Keep in mind, I am on your side. I am obese and I absolutely hate the fact that I cannot fit comfortably onto an airplane, I cannot buy clothes in my favorite stores, and that people just pre-assume things about me which (may or may not be) true. Recently, I have begun thinking about all of the things we can do now to make ourselves more comfortable (as big folks) and have wondered if its really in our best interest to do so.
You and your girlfriend getting a little uncomfortable on a queen bed? Upgrade to a king! Can’t buy clothes you like in a store because they don’t stock your size? Buy them online! Can’t stop drinking regular soda? Introduce a junk food tax! A little too big to fit in that airline seat? Upgrade to coach “plus”! Don’t like going to “regular bars” because everyone there is a snooty bitch and thinks you’re fat? Go to a plus size club!
The list goes on and on, the number of “patches” keeps getting larger and larger but nobody is really tackling the core issue which is: People continue to become obese, stay obese, and die obese at an alarming level. It’s scary really, but consider what the world would be like if we treated everyone with a social stigma (and lets face it, being overweight obese is a social stigma) like we treat obesity for a moment.
We would have a Racism superstore at your local mall, a Heroine and Cocaine mart on every corner, and a Furries-R-Us playground in every park. Okay, so I am maybe exaggerating a little bit, but lets face it making it more comfortable and easier than ever to kill yourself just doesn’t seem like a good policy.
If when you got on a plane the seat in front of you didn’t crush your legs would you be as inclined to try to lose weight than if it was as comfortable as your favorite chair? (Be honest.) If being overweight suddenly became the “in” thing to do because everyone in Hollywood started doing it would it make you feel better that your life expectancy and quality of life was going to be substantially lower?
Like I said at the beginning of this post, I am in the same boat as you but recently I am just sick to death with ‘creative solutions’ for fat people. Don’t incentivize people to stay big, help them get healthy and stay healthy while loving themselves at the same time. I’m sure there is profit in that somewhere (Drug companies!)