How Do You Feel About Fat People?

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Whether they're overweight, obese or riding a scooter. I've noticed a lot of criticism online (especially recently) towards fat folks. Furthermore, a guy over at HuffPo authored a pretty good write up regarding his take on all the negativity. How he's regularly shamed for being too big. Some highlights:

America hates fat people. There, I said it. I'll say it again: America hates fat people. We make America feel uncomfortable. We require attention. You cannot ignore us as we walk down a street, or sit in our car, or dare to enter a mall.

We are the source of all of society's ills, and people are quick to let us know it. We are seen by many as the reason for high health care costs. I mean, if we remember Ashton Kutcher eloquently gave us his opinion on that topic in 2009, when on Bill Maher's HBO show he stated: "Frankly, I don't want to pay for the guy who's getting a triple-bypass because he's eating fast food all day and deep-fried Snickers bars. I don't want to pay for him! Whether he's wealthy or he's not!"

We evoke powerful reactions from people, and they just feel as if it is their right and duty to tell us. After all, fatness is more of a moral failing than a systemic issue, or an issue tied to emotions or personal histories. Remember when Marie Claire writer Maura Kelly wrote her post "Should 'Fatties' Get a Room? (Even on TV?)" about feeling "grossed out" at the idea of two fat people kissing; hell, fat people walking displeased her. And, since she stated watching fat people doing "anything" would gross her out, and since a large part of people's existence in general is being looked at and looking, I assume even breathing, just fat people existing is a problem for her. Don't worry; there was the sanctimonious backlash and she apologized so all is forgiven. Right?

We are a source of entertainment for others, bodies making karmic justice corporeal. The mighty Joan Rivers has poked fun at us, and even the once-chubby teen but now adult fashion plate Kelly Osbourn relished Christina Aguilera becoming a "fat" for, allegedly, being a "bitch" to her when she was younger. (See, fat is a punishment from on high -- bad karma.) Even on the HuffPost Live (which I love) there can be conflicting messages about bodies, which matter and which are just problematic.

We are just plain old uncool, because you know, you never actually graduate from high school. Don't believe me? Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie and Fitch (that illustrious brand), is proudly announcing that fat kids (mainly fat girls) are just not "cool enough" to wear their made-under-murky-circumstances clothes. (It should be noted though that this is just the latest in a long history of A&F discriminating against different groups of people; anyone else remember the "look book"?)
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Source

So GAF - how do you feel about fat people?
 
I dont feel any particular way towards any particular type of people, I feel towards specific people

in most cases (and certainly this one) anyway
 
The idea that "fat people" as a collective group has crossed my mind in such a way as to grab my attention long enough to form a specific opinion on 'them' is foreign to me in general.
 
They are people, not that its gonna make the responses in this thread any less daft, probably some comment about skid marks or lazyness.
 
It doesn't influence how I feel about them as people, but it does influence whether I find them attractive, if they're female.

I don't think that's unfair.
 
I used to be obese so I understand them. I don't bug them or make fun of them obviously. The ones I know have seen my change and if they are interested they'll ask me for help.
 
blackflag said:
I used to be obese so I understand them. I don't bug them or make fun of them obviously. The ones I know have seen my change and if they are interested they'll ask me for help.
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What your magic?
I'm going to gym but those meds I take prevent me for loosing weight.
 
I feel no sympathy towards most of them, but I don't go out of my way to criticize them. I'm sure they make it hard enough on themselves to live. Assholes like myself can mind their own business.
 
They're neat.

I will say, though, I love it when a fat person doesn't act like a fat person, per se. As in, not cranky, defensive or sad sacky, but more like someone who has no idea how much they weigh.
 
I don't feel sorry for them if that's what you're asking. This sounds douchey but they do it to themselves (unless they were unsupervised as children). I understand there eating disorders as well, but I've learned those are rare right?

Still, I don't treat them any differently than anyone else.
 
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Fat people are vastly more accepted than they were a few decades ago. The average kid today would be mocked mercilessly using the standards of 30+ years ago.
The 'fat kid' in my neighborhood was barely overweight, but you'd think he was an elephant by the way people talked about him.
 
It irritates me.

A handful legitimately dont have a choice. The other 98% are ruining themselves.

Dont drink soda as a substitute for water. Dont be sedentary. Dont eat frozen food exclusively. If you do those things you will at least avoid being morbidly obese.

You have time, and its not cheaper to eat shit.

I used to be moderately chunky, I know.
 
shinobi602 said:
I don't feel sorry for them if that's what you're asking. This sounds douchey but they do it to themselves (unless they were unsupervised as children). I understand there eating disorders as well, but I've learned those are rare right?

Still, I don't treat them any differently than anyone else.
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yeah right I did this to myself, I barely eat and gained huge weight from antipsichotics
asshole
 
Since I was little my sister was obese. She eventually got the stomach band surgery and she only weighs around the 150 mark and looks great. So because of that I always gave bigger people the benefit of the doubt seeing as I knew they had it rough already without people already judging them.

But as I've gotten older I've realized that those type of people can lose the weight whenever they want. I get frustrated seeing people in rascals, or scarfing down donuts or McD's when they look their heart is pumping for 3 times its normal weight.

So while I don't treat bigger people any different than thin people, I do tend to judge them secretly in my heart and wonder, "what keeps you from living a healthier lifestyle?"

I think it's more about being healthy and living as a long as you can, and feeling great than about looking good for others.
 
there are some people are on the larger side but still healthy looking overall and function fine, physically. no big deal here

and then there are some that are on the larger side and also look mentally sick, and sound like they have trouble breathing during speech. these are the ones that are unpleasant to look at
 
BannedEpisode said:
It irritates me.

A handful legitimately dont have a choice. The other 98% are ruining themselves.

Dont drink soda as a substitute for water. Dont be sedentary. Dont eat frozen food exclusively. If you do those things you will at least avoid being morbidly obese.

You have time, and its not cheaper to eat shit.

I used to be moderately chunky, I know.
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Would you say your an expert?
 
Overall I'm indifferent. I used to be big myself (was part of the gaf fat thread).
I'm not in any way attracted to them.
I don't believe their excuses like genetics etc preventing them from getting thin. I think lowly of them in those cases.
I don't mind them as friends at all because they usually love the same activities as me which is food, movies, gaming/computer stuff.
I enjoy their 'jolly' attitude.

I recommend every overweight person to get in shape though. Life is *so* much better.
 
VALIS said:
They're neat.

I will say, though, I love it when a fat person doesn't act like a fat person, per se. As in, not cranky, defensive or sad sacky, but more like someone who has no idea how much they weigh.
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How does a fat person acts "fat" exactly? Is there some way to act skinny or tall?
 
Usually kind of annoyed at the ones who appear to be making zero effort at even curtailing their problem, even when it's completely debilitating.
 
They should take action, care about their body, it can do some amazing things and they'll feel better.

That said I'm a hypocrite in my own ways.
 
I used to be fat, and the reason for me being fat was simple, I was lazy & a glutton. My opinion of fat people is pretty low, as someone who was on the inside of the house eating everything in sight, I can throw stones.
 
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