Two weeks ago a blogger for Marie Claire told the world that she was uncomfortable watching overweight people get intimate on the new TV show, Mike & Molly. Her opinion has caused her a lot of backlash because we live in such a politically correct world that if your opinion offends a certain group then you are labeled a bully or a bigot or...a weightist. Of course it's more aesthetically pleasing to watch two fit, beautiful people canoodle on your favorite show. But that's not why I say "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
My issue is with a word that, frankly, is completely ridiculous. Weightism. WEIGHTISM. That has got to be a joke.
Racism. Ageism. Sexism. Weightism. Which one of these is not like the other?
If you guessed weightism, you'd be correct! And why is that Nicole? I'm happy you asked! You see, while race, age, and sex are something that you can't change without extensive plastic surgery, weight is something that can be controlled by an individual without a scalpel. You're not born fat. You get that way through unhealthy eating and exercise habits or things like a screwy thyroid (which can be controlled with medicine).
There is no reason to be cruel to others who are different from you and I don't agree with it, but weightism is completely ridiculous! I struggle with staying at a healthy weight, and I know it sucks to diet and exercise when I'd rather be eating a big, juicy hamburger, but we're adults and need to take responsibility for our actions. "Weightism" only exacerbates America's weight problem. We spent over $147 billion directly and indirectly on the costs of obesity in 2006, and we've expanded since then.
When are individuals going to stop coining new terms to make themselves feel better and instead, channel that frustration in healthy, productive ways such as educating themselves on proper nutrition?
No, no one is kidding you. This issue is a lot more complicated than you're trying to make it sound. While I don't know if I'd use the word "weightism" (it sounds a little silly), the idea that there is one ideal weight that fits everybody is as pervasive as it is wrong. The ability to look at somebody and surmise "fat" or not does not make you a doctor. The woman who wrote this Marie Claire blog is not a doctor. It's important not to conflate what pleases us aesthetically with what is healthy. Different people have different healthy weights. There are plenty of people who look slim whose hearts are unhealthy due to inactivity, and plenty of somewhat thicker people who are in much better shape. And if you can't look at an overweight person walking across a room without feeling disgusted (as the blogger says she can't), I don't give a flying fuck how many billions of dollars this country spends on health care, that IS bigotry.
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