Fat people aren't the only ones with feelings

[FitFossil]

Why is saying anything to a fat person about their body or diet considered off limits? But you're fair game if you're thin - whether you are naturally that way or you work hard. People will say something rude like the time-honored "You're so thin I HATE you!" and then follow it with a lame "Why can't you take a joke...."??! Or maybe they'll say something that really isn't rude per se, but just the fact that they call attention to it is rude.

Tall, short, blonde, redhead, muscular - no one is immune. But it seems fat is the only taboo topic. A fat person could respond with hurt and everyone would rally around to defend. Anything else and you're on your own and told to "Get a sense of humor".

 

[Ceebs]

Disclaimer: this post is not meant to justify the double-standard, merely explain one hypothesis why it exists.

Discipline is a valued quality in our society. It is assumed that if you are a very thin or very fit person, you had "discipline" to attain that physique. Whereas it is assumed (pehaps fairly, perhaps unfairly) that if you're fat, you have no "discipline".

Just my $0.01,
-Ceebs.

 

[ann]

Disclaimer: this post is not meant to justify the double-standard, merely explain one hypothesis why it exists.

Discipline is a valued quality in our society. It is assumed that if you are a very thin or very fit person, you had "discipline" to attain that physique. Whereas it is assumed (pehaps fairly, perhaps unfairly) that if you're fat, you have no "discipline".

Just my $0.01,
-Ceebs.

IMO, you nailed that one on the head Ceebs

 

[Fatback]

Also, and I'm no psychologist but if the person who's making the comment is overweight and says some of the above things stated it usually has nothing to do with you and more to do about them. They are usually projecting their issues on to you. Actually a friend of mine told me this because when I was speaking to another friend who is quite overweight and explaining why I would not be going to happy hour due to the cutting diet I was on, she pratcially hung up on me, yelling what fat, what fat are you trying to lose, you're so small, yadda yadda yadda... Frankly I was taken quite by surprise.

 

[Gladiola]

it usually has nothing to do with you and more to do about them.

Agreed & agree with Ceebs too.

Once again... that great quote I read in JANE magazine the other day,

"Another person's success is not your failure"

I try to simply avoid any and all interaction with people who would behave in such a manner, but it's difficult.

 

[wyst]

Again with the mooing...



Hey spatts, how much do you have to lose before you make a different animal sound? What sound will it be next?

Wyst

 

[JRB2002]

 

[smallmovesal]

word up. i cannot help having a small frame so i always want to say STFU!

 

[FitFossil]

Something tells me I'm only getting half the story, dear. Care to elaborate?

No real story, just something most have probably experienced in our quest for fit bodies. The snide comments from others (fat or not) about our food, our appearance, "vanity", "obsession", etc. So we're not fat - does that automatically mean we have thicker skin (pardon the pun) and people can just say anything to us? There's definitely a double standard, and I just wondered why and what people on the board thought about it.

I'm not losing sleep over this. It's more like an annoying fly buzzing around and sometimes I want to swat that sucker

 

[saint808]

well being a fat person i feel i can answer this. Being skinny makes it able for to shop anywhere, correct? Being skinny never meant you have to us the handicapped restroom because the stalls are too narrow for you? correct? Being skinny is more socailly acceptable than being fat? correct? It's a double edged sword because people make it that way. I agree that some people would die to have my size as where others simply choose to call me fat an any given moment. Either way you can only hear something so many times before you have to do something about it... wether that be taking drugs you are not ready for or starving yourself... either way. simply put people in general are mean. also with the veil of anonyminity known as the internet then people are allowed to be even meaner.