Intersting article on Fat in America

vinesqueen · November 8, 2005

America's Waistline http://www.slate.com/id/2128999/?GT1=7407The politics of fat. In the war on fat, fat isn't just winning, it's crushing the opposition. A new study reports that in the course of a lifetime, 9 out of 10 men and 7 out of 10 women are going to become overweight. The CDC says that a third of the country is currently obese. This puts a large portion of the nation's population in an unenviable predicament, since antipathy toward the fat, it's frequently remarked, is the last sanctioned form of bigotry. But bigotry is traditionally the plight of minorities, and the fat are fast becoming a majority. So, is America's spreading waistline at least a plus for anti-fat-discrimination efforts?

the best me · November 8, 2005

I like these quotes in particular...

"The psychological strain of trying to have dignity while lugging a fat body around is all too palpable, despite the pride rhetoric."

...talking about online sites where "fat pride issues" are discussed. Interesting observation. I wonder what fatpride folks see when they read our posts? I'm sure they are dissappointed/disgusted/whatever. Oh well. Sue me for hating being fat.

"A particularly incendiary topic is weight-loss surgery (stomach stapling or more radical measures like rerouting the intestine). Activists regard such procedures as a human rights abuse akin to female genital mutilation."

...huh?! akin to genital mutilation?!!!!!! I think not.

"Unfortunately, focusing on the food industry would put the preferred activist fat origin stories into question—unless the one-third of Americans who are now obese all developed glandular or genetic problems simultaneously in the '70s."

...meaning, most folks aren't fat because of heredity. We just eat too much crap.

"But the real bottom line is that processed food—which generally means higher-calorie food—is more profitable than raw food. Flavor is eliminated, then artificially added (usually meaning fat or sugars); nutrients are lost, then artificially added. The more additives, the higher the price. And we all know where this money trail leads: to our stomachs and hips."

...yep, and I eat the junk willingly.

"Whatever threat fat poses to the contemporary psyche—especially at the murkiest psychosexual levels where disgust is conjured—the fat themselves end up bearing a stigma that could be redirected to bona fide gluttons—the profiteers. Until that day, the bloating of the population continues apace."

...ya know, I felt really really stupid when I realized how irresponsible credit card debt is. I got out of college with a Lap-Band's worth of debt and felt like such a fool. Those damn companies really screwed me, asking me to pay 18-21% interest!!!! It took me 4-5 years to pay off all that mess! But, know what? I agreed to it. I didn't have to. The joke was on me cuz I said okay. It's MY fault, not theirs. so now I don't have any credit card debt. How easy is that?! Same with fat. I eat the food. It's MY issue. Can't really blame the profiteers if I am going to be one to take responsibility for my actions, right? Sure they make it too cheap easy to eat poorly. So what? I still don't have to. My credit card made it easy to go buy that pretty amythest ring and gold chain necklace, and all those clothes, and the VCR for my boyfriend. I didn't have to do it.

Interesting article! Thanks Vines!