"Dear Fat People"

[Rageaholic]

So this youtuber, Nicole Arbour (Who I never heard of until now), caused a big stink when she made a video ranting about fat people. Her account was temp suspended, but is back up (so this isn't an issue of censorship).

There's two schools of thought. One that says people are too oversensitive to be freaking out over a video and another who thinks she was out of line.

Having seen the video, it's what I'd expect. It's not funny, it's obnoxious, it's mean spirited, and she's going out of her way to dehumanize fat people. But for me personally, it was pretty forgettable up until the end in which she claims she's trying to help her audience by shaming them. That she was only telling people what their friends and family were too tactful to tell them. She's saying that they need to be shamed, which is bullshit. As many people have pointed out, people do not need to be reminded about their flaws, especially in such a cruel way. All that does it make them hate themselves more which kills their motivation to get healthy.

Had she just made it a rant against fat people, I think it would have been just another unfunny vide and would have been forgotten.

[Andrew B]

Translation: she's a bully and a coward who hides behind a screen. She's using the old excuses that bullies have used since time immemorial.

[mjr]

I would say a large number of "fat people" (likely 100% of them) already KNOW they're fat. For some, it's sloth and overeating, sure, but for others it's thyroid problems.

Pointing out flaws can sometimes make the flaws worse.

[Shangri-laschild]

I'd say I'm of both mindsets to some extent. It was a crappy thing of her to do but all the outrage and freaking out about it is getting her more attention and more views. A lot of the people who have been or will be harmed by this video probably wouldn't have seen it if people weren't reacting to it so much.

I disagree that this kind of shaming helps anyone. There have been plenty of times I felt unhappy with my weight. Feeling ashamed of it or depressed about it has never been what motivated me to try to get in shape. When I am feeling confident and like I could accomplish things is when I actually start to get in the mindset of what I want for myself.

[Rageaholic]

I'd say I'm of both mindsets to some extent. It was a crappy thing of her to do but all the outrage and freaking out about it is getting her more attention and more views. A lot of the people who have been or will be harmed by this video probably wouldn't have seen it if people weren't reacting to it so much.

I disagree that this kind of shaming helps anyone. There have been plenty of times I felt unhappy with my weight. Feeling ashamed of it or depressed about it has never been what motivated me to try to get in shape. When I am feeling confident and like I could accomplish things is when I actually start to get in the mindset of what I want for myself.

Yeah, I mean, I understand why so many wanted to tear her a new one over this. Not feeding trolls can take a lot of will power. It's just a shame that this is going to make her more famous.

[Shangri-laschild]

Yeah, I mean, I understand why so many wanted to tear her a new one over this. Not feeding trolls can take a lot of will power. It's just a shame that this is going to make her more famous.

Yeah, I can definitely understand that. It can be very hard to not respond at times even when you know better.

[jedimaster91]

I'm gonna preface this by saying I haven't seen the video in question, nor do I plan to.

I've yet to find a tactful way to tell someone they are over the weight limit for my scanners. Fortunately I usually have a buffer in the way of nurses so I let them deal with it. I'm aware that some of the patients have legitimate medical issues that are causing their weight problems. But that really doesn't matter; they're still too big and I can't risk damaging my equipment to accommodate them. Not long ago one of the units called me to ask if I could scan a 500lb+ patient. My weight limit is 350lb*. You do the math. Once they sent me a patient in a bariatric bed that wouldn't fit through any of the doors to get to my department. I was surprised it fit on the elevator to get him down in the first place. So it took 6 of us to transfer him to a stretcher. Thankfully he was cool about it, but that has to be mortifying.

*There is one scanner that can go up to 400lb. But if it has to rotate in any fashion, we still might not be able to use it. 5'2" and 375lb is a lot different than 6'4" and 375lb.

[s_stabeler]

To be honest, as long as you aren't rude about it, just saying "I'm afraid you exceed the weight limit for our scanner" is fine- the intent is not to mock someone's weight, but simply to let them know you don't have a scanner that can perform the necessary test. The issue is when people try to mock people who are fat- or make a big deal of it.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I do like how there is one little segment in the video that she says, "I do understand that there are medical conditions that may make it hard to lose/keep weight off, this isn't aimed at you" like that somehow makes it better..?

