Fat Acceptance, Fat Shaming and Being Body Positive... Thoughts?

[WordSmithing]

I would like to know what everyone thinks about the ongoing fuss being generated over the widespread acceptance of obesity. Have we pushed the envelope too far in accepting unhealthy weight gain? Where do we draw the line between being "body positive" and unheathily supporting gluttonous/sedentary lifestyles?

Has the concept of being politically correct gone too far? Have we lost the freedom of speech to social correctness?

[Esplorare]

Being obese is not okay. Point blank period. It's not about "shaming" for the shallow, physical look. It's about the fact that being obese will take years off of your life. Being obese will deteriorate your organs. The sheer excess weight putting pressure on the organs can cause sleep apnea which in some cases can lead to death. Instead of trying to convince society to accept, embrace, and beautify the physical appearance of extra body fat, excessive weight, and overall jigglyness, obese and overweight individuals need to seriously try losing the weight and developing healthier eating habits. It's a public health concern. I'm not body shaming, I'm simply being realistic about the fact that obesity should not be embraced. People should not be comfortable with being unhealthy and putting themselves at risk for serious issues.

So yes, to an extent being politically correct about obesity has gone too far. I think claiming that we've lost the freedom of speech to social correctness is a bit dramatic. You still have the freedom to speak your mind as I have done here.

[Esplorare]

thanks for MHO :)

[Kiwedin]

Personally, I don't see how it's possible to love yourself and be obese at the same time. We can look in the mirror and appreciate our bodies for the way they look whether or not we're thin and attractive, but that's not all "loving yourself" is. It's about feeding your body healthy foods and giving your body the exercise that it needs to thrive. It's like saying that you love your teeth because they're straight, but you never brush or floss them. It doesn't really make sense to me, and I feel like if I express that opinion to people I'd offend them. I'm not perfect myself; I'm in the middle of a weight loss journey, but now that I'm actually active and eating right, I feel ten times better than I did before. I used to claim that I loved myself, but now I see that my sedentary lifestyle and endless "treat yoself" meals were not doing anything but harming my health. It's not possible to love yourself and treat your body like shit at the same time.

[WordSmithing]

That is a really fantastic way of looking at it! I hadn't thought of that before. People might accept their current situation which could be slamming back Big-Macs but that wouldn't be showing much love/respect to the one body you have to work with, now would it?

Thanks for the insight and good luck with the second half of your weight loss journey.

[Kiwedin]

No problem, and thank you :).

[bloodmountain1990]

I think the whole political correctness has gone a little far in the sense that overweight/obese women tend to hide behind curvy and even average on dating sites as well as using misleading pictures. If I had a dollar for every time I had a girl do this, I'd be a millionaire.

That being said, I think saying you're curvy/average when you're obese/overweight is fat shaming in itself. I say this because you're afraid to admit the reality and think claiming you're something else is what really what matters and turns guys on but it's the opposite.

[takumii]

First of all, we have no freedom of speech, so not in the society not in the law, there are ''certain things we ought not to say'' Because someone might find that ''offensive''.

So, people who are obese are in the end just fat people. Some crazyass people have even started calling it a disease. So if you think fat people are unhealthy, sedentary, disgusting and pathetic, so be it, think whatever you want.. but don't say shit like this in public. The last thing you'd want is a fat guy sitting on your face.

[WordSmithing]

I'm not overly concerned about any forceful face sittings, I think I'll manage! Nor am I too worried about being ridiculed for asking a question or two about well-being and health. You're right though, the concept of free speech is a long lost hope.

[Bards]

Well we could mind our bussiness/ stop talking shit about peoples weight.

Many people don't know the difference between advice and bullying

[WordSmithing]

That's a good point! Kind advice and emotional bullying are two very different things.

[Bards]

Si si

[cinderelli]

well if someone is fat or obese.. i would not say anything because it is their body their life.. their problem.. . but if that person asks me.. ''am i fat? or obese? ' then yeah.. i am gonna say it.

[Kuraj]

We should do it like they do in Japan and outlaw obesity.

[WordSmithing]

Hahah! The Japanese have, and will always be, in a league of their own. Outlawing might be a little extreme but on a planet with an ever diminishing food supply I DO believe it is a little vicious to be eating for pure pleasure/gluttony.

[Anonymous]

Live and let live, why is it anyone else business how much someone weighs...

[WordSmithing]

We're all stuck sharing the same real estate here on planet earth. Until the day we can live on different planets, one for the thin and one for the thick, we will always be one another's business.

Or... for that matter a planet for every single preference there ever was and will be.

[orphan]

Lose weight instead of defending it.

[WordSmithing]

Absolutely. In my opinion there is nothing wrong with a -little- bit of extra weight... but I think the weight needs to be lost once it becomes a major health issue.