The dangers of fat acceptance

[superodalisque]

Not using the word gross would have been wiser and kinder, in my opinion. Because people would think the negative meaning, even if just a passing thought...I would rather avoid that if it was my writing, it just reminded me that some people think I'm gross. English is my second language and both meanings crossed my mind when reading it.

I'm vegetarian and stand on my feet all day due to my work, and I'm still fat. Maybe people should just stop assuming why people are fat. It shouldn't matter for "acceptance" reasons.

i can understand your point but wouldn't it be healthier to avoid the connective negatively associated thought rather than the word? you wouldn't feel like you were giving in to prejudice if you avoided using a word? it sort of reminds me of black folk who are afraid to eat watermelon in public, or even more pertinent, fat folk who refuse to eat anything at all in public.

so does this mean you really think it is okay to associate fat folk with grossness in it's most negative sense. are you agreeing with the people who think you are "gross"by accepting that negativity swallowing it down and restricting yourself totally from using a part of the english language?

i totally agree though that it should not matter why people are fat

 

[melinda333]

so does this mean you really think it is okay to associate fat folk with grossness in it's most negative sense.

I merely acknowledged both meanings of the word gross when I read it, and it wasn't clear to me which way she meant it, after all she was pretty much bashing fat folk who "eat too much" or eat fast food, etc. It happens to several words or ambiguous sentences. I'm just saying it's better to not be ambiguous whenever possible, specially in a worldwide forum. I didn't say we shouldn't use the word gross in all its meanings, but be sensitive when we do use it.

 

[superodalisque]

I merely acknowledged both meanings of the word gross when I read it, and it wasn't clear to me which way she meant it, after all she was pretty much bashing fat folk who "eat too much" or eat fast food, etc. It happens to several words or ambiguous sentences. I'm just saying it's better to not be ambiguous whenever possible, specially in a worldwide forum. I didn't say we shouldn't use the word gross in all its meanings, but be sensitive when we do use it.

but sensitive to whom and for what reason is the real question? sensitive to people who automatically assume they are gross?

also some fat people do eat a lot. what they eat does affect fat people either negatively or positively just as it does with thin people. should we give up on paying attention to those things simply because we are fat? are we simply people who have given up on our bodies altogether just because we are fat?

 

[melinda333]

but sensitive to whom and for what reason is the real question? sensitive to people who automatically assume they are gross?

Yes, I don't see why not. She didn't need to use that word.

also some fat people do eat a lot.

Yes, some. She wasn't so discriminative though.

 

[superodalisque]

i still think agreement that fat people should automatically be associated in the negative sense with the word gross is extremely problematic. when someone says the word ho my head doesn't snap back because i already know i'm not that. it's time for fat folk to wake up to the fact that they aren't negatively gross.

 

[bigmac]

One of beauties of the English language is that there are always many alternative ways to say basically the same thing. The party in question had many word choices -- by choosing a word widely and negatively associated with fat people -- she chose poorly.

Not the end of the world -- just a poor choice of words -- something we all do from time to time.

 

[superodalisque]

keep agreeing to bully yourself and no one else will stop either

 

[CaAggieGirl]

When I read gross, I read it the same way as blackjack and Melinda. I use gross, as in large/total, in my day to day work. I still took it as gross = disgusting. Just my two cents.

 

[Jack Secret]

I've always been impressed with the character and sense of humor of the folks on this site. Apparently that is becoming a thing of the past…

Why in God's name are people kicking a dead horse about a person's questionable use of the word gross? I think we can agree now that the use of the word was at worst a bad idea. The most that anyone should've done is to ask HOW she was using the word, clear up any misunderstanding about the use and move on. Instead, the majority of the God damned thread became combative and just plain ugly.

As if all of that wasn't enough, There is a personal attack launched By a long-contributing member against another long contributing member. Son, what happened to good old-fashioned online etiquette? You know better than that! If somebody says something that you don't like, don't attack them by presuming to know someone's thinking.

You folks used to have so much good stuff to say. Please tell me this isn't the beginning of the end of this website… Because it can all fall apart.

 

[love handles]

Fat acceptance is probably more healthy than not accepting fat people. A lot of fat people suffer from stress because they don't have equal rights in society. Also some are afraid to go to the doctor because they get told to lose weight so end up more sick as illnesses go undiagnosed.
Also, fat doesn't mean unhealthy. You can have healthy fat people too. I think people are showing a lot of ignorance and prejudice about fat people.

 

[veggieforever]

So what are the DANGERS of fat acceptance then? It seems to not have truly been discussed.

 

[EtobicokeFA]

So what are the DANGERS of fat acceptance then? It seems to not have truly been discussed.

If there are dangers of fat acceptance, then they would be the mostly be the same as the dangers of general of being fat, be it real or imagined. For the most part those dangers are imaginary, except of one.

If fat acceptance does take hold it will destroy the billion dollar weight loss industry.

However, I believe we can all live with that.

 

[superodalisque]

over the years i have grown to think the real dangers of fat acceptance have been internal rather than external with people agreeing that they are unattractive and unwanted and using that as a base for their entire life and living as a victim even while other fat folk outside of it are living a healthily normal life not so chock full of self abuse and negativity. it would be great if fat acceptance were more celebratory but generally it seems that it's mostly a place for people to get their whine and complain on and to be a downer. i'd like to see more happiness gratefulness and appreciation over all. does anyone remember that series designing woman? i loved it when the character who was so worried about being fat basically said that "there are people starving in the world and here i am worrying because i have too much to eat". maybe we need to spend a lot more time getting outside of ourselves and doing something for someone else who is in real trouble. i'd love to see a fat group do a food drive--how appropriate! we love to eat. we would want the rest of the world to eat well too. we are damned lucky to be fat.