"Thin Privilege"

[BananaHands]

Okay, so I honestly want to hear some halforumites $0.02 on this page I stumbled thing I stumbled onto the other day.

This Is Thin Privilege

I mean, this is obviously an extreme of this movement, but there are some points I can understand.

I mean, am I right to think this is just full-blown ignorance towards health or am I the one being ignorant?

 

[Azurephoenix]

WTF did I just read???

 

[PatrThom]

It (the "thin" stuff, at least) just looks like contrasting have/have-not, and how one side has it easier because for them it's a "choice." A few similar examples: Rich people can play at being poor (fashion) but poor people have to be poor (and look it) all the time, girls with no chest can stuff their bras for attention and remove it when they're done playing, but genuinely over-endowed people have to endure the stares all the time, grandparents can give a kid back when they're done but parents have to deal with the children all the time. It all seems a commentary on how one group unfairly gets to "play" at being the other group, while the other group has to suffer with the downsides of being that other group All. The. Time.

--Patrick

 

[dill616]

This tumblr is really confusing. I can't figure out if thin privilege is speaking out against or for heavy people. I was able to find a LOVELY Thin Privilege Checklist here: http://heyfatchick.tumblr.com/post/1296446884

"I don’t have to worry that if I am talking about feeling of sexual attraction people are repelled or disgusted by the size of my body. People can imagine me in sexual circumstances."

It's ideas like this that sent made me self-destructive in my teens and early 20's. Way to go.

 

[BananaHands]

I mean, it seems like they're against destructive habits like bulimia and anorexia (which is good) but supporting unhealthy habits such as overeating and not exercising (which is bad)?

 

[LittleKagsin]

I think my thoughts are worth more like a penny.

But, I feel that 'thin privilege' is just another way for women to attack each other. It's ignorance on both sides; Thinner women who put down other women who are heavier than they are. And women who bash on girls who are thin.

The, I dunno, ironic maybe, thing about thin privilege is it is what they hate. If that makes sense. I mean, people hate that girls who are thin pick on girls who are heavier, especially when Thin Girl assumes Heavy Girl is being unhealthy. And kind of a general hate for heavier people.

In my opinion though, a lot of the time the people who cry 'thin privilege' are often mistaking ignorance of a situation for hate. Example (from the tumblr): Girl A is talking to Girl B about how she (Girl A) didn't know you could have high cholesterol and not be fat. That to me is just ignorance. Girl A isn't saying she hates fat people, she just stating something she didn't know. Sure there are some people who are rude and generally mean to heavier set people, but most comments that get made, in my experience, are just silly thoughts or opinions. Not actual hate.

And then there are people who call 'thin privilege' despising girls who diet or anything of that nature, but fail to remember that some girls are just naturally skinny.

It seems like ammo to me. Like, people who are called heavy now have this I-can-be-mean-to-you-and-get-away-with-it badge simply because heavy-ish people have been teased/made fun of for a long period of time, and now it's payback for them.

I for one find it silly and dumb. And I'll probably stear clear of it. I want to remain in my blissfully happy life.

 

[Ravenpoe]

As a fat guy, I enjoy making people think of me in sexual situations. I'll even act some stuff out, most times without even being asked.

 

[strawman]

All I know is that if your keyboard is filthy due to you eating at the computer, you need to step away from the computer and the food.

 

[figmentPez]

This tumblr is really confusing. I can't figure out if thin privilege is speaking out against or for heavy people. I was able to find a LOVELY Thin Privilege Checklist here: http://heyfatchick.tumblr.com/post/1296446884

"I don’t have to worry that if I am talking about feeling of sexual attraction people are repelled or disgusted by the size of my body. People can imagine me in sexual circumstances."

It's ideas like this that sent made me self-destructive in my teens and early 20's. Way to go.

What I find odd about that checklist is how many of those really thin people have to put up with. As much as our society seems to worship rail thin models, when women or men are just naturally skinny people do question their health, call them ugly for being so thin, call them lazy for not exercising and putting on some weight, question their psychological health assuming they have an eating disorder, etc.

 

[strawman]

And replace that keyboard. It's filthy.

 

[WasabiPoptart]

Honestly, I don't make time in my life for these "issues" that I see as coming from people who have my 3 year old's level of maturity. Do I think a bias against heavy people exists? Yes. Do I think there is a backlash against thin people? Yes. But I also think society has this duality when it comes to weight and body image. If you're heavy, you must be a slovenly pig who pounds down McDonalds and lives on the couch. If you're thin, then you must have an eating disorder or at the least be obsessive about diet & exercise. Like LittleKagsin said, this all becomes an excuse for women to bash one another. It's really a shame that people can think of nothing better to do with their time.

