.

Oh, I can't use that yet -- I haven't studied anything related to that yet

 

It's an indicator, yes, but not a direct one. Exactly for that, it can be very misleading. It's one of the things you take in account, but you can't rely only on that information. And you're totally right about that

Yeah I mean to an extent I think being concerned is okay.. like if someone I loved was morbidly obese and nearing death, hell yeah I'd say something, but I wouldn't be treating them poorly because they're unhealthy? That doesn't even make sense. I wouldn't be like "Nah you can't come to the family reunion because you're fat and I'm worried about you." lol

I totally agree, I was talking in the context of the topic. It's perfectly acceptable to try to help other people, and it's a good thing You just need to know how to talk to them hahah

[Coops]

Yeah I mean to an extent I think being concerned is okay.. like if someone I loved was morbidly obese and nearing death, hell yeah I'd say something, but I wouldn't be treating them poorly because they're unhealthy? That doesn't even make sense. I wouldn't be like "Nah you can't come to the family reunion because you're fat and I'm worried about you." lol

I am sure that has happened to someone before though.

People associate laziness with fatness and I think that's why it makes people uncomfortable or why it leads to disparate treatment. On the flip side, thinness is associated with being weak and pressured to comform, and this manifests itself into equal nasty treatment that sort of goes unmentioned a lot. I would argue fatness is on the receiving end of far more subtle bias in addition to obvious bias, where thinness, that I have seen only gets the brunt of overt bias.

[Swar]

Oh, I just remembered. Someone here once posted in the confessions thread iirc that they "would never date someone fat because if they don't take care of themselves, they can't take care of someone else". Ugh.