Sizeism

[philk]

Feeling a little bit fucked off this morning and just read a post in the "Women you should refuse" thread which really got my bloody boiling:

Author: Deuce Bigolo
Date: 12-09-03 04:32

3) dawn french....likely to mistake you for an edible snack

cheers
B....OZ

Why is it deemed acceptable in society to slag people off and make fun of them because of their size?

If the poster had made a comment based on, for example, someone being black it would (a) be illegal under Uk law and (b) (hopefully) be removed by the mods. Im not in any way getting at the mods for not removing the post BTW, this is more a general go at people here and in the world at large who seem to think that someone who is overweight is fair game.

As someone who has struggled with weight problems all my life I am pissed off with people in general who seem to think that just because someone is different to the "norm" that they it is ok to make fun of them - people who have never experienced what its like to be really overweight (and I dont mean people who only need to lose a few pounds) have no idea how it affects your quality of life and what it restricts you from doing.

I am fully expecting some people to come back with the retort that overweight people have no one to blame but themselves for being the way they are and in the majority of cases this is true (there are a minority of people who are overweight for medical reasons and thru no fault of their own). While I agree with this the same could be said of many people in society for many things - some AIDs sufferers, a lot of cancer sufferers etc BUT that doesnt justify treating them as outcasts.

If I was to make a joke at the expense of someone suffering from lung cancer due to smoking for example it would be in bloody bad taste and, I would hope be deemed unacceptable yet, to use the analogy above, that too is their own "fault". So why is one acceptable and the other not?

Discuss.......

Jason

P.S. Personally speaking I have lost about 7 stone and 16 inches off my waist in the last 12 months so I am doing something about it but it still fucks me off everytime I read comments like in the previous post!

[Lizard]

Lighten up Jason, even Dawn French jokes about her size, and congrats on your w/loss success.

[philk]

Dawn French probably does what all big people do (me included) - she either makes the joke first or joins in and laughs at her own expense because it ends quicker that way and it hurts less.......

Jason (feeling slightly more mellow!)

[Lizard]

Good man

[philk]

still itching for a good argument tho - u cant beat a good bustup to help clear the head....

Someone, ANYONE, argue with me!!

Jason

[Deuce Bigolo]

In esscence humor is slagging off/putting down other people IMHO

No offense intended but I can imagine how it could be deemed offensive
For the record I find Dawn French quite cute not to mention funny(Vicar of Dibley-absolute riot)and if Lenny 'Big Knob' Henry
hadn't popped the question...Who knows?

Like you say just depends on who you are as to wether its funny or not

The same argument could be said about Number 4 the stick insect tennis player Daniela H(spelling?)

Time to start practicing what I Preach

If you wouldn't say it to their face then don't say it at all

Actions speak louder than words(which you are proving as we speak-good luck)

cheers
B....OZ

[steve56]

ab fab the trailers enough ,joanna lumley wat a turn off.

[philk]

I was hoping for an intelligent debate / argument but I guess I was asking for too much

Jason