It takes just one glace at my social media or even my blog to know that I’m a fat woman. I’ve seen so much on my TikTok for you page as well as on social media in general about legislation that is currently being discussed that would end discrimination against fat people. There are so many reasons I support this, but of course the main one is that I am fat, and I have several family members who would identify as fat, too. We’ve all faced our fair share of issues due to our body sizes. Let’s talk about the other reasons, all of which I’ve experienced, why I would support legislation like this. HEALTH CARE DISPARITIESIt’s gone further for me. OBGYNs (several of them) have refused to work with me when it comes to my longing to become a mother due to my body size. They say they have valid medical concerns, and I think that is partly true. However, I do feel like people of all sizes can have a child and be healthy, so refusal to assist in the medical side of conception due to someone’s size seems discriminatory to me. But I’m disheartened at the number of people who were told everything wrong with their body was due to their size. I remember hearing the story of one young lady who was told her back pain was due to her body size. She hustled in the gym and completely changed her lifestyle to lose weight only to find out she had a major issue in her spine. In fact, she tried to get out of bed one day and her whole leg went numb. If a doctor would have just listened to her, she wouldn’t have experienced other issues that affected her health. That’s a problem, and it needs to be handled. There is also an unfortunate issue with insurance companies and prescription drug manufacturers. There may be a drug that can help you lose weight, but your insurance typically won’t cover it unless you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. So effectively, the insurance company is saying “we’ll only help you if your fatness leads to a real and serious medical condition,” instead of helping you afford the medication which could steer you far from those conditions. JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES I’ve even been at work when a fellow fat person told me we both couldn’t be on an elevator at the same time because it would be dangerous. An elevator that can carry about a ton of weight, which wouldn’t be the equivalent of two people who can actually move around and work. I’ve also had a former boss who said something to our group about taking someone outside of our department out for lunch. He said he would have to pay a lot of the meal because the guy was “a big boy.” So, you see, no matter if it is getting a job or opportunity, or if it is simply being targeted on the job with hateful rhetoric, fatphobia is an issue. It can take opportunities away from someone who truly deserves something and has worked hard for it. This kind of discrimination should be illegal. ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES The same shirt will be two to three dollars more than one in a smaller size. And sometimes, you’ll be lucky to find anything in your size. If you do find something, it’s likely an older-looking pattern that just isn’t something most young women would want to wear. On top of that, some smaller people will buy up all of the pieces designed for larger bodies as wear it as an “oversized” clothing item. Then there is the more serious matter of the exclusion from activities we could otherwise do if designs were inclusive to people with bigger bodies. For example, few may know the embarrassment felt when you have to de-board from a roller coaster because the safety belt won’t fit. A ton of famous parks, including Harry Potter World from my understanding, have few rides that can accommodate bigger bodies. I find that particularly funny, because one of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter Franchise is Hagrid who is himself a fat man. Some of things that aren’t designed with bigger bodies in mind include bathroom stalls, airline seats, subway turn stops, many styles of chairs and more. DANGEROUS ASSUMPTIONS
There are so many fat people struggling with eating disorders because someone told them just to stop eating. In fact, many people who are fat are genetically predisposed to it. They have family who are all fat, as well. In addition, so many of the affordable foods on the shelf are filled with sodium and other “bad-for-you” ingredients, which also makes this an economic issue. Assuming anything about anyone is just dangerous and stupid. That fat person you’re telling not to eat may be experiencing food insecurity at home and might not have eaten for days. So, what do you think? After reading this or living it yourself, could you see yourself supporting legislation that would outlaw size discrimination? Let me know in the comments. Let’s chat.
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