Serious Question: Fat Acceptance vs. Shape Acceptance

[Beware the Beast Man]

This seems to be a hot-button issue. It's not my intention to start a flame war, but to get some insight on this.

For starters, I'm 6'2" and 325 pounds. For a big guy, I hold my weight pretty well. My wife is also overweight. Even if we healthily lose all of our weight, we will never truly be "thin." That's why I am an advocate of "shape acceptance." That doesn't excuse crass jokes about people's weight, however. It's just that I don't think obesity is on par with other criteria such as race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, etc. in terms of discrimination. In a perfect world, there would be no discrimination against the overweight, but fatness is something in a majority of cases can be controlled.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that people of all shapes should be accepted (not just tolerated), but to put weight issues in the same league as racism and homophobia is ridiculous.

I hope I was eloquent enough. I can clarify my stance in subsequent posts.

[auntAgonist]

1. IMHO definately NOT in the same league. No where near it even.

But, fat people are discriminated against. Acceptance would be a good thing. Having said that, I'm off to work.

c'ya.

[trumad]

2. My boss was 130 pounds overweight.

He said he never realized how much discrimination there was out there until he lost the 130 pounds. He was virtually ignored in restaurants, Clothing Stores, etc. Not anymore.

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. Right. Exactly. But it's not the same as racism.

Okay, you could make the argument that obesity is genetically predisposed, but it can be naturally regulated or controlled. It is not the same as race or orientation.

[auntAgonist]

8. Agreed. And for me personally

I choose to do something about my excess. I'm scheduled for bariatric surgery next Tuesday.

[meegbear]

9. I grew up obese ...

adults were as mean to me as the kids were.

[tridim]

3. Agreed.. Same deal with skinny men

People seem to think it's just fine to point out to me that I'm skinny. Gee thanks pal, I didn't know that! I'll be sure to eat an entire turkey just for you (Not that I would gain a pound if I did). I think being skinny is more of a stigma for American men than being heavy.

[JimmyJazz]

6. I don't know that it's any more of a stigma, but saying something

to someone who is thin isn't seen as nearly as rude as making a comment to someone who is overweight. People just don't see it as hurtful for some reason - but it is.

[neweurope]

4. For me it's the same. One discriminates/makes fun of a person

for something he is and cannot necessarily change. That's cruel in any case.

------------------

Remember Fallujah

Bush to The Hague!

[DrGonzoLives]

7. I hate being a dodecahedron

Why can't people accept my 12 sides?