 

[figmentPez]

I'll add that some of the extremes of body acceptance bother me. I'm all for trying to dispel prejudice, but if we get to the point where we say "Everyone is perfect just as they are" that bothers me. Some people have legitimate health problems because of how they are. My little sister is underweight and has health problems because of it, she needs to eat more and better food. My ex-fiance had liver and joint problems because of her weight, and she needed to eat less and better food. Neither of them were ugly because of their weight, and people shouldn't judge them or assume things about how they got to be over- or under-weight, but the fact of the matter is that there are extremes that are unhealthy, even if someone gets to that point through no fault of their own.

 

[dill616]

What I find odd about that checklist is how many of those really thin people have to put up with. As much as our society seems to worship rail thin models, when women or men are just naturally skinny people do question their health, call them ugly for being so thin, call them lazy for not exercising and putting on some weight, question their psychological health assuming they have an eating disorder, etc.

My oldest sister was a size double 0 in high school and her teachers would constantly ask my mom if she was eating or had health issues. Well, my mom was also just over 5 ft tall and less than 100lbs in her teens and twenties. It wasn't until she had kids that she finally hit over 115lbs. Sometimes it's just genetic. I, however, take after my father's side of the family. I'm tall, heavily built but actually have low blood pressure and low blood sugar. Meanwhile, my once rail-thin family members are all battling type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Shit happens.

 

[Azurephoenix]

I'll add that some of the extremes of body acceptance bother me. I'm all for trying to dispel prejudice, but if we get to the point where we say "Everyone is perfect just as they are" that bothers me. Some people have legitimate health problems because of how they are. My little sister is underweight and has health problems because of it, she needs to eat more and better food. My ex-fiance had liver and joint problems because of her weight, and she needed to eat less and better food. Neither of them were ugly because of their weight, and people shouldn't judge them or assume things about how they got to be over- or under-weight, but the fact of the matter is that there are extremes that are unhealthy, even if someone gets to that point through no fault of their own.

Pish posh... nobody wants to listen to the voice of reason FigmentPez

 

[PatrThom]

Pish posh... nobody wants to listen to the voice of reason FigmentPez

Yes. If we listened to reason all of the time, it would cut into the lynching.

--Patrick

 

[WasabiPoptart]

I love the looks I get from medical professionals when I go for a physical. I am considered obese according to their out-dated little charts, but my blood pressure is usually exactly normal or lower than normal. My heart rate, especially since I took up running, is 60-70 bpm (it used to be around 80). All of my blood work comes back within the normal/good range except my ldl cholesterol (hdl is actually very good). High cholesterol runs in the family on my dad's side though. I get a lot of surprised looks. It almost amuses me.

 

[figmentPez]

Pish posh... nobody wants to listen to the voice of reason FigmentPez

Well not on Tumblr, that's for sure. Whatever you do, never mention "thigh gap" on Tumblr; and don't mention tanning or the consumption of meat either, and I try to avoid mentioning sex and/or gender because I can't seem to figure out what the hell Tumblr wants to define those as.

 

[strawman]

NO you can't just wash the keyboard in the dishwasher! What internet have you been reading again? Seriously, you're banned from the computer anyway, why are you trying to get out of getting a new keyboard?

 

[BananaHands]

Do I have someone blocked or is Stienman having a stroke?

 

[Azurephoenix]

I think Thin Privilege broke his brain.

 

[strawman]

Do I have someone blocked or is Stienman having a stroke?

A little from column A, a little from column B...

 

[Wahad]

I'll add that some of the extremes of body acceptance bother me. I'm all for trying to dispel prejudice, but if we get to the point where we say "Everyone is perfect just as they are" that bothers me. Some people have legitimate health problems because of how they are. My little sister is underweight and has health problems because of it, she needs to eat more and better food. My ex-fiance had liver and joint problems because of her weight, and she needed to eat less and better food. Neither of them were ugly because of their weight, and people shouldn't judge them or assume things about how they got to be over- or under-weight, but the fact of the matter is that there are extremes that are unhealthy, even if someone gets to that point through no fault of their own.

This. I was browsing tumblr the other day and came across a ''fat acceptance'' blog where there was a message that said ''don't tell us to lose weight if we're fat because you're worried for our health, we know the health risks of being fat better than you so shush'' or something to that effect. This boggles my food-loving mind. So, so, so many people are overweight simply because of a bad, no good, terrible diet - liters of sodas, frozen tv-dinners every day with snacks the rest of the day, huge portions of meat and potatoes with only a marginal amount of veggies that wouldn't count for as much as plate garnish in any restaurant worthy of the name.

