“I’m not a fat lazy cow.”
Why do some individuals always use “fat” as an insult towards women? It is sad when those insulting have to use the word “fat” as their weapon. Truth is that fat insults are just as pathetic as racist insults. When a person is overweight they become an easy target for insults. Women seem to be vulnerable to fat insults even if they are moderately overweight.
When we are insulted, we tend to tell ourselves that this treatment will stop when we lose weight. Truth is those insulting would just find another fault to make fun of. People will always be judgmental, and there is no changing that.
A portion of society seems to think that when a person is overweight that it is self-inflicted. People associate heavy people, with those who do nothing, but stuff their face. The next time you see an overweight person, don’t automatically assume their weight is self-inflicted. Don’t stereotype them about being overweight with thoughts that they must eat way too much. Little do you know, but they might eat less than you.
Losing weight is not an easy thing to do despite what you may think. Overweight people are not lazy. It is not that we don’t know when to leave the table. It is not just a matter of motivation. I for one have hypothyroid. Many hypothyroid patients struggle with an inability to lose weight.
You don’t know why a person is overweight. Society has become too judgmental of overweight people.
Do you feel yourself extremely judgmental of those who are overweight? As a person who is considered overweight, what have you done to overcome stereotypes and prejudice?
Remember, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
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7 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Jul 27, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Excellent post!
I’ve blogged about this topic a few times. As an overweight person, dare I say … fat person, I get it alllll the time. You’d think people would have stopped this type of crap on the school-ground when they were children, but nope. Adults, even complete strangers, have made comments to me! And lord help them if I over hear them ’cause I’m way past the point of letting it go.
I’m always polite. I confront them in a very kind way and hopefully when I’m done they feel childish and realize that I’m more than my size.
I’ve always said I don’t have a weight problem, those who think I need to change have a weight problem.
There are lots of blogs dedicated to ‘fatism’ out there…lots of great stuff trying to change the way people think. And it is a form of bigotry. And it’s a thin line (woops) when people want to talk about healthy lifestyles and yet cross the line to attacking people who are fat. Not cool.
Thanks for this post!
Wrote: Jul 27, 2008 at 6:58 pm
If I want to riducule a fat person, I have only to look in the mirror. While I am not as heavy as I was after my Winter hibernation, I am still packing about 20 more pounds than I should.
I gave up long ago worrying about what folks thought. But that’s one of the bennies of getting older. I can say I don’t care and really mean it. I stay active and would love to take some of the toothpicks who pass judgement out in the woods on a bike and see if they can keep up. I have pounded so many into the dirt. Sort of my way to teach them the lesson you wrote so well about. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Odd timing this post. In a round about way, it ties in to my most recent post.
Wrote: Jul 27, 2008 at 8:07 pm
People can be so cruel, some never grow up, I was on the receiving end of a lot of these type of insults when I was a kid, lost 70 pounds quite a few years ago for health reasons, I know how hard it can be to loose weight.
Wrote: Jul 28, 2008 at 8:11 am
I am about 30 lbs overweight, I wouldn’t say that I’m fat. In fact the only person that has ever called me fat was my ex and I wasn’t overweight at the time.
Personally, I would rather see someone that has some meat on their bones than someone that is so thin they look like a walking cadaver.
I eat healthy, I get exercise, I am 50 years old and the weight doesn’t want to come off. I’m not worried about it. Why should someone else be?
Wrote: Jul 28, 2008 at 12:21 pm
its easy to mock and denigrate strangers—but I have found that if I get to KNOW the individual, I also become “blind” to his/her physical disparities—the person becomes a friend.
Gary (aka old dude)
Wrote: Jul 30, 2008 at 4:17 pm
The major problem with people judging weight today is that they go by the BMI, and not by the fat/muscle ratio. BMI simply says that a person who is a certain height should weigh a certain amount. What most people forget is that muscle weighs more that fat. I took a kick-boxing class in college to loose some weight and lost at least one pants size, but gained ten pounds. My first reaction was confusion, but then my doctor reminded me that I actually lost fat and gained muscle.
My mom has struggled with her weight for years and years now, but is finally making some changes and is slowly winning the battle.
The media is also to blame. A size 10 is considered ‘plus sized’ in acting, modeling, whatever. I’ve always told my daughters that they are perfect no matter what size they are. That’s the real key. Informing our children (men suffer with weight issues too) that no matter what they look like, they are perfect the way they are.
Wrote: Jul 31, 2008 at 10:39 am
Unfortunately, people judge others by their covers.
I don’t think it will ever change.
Maria