The obesity 'pandemic'

[iradney]

So it is ok to hate people. Got it. And advocating NOT hating people and NOT treating them like shit makes me a bad person.

Good to have that cleared up.

Edit: Also I wasn't comparing people to hippos. I was saying that they would have to be wider than a hippo in order to actually prevent someone behind them from simply stepping 6" to the side and seeing past them.

Are you reading the same thread I'm reading?
Are you trying to say that I hate myself? Coz obviously, since I don't agree with you, I hate fat people. And as mentioned before - I'M FAT. it's not an insult, it's a FACT.
I actually think I'm pretty darn awesome - but hey, YOU must be right, so I'll go into the corner and start hating myself immediately.

Once again, I fail to see how pointing out a simple FACT is a hateful action. If I say "That girl is wearing a red dress", am I somehow insulting her?
What if I said "That incredibly tall girl is wearing a red dress"? Pointing out her above-average height is a fact, and not hateful.

Now I say "That blonde girl is wearing a red dress". Taking into account the many jokes and misconceptions about blondes, would you then take it as an insult?

What about "That really skinny girl is wearing a red dress". I know quite a few people who are woefully underweight, one or two due to eating disorders, others due to ridiculously high metabolisms. You have NO IDEA how much they get insulted and ragged on by complete strangers. If they go to the bathroom within one hour of eating, people actually accuse them of going to go throw up. People stop them in the street and ask (with disgust) if they like how they look, and how they should eat. If they're seen eating a full meal, once again, people ask when they're going to throw it up.

But of course, none of this is going to penetrate your skull. You have decided that simply by describing someone as "overweight", we are exhibiting hateful behaviour.

There is a difference between "overweight" and "Fattyfat McFatfat". Just like there's a difference between "blonde" and "bimbo". Or "uneducated" vs "willfully ignorant".

As for not hating people and not treating them like shit - how would you describe your behaviour towards us?
As someone once said "There are none so blind as those who WILL NOT see."

[protege]

If I hear one more comment about my "spare tire" from certain relatives...I'm going to fucking hit them. Seriously, what the hell? It's not my fault my metabolism has slowed down, nor is it my fault my job involves me sitting on my ass 9 hours a day. I try to exercise, I really do. But, by the time I get home, I'm tired. At least I get outside, and walk a few blocks during my lunch hour. Usually, down to the bridge, down the alley to the railroad tracks, and then a few blocks back to work.

[blas87]

Have I been that inactive at CS lately that I have missed hundreds of fat bashing threads?

Yeah, I didn't think so. I specifically remember a few months ago, a brand new member started a thread and used terms similar to "hambeast" and other offesnsive to larger people names.....that didn't last long before it was edited out.

[Ree]

Who said anything like this?

I think I did.

Yeah, pretty sure I posted and said it was OK to hate because fat people are just disgusting creatures and deserving of contempt.

Oh, wait, I forgot...I'm fat.

Nope...guess it wasn't me.

I am more than a little insulted, though, at the accusations being thrown around against the moderators on the 2 sites.

I think we are very even-handed in how we moderate threads when it comes to "fat" insults.

We try to keep an eye on things, but it really helps a lot if people would report this shit that upsets them, rather than assuming we have all seen it and agree with it, and then start making inane accusations bringing our impartiality into question.

[DesignFox]

<snip>
I actually think I'm pretty darn awesome - but hey, YOU must be right, so I'll go into the corner and start hating myself immediately.
<snip>

I happen to agree that you are awesome and your post made me chuckle. Thank you.

As a general rule, if someone mentions a person's size once in a way we consider to be non-derogatory, then that's setting the scene.

"I was in a queue at the fast food joint, and I could barely see around the huge guy in front of me, but I could hear the SC loud and clear" - perfectly fine.

A post that harps on about someone's weight is going to get trimmed to within an inch of its life. "Land whale," "Hambeast" etc - not going to cut it.

We often get them before people see them, but some (usually from non-moderated posters past the new user moderation) get through, and we don't see them all. Of course, we don't expect someone to have too thin a skin and report anything that could be even remotely offensive. We aim at a middle ground between taking too much offence and giving too much offence.

I can't remember a reported post about weight in some time. Sounds like it's easier to curse the darkness than to light a candle.

Rapscallion

Well, considering the word "huge" could have many connotations, I think it is absolutely a fair description of a person. If Raps hadn't paired that example with the explanation that the word "huge" is an acceptable one as opposed to "Land whale" who says that word has to be describing someone's weight?

I'm incredibly short. Everyone is "huge" to me. Shit, average sized people often block my view. All that was mentioned using that example is that a bigger person was blocking the view of a smaller person. Doesn't necessarily have anything to do with weight...and it doesn't even mean that the "huge" person was the SC!

Stop splitting hairs.

Also, grow a thicker skin. Everyone here has said that it is *not* ok to hate anyone or belittle them. But not being able to describe anything or poke fun? Sheesh. BOOOORING.

I'd rather get offended once in awhile than have to censor every damn word that comes out of my or anyone else's mouth.

Oh, and the Cheetoh reference- not necessarily picking on fat people. That's picking on nerdy people. Although, usually, it's a combination insult. I happen to think it's a hilarious mental image. But I'm willing to accept that I'm going to burn in hell for it, and I don't care. Also, I don't use that insult on people who don't out and out deserve it (i.e. acted disrespectfully to me first to the point that they got me to even care), or strictly in jest between myself and my friends (cause I know it wouldn't hurt their or my feelings).

But, it's a big bad world we live in. Maybe I should just curl up in a ball and cry because someone might make fun of me.

[Nyoibo]

Oh, and the Cheetoh reference- not necessarily picking on fat people. That's picking on nerdy people. Although, usually, it's a combination insult. I happen to think it's a hilarious mental image.

Usually acompanied by the voice in my head either saying "Worst comic ever" or "Oh I've wasted my life"