Why is it still accepted to discriminate against obese people?

People like this are just downright cruel. I am chunky myself and know all too well what it's like to get laughed at. I don't take it though and ask people wtf their problem is. Why do they care if someone is overweight? Does it hurt them or influence their life in any way? Oftentimes weight gain is the result of an illness and side effect of certain medications. People wouldn't laugh at someone in a wheel chair would they? So laughing at an overweight person is no different, because for all they know, this person could be overweight because of an illness.

I know I've seen a lot of this and don't understand it - I think discrimination is discrimination no matter what the 'situation'. I have a dear friend who has a serious obesity problem and it breaks my heart to see the way she's treated - she has a serious health problem and this discrimination just makes her life even more horrid.

I used to be very skinny when I was young and I was often told by people straight to my face just how skinny I was, this used to hurt me so much I actually used to say how I had never seen anyone go straight up to an over weight person and say gee your so fat...I think for people underweight people are more to the face cruel.

Deep down, I think it is that they are afraid they may become fat themselves. I mean, I am white, and that is all I will ever be. I could get sick, I could lose my job, or I could hurt myself, but when I look in the mirror, I will still be white. On the other hand, I could get sick, become inactive, and gain a lot of weight. I could lose my job, get depressed and sit around and watch tv and eat a lot, and gain weight. It could happen to anyone. The other thing is that at least in our western history, we equate fatness with being lazy, or not having self control. So people regard fat as an outward evidence of an inward flaw. Some people just find themselves being mean because they feel better about themselves if someone else feels bad.

Obess people are cost too much specially in terms of health and medications, they eat alot that's the problem. I had an experience about obess person, when she ride in the jeepney she paid double because she occupied two seats. People laughing at them because of their sizes, they look like a big whale walking in the street or a giant caterpillar and people in nature can't stop laughing even they didnt mean to be nasty at them. And that shows social discrimination coz obess or fat doesn't conform to the skinny or normal weight people societal level. cheers!

I think its just an internal fear of being fat themselves. Some of them REALLY can't help it. And for some others, its just become a disease, to over-eat. I don't think its right to laugh or stare or point. Its not funny and shouldn't be mocked. It should not be accepted and people should let people know when they are being rude or unpolite. Thanks for the post!

I seen a show like that. Well Tyra banks did it for one of her shows. Sad actually. It made her cry the way people treated her. She then did her whole show on accepting people for who they are not for size and color. You know some people have gland problems and other health issues that cause them to be obese. But you know funny thing is there are obese people that discriminate against skinny people. People all colors,shapes and sizes just need to learn to get along.

I think, in a way, it is socially acceptable to discriminate against fat people or people that we perceive as being overweight. There are people out there that feel that being a "jerk" is either helpful to the other people or that they are just poking fun at the victim. Society rarely think that they are doing anything wrong because in their mind, being fat is their fault. They just do not get why they just don't lose weight or put the food down. Yet---they don't want to realize that genetics do play a role in your weight. Some people are going to be overweight no matter how little they eat or how much they exercise. Some people are naturally skinny and some are naturally big. Despite belief, people come in different sizes. Weight loss is not easy. Studies have shown that most people gain the weight back. Diet's* don't work. Really, just eat healthly and exercise. A cookie there and there is not going to kill you. Moderation is key. * Diet just refers to what you eat rather than the meaning society has given it.

well, people are nasty to all sorts of people. it is unacceptable to say derogatory things about fat people just like it is for ethnicities or colours. people are mean to people of different ethnicities or colours still the same. try getting a 'coloured' friend and enacting the same experiment. i'm sure the end result will be similar to the one with a fat woman. the society is still pretty tolerant of such discriminatory behaviour. what we can do is either lead by example or give a good dressing down to people who exhibits this kind of behaviour. however, how many of us have this moral courage? cheers ;p

Honestly, it's not ok to be nasty to anyone. But fat people aren't the only ones who get made fun of. I was made fun of my entire life for being thin and still am to this day by people who don't even know me. So it isn't just fat people who get made fun of. Though it seems society focuses on fat people getting teased.

I'm sorry people are cruel. But there are some things that should be different for people who weigh too much - like it should cost more for health insurance, since being obese causes lots of health problems. And it makes perfect sense to me to charge someone who is obese for two seats on an airplane. If one cannot fit in a regular seat, one should have to pay more. My hubby is obese himself, and unfortunately no one ever called him fat. He really didn't know that he was. I'm guessing that when he looked in the mirror each day, he saw the guy he used to be 15 years ago. And he hadn't weighed himself or been to a doctor in years when we married 3 years ago. When I insisted that he have a complete physical, he was quite surprised to discover that he had high blood pressure, and diabetes II and that he needed to lose over 100 pounds. Even then, he didn't realize that he clearly fit the description of obese. So...while some people know and understand that they are not at a healthy weight, I'm sure there are some like my hubby. It would have been nice if someone in his family had kindly told him that he had a huge weight problem years ago.

I don't think it's acceptable to be derogatory to people because of their weight, just as it's unacceptable for any of the other reasons you mention. I think that some people do this because they think that it's the overweight person's 'fault' that they're that way, because they eat to much junk food, are greedy, lazy etc... But they don't realise that some people have health conditions that make them put weight on, like PCOS, or thyroid conditions. And others may have an eating disorder. Nobody deliberately makes themselves fat, we don't know each individual circumstance, and once you're overweight it's must be very difficult to get the weight back off again. People who make fun of fat people are extremely insensitive, and may be making an unhappy, person even worse.

I am not sure why people are mean to fat people. It is very surprising that it still happens in this day age. Studies have even shown that it is not always the persons fault that they are obese. I think it has to do with ruthless people just being rude and insensitive. Lashing out at a physical personal problem is just childesh.

because really fat people in power chairs are just creepy

consider the source. most people are overweight in our country some people are nice to them others well as i said consider the source

hi bonbon I think a lot of thin p eople discriminate against us fat people out of fear that they too might one day get overweight too.It is so sad that people feel that they have to make ugly remarks to those of us who are overweight then they do not even know us or why we are overweight. some of us are on life sustaining medications that cause overweight. why judge us when you know nothing about us at all?

We are such an appearance oriented society and it is truly sad. It is not okay to be so judgemental toward obese people, period. Why is this an accepted practice? Just open any magazine or watch any type of television and you will see the barrage of sub-size 0 ideals we are supposed to model ourselves after. Please, I am almost 35 years old, it is gross for me to look like a twelve year old boy. Some of the most attractive people I know are overweight and I resent that society makes them feel like lesser women. I can't answer why people would be so nasty to fat people, it seems outright mean to me and completely unacceptable. People are still people, no matter the packaging. It is time that we stop tolerating this in our society.

I seen the same program that you did. It's messed up that it's unacceptable to say anything about ethnicities or being a different color but yet you can say all you want about obese people. Some people will even look at you in disgust when you are eating and will utter things under their breath but still you can hear. However it's not just obese people that this happens to. It is skinny and I am talking about the skinny twigs. They will say are you sick do you have this or do you have that. I have seen that one done many many times. It is honestly a sick sick world that we live in.

gluttony will alway related to fat people. though we know that there are a lot of reason to cause fatness, but people like to think that fat people fat because buuttony.

What annoys me is that all overweight people are deemed as being unfit when it is totally not the case. Your size has nothing to do with how healthy and fit you are! Some skinny people are totally unfit and eat junk food all the time. And some fat people eat well and exercise regularly.