If they know the health risks of being fat better than me, why aren't they doing something about it? Why do they continue to persist with their godawful diet? ''It's because I'm poor, I can't afford fresh veggies and fruit all the time." FALSE! It's easy to get decent quality healthy food if you explore your goddamn options for a minute and don't settle for mind-numbing easy packaged food. Go find ethnic stores or look for CSA options if it's the season for it or buy stuff that's on sale in bulk. "It's because I don't know how to cook and cooking is hard." FALSE! Cooking is easy, especially with the advent of the internet. Google ''easy healthy recipes'' and bam, you're done. Fuck you, overweight people who persist in bad diets and still complain. I will continue to advertise healthy eating to you until my throat goes sore at which point I will drink some water and continue. I will be polite and kind to you just as I am to anybody else but don't test my patience about this when you are obviously and sickeningly stubbornly wrong. Suck it.

Disclaimer; I will never ''judge" somebody simply for being overweight or underweight. I will, however, judge them if they're overweight or underweight because of their bad diet, continue to eat said bad diet despite health warnings, and then complain because they get all sorts of medical problems like it's not their fault. Because then it's their own fault and they deserve what they get.

 

[figmentPez]

Wahad I agree with you. What gets me is the "It doesn't harm you so you don't get a say." Well, no, it doesn't directly harm me, but society spends a whole lot taking care of preventable illness. It raises my health care costs when someone knowingly eats unhealthy foods and then expects to receive health care anyway.

 

[Cajungal]

Wahad I agree with you. What gets me is the "It doesn't harm you so you don't get a say." Well, no, it doesn't directly harm me, but society spends a whole lot taking care of preventable illness. It raises my health care costs when someone knowingly eats unhealthy foods and then expects to receive health care anyway.

Not only this, but I think it's important to ensure your health in ways that you can control. Maybe I'll get sick and die before 40, and I won't be able to control that. But if all that's keeping me from seeing my nieces grow up is choosing between a healthy lifestyle and an unhealthy one, I'm going to choose the healthy lifestyle. No one's an island. Someone will miss you and worry if you treat your body poorly. This argument can be taken to dangerous extremes, discouraging any kind of risk or indulgence. But I think it's a good thing to keep in mind.

I don't know... people are always going to be treated differently by some because of beauty standards and unfair assumptions. Best not to let it blind you to the possibility of coming across very kind, decent people who wouldn't dream of judging you based on your looks. More than a few people like that put me in my place when I was still obese. I made some unfair assumptions of my own, and not about eating disorders. Of course, because they were thinner than I was, they must also be shallow. It was a way to make me forget my own insecurity. If we focus on what we like and don't like about ourselves instead of lashing out, more gets accomplished than these people ranting about what real health is and who the "real women" are.

 

[Wahad]

Wahad I agree with you. What gets me is the "It doesn't harm you so you don't get a say." Well, no, it doesn't directly harm me, but society spends a whole lot taking care of preventable illness. It raises my health care costs when someone knowingly eats unhealthy foods and then expects to receive health care anyway.

Basically, yeah. I'll admit, for me it's also a bit of a food-motivated issue, because I love food and cooking and I find that people who knowingly eat bad diets make me sad, because my father's side of the family is pretty fat (but more from eating in excess than anything else, and my grandparents have reached 80 and are still going strong, so they're not extremely obese) so ever since I've started cooking for myself I've been carefully watching what I eat, and yet I still eat delicious stuff everyday. And if I can do it, why can't they? Answer; because they're lazy. And I'm basically a sloth in a human body, so that says something.

 

[Dirona]

TI will, however, judge them if they're overweight or underweight because of their bad diet...

I'm using this as a jumping off point, not claiming you do what I am about to ask about - how, pray tell, do you know what someone's food intake is? Particularly if you've just met them, or are passing them in the grocery store, or sitting next to them at a restaurant? Because this is where, I find, most of the glares come from.

Also, I think PartThom's post way back at the beginning pretty much nails it.

 

[BananaHands]

I'm using this as a jumping off point, not claiming you do what I am about to ask about - how, pray tell, do you know what someone's food intake is? Particularly if you've just met them, or are passing them in the grocery store, or sitting next to them at a restaurant? Because this is where, I find, most of the glares come from.

Also, I think PartThom's post way back at the beginning pretty much nails it.

I think he's saying he doesn't glare/judge in those situations, yet holds issues with those are so vocal and ignorant to the health risks associated with their chosen lifestyle.

