"Thar she blows!" [View all]

[madamesilverspurs]

Those were the words shouted my way when I went to sit outside and get some sunshine and fresh air. I'd had an awful year, healthwise. Part of the recovery regimen involved large doses of steroids, which helped me pack on over 100 pounds in less than a year. And it's been one hell of a battle to shed those pounds.

So, yes, I'm aware that I'm not petite, that I'm no fashion model, that no one will ever mistake me for some sexy movie star. Going out to lunch with friends can be stressful as there's usually someone at a nearby table who opines, obviously just loud enough to help me, that "if she ate less she might lose some of that weight". Then there's the stranger at the grocery store who asks if I've ever considered the Atkins Diet (or any of a thousand others); "Really, dear, you have such a pretty face, all that weight is such a shame!" Ya think?

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm leading up to suggesting that DUers need to lay off fat-bashing Christie. Go after his thinking, his statements, his politics, all fair game. But bashing is wrong whether directed toward gays or people of color or anyone of the 'wrong' religion. Or fat people. Bashing is intellectually cheap. It's easy. It's hurtful. It adds nothing to the conversation, it creates pain and adds suffering when there is already much of that in abundance.

If we can't make it better, let's at least try not making it worse.

Thanks for listening.