fat as a feminist issue
| By FEM - May 12th, 2006 at 4:58 am EDT |
Lately, I have been speaking a lot about obesity. I understand that the BMI is flawed. I understand that fat people can be healthy and that thin people can be unhealthy. However, there is no denying that obesity is (more often than not) a serious health risk. Again, I do not just mean obesity defined by the BMI, trust me, there are better ways to determine healthy body weight than the BMI. However, for most people, even the BMI can begin to tell us a BIT about the person.
But, some people disagree with this. They say that being 100 pounds overweight is not unhealthy. They call you "fat phobic" if you disagree. Again, another misconception. One can feel that someone's weight is unhealthy without discrimiating against the person. I think people who tan frequently are unhealthy. Do I hate tanners? Do I advocate for their oppression? No.
We all do many unhealthy things. Do whatever floats your boat. But, don't try to say that is healthy.
This is not to say that there isn't discrimination against fat people. There is. And, it is getting worse. However, we cannot try to end sizeism by saying that obesity is healthy. Likewise, we cannot end sizeism without recongizing that thin people can have the same health problems that we accuse fat people of having.
So, I'm reading Link. A woman posts her photo and says, "The BMI is full of shit. It says I am obese and unhealthy but I am not. Look at my photo. Am I obese?" Everyone says, "No! You are not obese!" or "Yeah! I'm a size 8 and it says I'm obese and unhealthy!". *sigh*
Does anyone else see how they are committing the same offenses they speak against? The point they make is that you cannot tell if someone is unhealthy based on just looking at them. I agree with this for the most part (with the obvious exceptions). So, why should a photo be posted? Are eyes better than the BMI? No. Both are problematic. How about we look at cholesterol levels, body fat percentage, and other medical measures? How about we look at health records? Then, we can see what is healthy. It does nothing to say, "Yeah, I hate discrimination against fat people.... people say I'm fat... but I'm only so many pounds... it's not like I'm like A FAT PERSON". The hypocrisy hurts.
-MS
But, some people disagree with this. They say that being 100 pounds overweight is not unhealthy. They call you "fat phobic" if you disagree. Again, another misconception. One can feel that someone's weight is unhealthy without discrimiating against the person. I think people who tan frequently are unhealthy. Do I hate tanners? Do I advocate for their oppression? No.
We all do many unhealthy things. Do whatever floats your boat. But, don't try to say that is healthy.
This is not to say that there isn't discrimination against fat people. There is. And, it is getting worse. However, we cannot try to end sizeism by saying that obesity is healthy. Likewise, we cannot end sizeism without recongizing that thin people can have the same health problems that we accuse fat people of having.
So, I'm reading Link. A woman posts her photo and says, "The BMI is full of shit. It says I am obese and unhealthy but I am not. Look at my photo. Am I obese?" Everyone says, "No! You are not obese!" or "Yeah! I'm a size 8 and it says I'm obese and unhealthy!". *sigh*
Does anyone else see how they are committing the same offenses they speak against? The point they make is that you cannot tell if someone is unhealthy based on just looking at them. I agree with this for the most part (with the obvious exceptions). So, why should a photo be posted? Are eyes better than the BMI? No. Both are problematic. How about we look at cholesterol levels, body fat percentage, and other medical measures? How about we look at health records? Then, we can see what is healthy. It does nothing to say, "Yeah, I hate discrimination against fat people.... people say I'm fat... but I'm only so many pounds... it's not like I'm like A FAT PERSON". The hypocrisy hurts.
-MS
!
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Here's the way I think of it: How we look is the service we pay, within reason, to other people.
If I go to the gym, am I attempting to get a better physique for myself? Hell no. I'd much rather be sitting on my ass and playing video games. :) And I'm skinny enough that it's not a health risk if I don't go.
Am I doing it to get a girl? Nope, in a wonderful long-term relationship.
Am I doing it for my girlfriend? Nah, she actually prefers that I put less effort in. Go figure.
Why, then, go to the gym?
Because the world likes looking at prettier people. Simple truth. More people will befriend you, more good things in life will come to you, and life in general will go your way more often.
Is this wrong? Not necessarily - beauty, and getting to view beauty, is a good, just like any other. A smiling, beautiful girl walking down the street might as well be handing money to all the passerby - it's the same effect.
The girl you linked to shouldn't want to lose weight because she's obese (she doesn't appear to be), though she might nonetheless be happier if she did. She should want to lose weight for the sake of everyone else who will be looking at her. I'm not saying she looks bad to begin with - but there's always room for improvement, eh?
"She should want to lose weight for the sake of everyone else who will be looking at her"
here comes one of my italian relatives smack on the back of the head. "Hey what's the matta wit you!?"
Now, let's say I was looking completely disshevelled, wearing torn jeans, my hair was messy, there was dirt on my face, I hadn't bothered to clean up.
Sure, some parents might be alright with that. But most would say, "What kind of shmuck is dating my daughter?"
Why? It's not like it impacts them how I look. Clearly, if you're happy with it, why would they care?
Because they have to look at it. And it's not pleasant to look at.
Cleaning ourselves up, in one way or another, is something we do for everyone who looks at us.
True or false: this is the most massive rationalization for vanity anyone of us has ever read.
I vote "true."
We can posture all we want that the intellect is just as, or more important, than beauty - but in the vast majority of cases and for the vast majority of people, that just isn't true.