Riviera de la Mancha
That's the thing - I don't see how society is 'fat-phobic.' Obsessed with thin does not necessitate shaming fat people.
You illustrate my point though - how is the mere
mentioning of health problems offensive or shaming?
If I engaged in a behavior, whether by choice or not, which was naturally risky, I would definitely expect a doctor to point that out to me. No matter how you slice it, carrying excess weight is a health issue. I mean really, if I told someone I jumped out of a plane with no chute and lived, what would your reaction be? I would hope you would think 'B.S. squared.' Why? Its a rare thing.
Remember, Docs spend their days seeing the effects of weight on someone, so skepticism makes perfect sense and should be expected even.
Referring back to the link, the person posted as an example of thin privilege, and by extension fat shaming, a private conversation between some girls in a changing room next to her. While she was upset things didn't fit her, the other girls were discussing having too many choices. How was this in any way meant to shame
her? They were not talking about her. Had no idea she was even there. This is what I am talking about - finding shaming where there is just none there.
You're right. Our society just manages to do both. What? You think yelling that people are "fat cows" or other such nonsense, or making disparaging comments about fat people who are exercising is because they are concerned for their health? That people get the idea that they are meant to be "forever alone" because we like fat bodies? Come on Riviera.
It doesn't
have to be, but the tone and context often is. I don't know how much more clearly I can explain it to you. They don't just "mention" it Riv. It's a production, doctors often MAKE it a production. It doesn't have to be, but it often is.
However, for some people, especially those with ED or past EDs, even mentioning weight at all is triggering. They would obviously inform their doctors of such beforehand, but to have them continue to do so, especially in contexts and times when it's not necessary, is like have someone repeatedly punch you in the face.
A secondary problem is considering weight to be a problem above and beyond evidence, that you as a doctor ordered!, to the contrary. If by every measure you can think of they are healthy, and they aren't coming in for something specific to their weight, AND they are getting plenty of exercise, leave it the ******** alone. Seriously.
When I go to the GP my doctor doesn't mention my asthma every time. This is despite having had asthma since I was basically born, and it having been very severe throughout my childhood. It's just not relevant. It's a health issue,
but it's not relevant in all contexts and at all times.
The same with weight man. If someone asks for advice, if there's been a big change up OR
down , if you get tests back that say there's a problem, then of course mention it. Of course, that's your job! But to treat it as if it's this magical mystical thing that's so much more worthy of mentioning than something that
could kill you (like asthma!) within minutes all the time in every context, is ridiculous. It's not good medicine, it's not a good use of your time or there's, and frankly with how society is structured, it's often not even wanted or helpful.
Yeah except if you came back with pictures of you in the body cast, and all of your friends and family talked about it and ect. That's much more like the doctor insisting over everyone in the family's objections that you just CAN'T be doing X. This is despite coming in in soccer uniforms or gymnastics clothes. Despite food logs and everything else. There's a difference between going "proof pl0x" and ignoring empirical evidence things aren't going like you "think" they should.
I don't need to be lectured about what doctors do Riv. I've probably BEEN in more doctor's offices and hospitals than you've ever heard about. I promise, I'm well aware of what doctors spend their day
doing . And there's a difference between skepticism and outright denial of reality. If you came in and showed me those pictures of you surviving jumping out of the plane without a parachute, I'd be a dumbass to continue to say you didn't do it. And if you brought in medical records and a video, I'd basically be sticking my head in the sand.
That's what I'm talking about here. Stories of doctors sticking their head in the sand because the human body wasn't conforming to some BS standard they made up in their head.
Thin Privilege isn't
just about shaming fat people, any more than white privilege is about shaming non-whites. They are talking about an organization of society that privileges one body type over another. And yeah the fact you can *whine* about having just so many choices is based on the fact thin bodies are the model on which all clothing is built. I've never been able to say that in my adult life, "sooo many choices how can I piiiiickkkk?!" is not a situation any fat person, especially fat woman, has been in. It's an example of how thin bodies are placed on a pedestal, and there have been plenty of fashion line designers quoted saying they purposefully make their lines tiny because of a disdain for larger human beings. It isn't an accident, fashion isn't fat positive or even neutral.
It wasn't about the girl in the room next door, it was about the fact clothing and fashionable clothing especially isn't *meant* for fat bodies, and the girl next door was a sudden reminder of that fact. She wasn't angry at the girl next door, she was using the contrast as an example of how society is structured.
300
200
200