Just look at that blog, they keep claiming that its a myth that there are health risks associated with obesity. It's the same level of "lung cancer won't happen to me" from smokers.

 

[PatrThom]

I love the looks I get from medical professionals when I go for a physical. I am considered obese according to their out-dated little charts, but my blood pressure is usually exactly normal or lower than normal. My heart rate, especially since I took up running, is 60-70 bpm (it used to be around 80). All of my blood work comes back within the normal/good range except my ldl cholesterol (hdl is actually very good). High cholesterol runs in the family on my dad's side though. I get a lot of surprised looks. It almost amuses me.

I know I've already mentioned this blog before, but on the off chance you (or someone else) hasn't heard of it, I'm going to link it again:

http://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/

She's a bit activist-y, but considering her story, I'm not all that surprised.

--Patrick

 

[Ravenpoe]

As a fat guy *does some more pelvic thrusts* I know being overweight isn't healthy. And I've been working towards a healthier lifestyle.

But being lazy is soooo awesome. It's hard to give up.

God I miss cheetos.

 

[DarkAudit]

Suck it, beanpoles.

 

[figmentPez]

I know I've already mentioned this blog before, but on the off chance you (or someone else) hasn't heard of it, I'm going to link it again:

http://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/

She's a bit activist-y, but considering her story, I'm not all that surprised.

--Patrick

Ah, I've seen her stuff on Facebook. My friends wife and her are buds online at least (she calls Ragen "her blog wife", IIRC), and I think they've met in person. She irritates me sometimes, but also manages to make some good points as well.

 

[Tress]

I'm a fat guy. My best friend is very underweight (5'11, 120 pounds). When we go to restaurants, I'll order a salad while he orders a giant fuckin' burger with fries. The looks we get are amazing.

 

[Wahad]

I'm using this as a jumping off point, not claiming you do what I am about to ask about - how, pray tell, do you know what someone's food intake is? Particularly if you've just met them, or are passing them in the grocery store, or sitting next to them at a restaurant? Because this is where, I find, most of the glares come from.

Also, I think PartThom's post way back at the beginning pretty much nails it.

Of course I don't know it if I just met them. Like I said, I won't judge somebody simply for being overweight. But it was an issue between me and my ex-girlfriend, for example. Various internet people have attacked me over my stance, too, and I've rebuked them. Also, what BananaHands said.

 

[dill616]

People will look at me as a plus size woman and think that I must have done this to myself through poor diet choice. Well, yes I did and at the same time I kind of didn't. As a kid, I grew up in an unstable, abusive household where I turned to food to make all of the pain go away. When I finally realized what I was doing in my early teens, I changed my eating habits drastically- too drastically. I started purging and practicing self-starvation. I became bulimic and anorexic and was active in this off and on for over 10 years. I lost a shit ton of weight but ruined my body in the process. Those closest to me even encouraged me to keep up the habits because of the weight I was losing. The smallest I ever got down to was 190 lbs at 5'8" and I have a large frame. I was by no means skeletal, but I was not healthy. When I would start eating normally again, my body went into starvation mode and turned all of that food into fat. Great, huh?

It's really hard to hear people give me advice on weight loss or to go on regular diets because I want to take everything to the extreme. I tried weight watchers with my sister, but I had to be VERY careful with how much I restricted. I'm constantly on the border of relapsing. It's like being an alcoholic only you have to have a drink every day. I know exactly how I can lose weight quickly, but I already have severe acid reflux, tooth decay, anemia, and nearly no lining to my stomach. I don't want to go back to rehab. It's a shitty place.

 

[WasabiPoptart]

"It's because I don't know how to cook and cooking is hard."

I have a friend, a highly intelligent guy, who used to give me this excuse for his poor eating habits all the time. Granted he is single with no children and his job pays barely 5 figures so eating junk is easy and (supposedly) cheap. I know I find it more of a challenge to cook for myself alone than I do for my family of four, so that perspective I can kind of understand. He would tell me he couldn't cook because he didn't know how and he couldn't afford to waste the money on ruined food. I told him to get a cookbook or look up what he wanted to make online and he would learn. It fell on deaf ears. He gained a LOT of weight.
Then a few years ago he had a heart attack. He was only in his mid-30's. The heart attack was brought on by diabetes. His heart is damaged enough that he is on disability for the rest of his life. His doctors told him all of this could have been avoided with a healthier diet and exercise. Now, he cooks and bakes most of his own food. He walks for exercise on most days though he has to be careful he doesn't over do it. He's lost a good amount of weight, too. Unfortunately, his doctors have told him that due to his heart condition he will probably die a lot earlier than the average lifespan no matter what he does to maintain a healthier lifestyle.