What I learned in GD yesterday

[LuckyTheDog]

Long after people get over their bias against the GLBT community and start to accept atheists as a group worthy of respect, body size bias will continue to exist:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5172702&mesg_id=5172702

Sheesh! Have some compassion, you GD people! I posted something intended to be helpful to others who, like me, have struggled with obesity. While most of the responses were constructive, some people chose to be downright mean-spirited.

[LuckyTheDog]

1. Just to make it clear

This is not intended to be a continuation of the locked thread. This is a new thread about the body size bias revealed by the responses to the previous thread. New topic.

[handmade34]

2. there is an absolute bias against people of size

your post yesterday gave words to what I have always felt "I literally have to decide every day to be healthy or not". Food has biological, emotional, physiological,etc., factors just as any good addiction. There is a marked difference in how my body reacts to calories in/out depending on my state of mind. Many people do not have the ability to empathize with a condition that they have never experienced. Probably most people who are against Universal Health Care, have never had to go without needed care because they have no money or insurance. People may stigmatize 'overweight' people because they have not had the struggles that you and I have, and on and on...

Our society and corporate marketing, is geared toward quick, easy, cheap. I get made fun of by a faction of my family (the ones still stuck in the poverty mentality mode) because I refuse to eat at McDonalds or eat processed food- they think I think I am better than them- I am 'different'
We are all such a product of our early years and that is never easy to alter/change. Good Luck to you!

[auntAgonist]

4. Welcome to DU!

Thanks for your post. You are on the mark in every way.


aA
kesha

[handmade34]

5. :-)

Thanks for the welcome. I enjoy the diversity here, even -especially- amongst professed liberals, but it is disconcerting to hear/see such harsh judgmental comments sometimes. We assume greater responsibility when we can empathize with others and sometimes that responsibility is scary, difficult, impossible.... Some people don't want/can't take on anymore

[auntAgonist]

3. I read all the obesity threads in there over the last

couple of days. I can't even think about responding. It makes me to angry and upset.

There is a LOT of meanspiritedness (I don't think that's a word heh) when it comes to "fat" people.


aA
kesha