I mean... yeah sometimes when I see people who are morbidly obese using the electronic carts when a older man with a walker is forced to hoof it... I mentally go into this same rant that she is doing. It's hard not to.

In the end, it's selfish fat people who don't give a shit that get me riled in this kind of way. I do believe that having a supportive net to get them going and keep them going is the more effective way to get overweight people to lose the unhealthy extra baggage.

But damn, sometimes I see stuff that makes it really hard to not think a rant similar to this. Then again, there are a lot of stuff I see in a lot of different places from different people that make me go full on mental rampage.

[BlaqueKatt]

well it cost her a choreography job on a movie. The movie was anti-bullying, specifically body positive, and she claimed to have read and loved the script.

what good is 3 million views if it gets you fired from the job you aspire to?

oops

[Greenday]

For some, it's sloth and overeating, sure, but for others it's thyroid problems.

Somehow, everyone suddenly has thyroid problems. 4.6% of Americans have hyperthyroidism. Just over 1/3 of America is overweight. I feel like we can't have one single discussion about people being fat without hearing someone bring up hyperthyroidism as if it has something to do with a large portion of overweight people since it doesn't.

[jedimaster91]

Hyperthyroid (overactive) people are usually rail thin. In fact, hyperthyroid patients are pretty easy to pick out just by looking at them: super skinny, jittery like they're on their 4th espresso, bulging eyes, flushed and sweaty. You're thinking of Hypothyroid (underactive), which contributes to weight gain and difficulty losing weight even with a starvation diet. Thyroid hormone has a huge effect on your metabolism so too much means the weight falls off and stays off, too little means the pounds pack on.

I run into a fair number of patients who claim to have hypothyroidism. Most of the ones I test end up within normal range. Some end up as overactive and a handful (like 1 or 2 a year) are underactive. Of course, the ones who have had thyroid cancer are definitely underactive since their thyroid has been removed surgically and the remainder nuked with radiation. Those are the only ones I believe completely when they say they're hypothyroid.

Hypothyroidism isn't the only medical issue that contributes to weight problems either. There are metabolic disorders and genetics at work as well.

[Gravekeeper]

Hyperthyroid (overactive) people are usually rail thin.

His statistic is actually correct even if he used the wrong prefix.

There are metabolic disorders and genetics at work as well.

Well, the thing is metabolic problems are generally a cart/horse issue that develop from obesity and lifestyle. Not one that leads to obesity and lifestyle. Actual genetic metabolic disorders are serious shit and are typically screened for infants. But many can actually be managed with diet and supplements.

Putting that aside though, obesity is not really a symptom of serious metabolic disorders. If you have a genetic metabolic disorder you likely have far far more serious problems to worry about symptom wise ( like seizures and what not >.> ). A metabolic syndrome on the other hand, yes, obesity is present but its the obesity that leads to developing it, not the other way around.

TLDR; Conditions that actually make you obese are rare and metabolic syndromes are a result not a cause.

If thyroid/metabolic/etc issues were significant causes of obesity than obesity rates would be more uniform across developed nations. Which we know to not be the case at all. We here in the west eat shit diets high in fat/sugar and don't move around much.

Introducing the western diet to another nation has a predictable and horrific effect. Just look at Trinidad for example. Their obesity rates, especially among children, shot straight up to the same level as the US in an alarmingly short amount of time. Why? Because the US fast food industry has moved in and expanded very quickly and aggressively over the last 5-10 years or so. They were eating shit before they even knew the consequences and by the time the consequences sink in it will be too late. They'll be economically dependent on the US food processing industry. Hell, they already are.

[BlaqueKatt]

I feel like we can't have one single discussion about people being fat without hearing someone bring up <thyroid problems> as if it has something to do with a large portion of overweight people since it doesn't.

well, that and per scientific studies, even those with untreated thyroid problems, it's actually not to blame. I dislike incorrect information.

american thyroid association

Massive weight gain is rarely associated with hypothyroidism. In general, 5-10 pounds of body weight may be attributable to the thyroid, depending on the severity of the hypothyroidism. Finally, if weight gain is the only symptom of hypothyroidism that is present, it is less likely that the weight gain is solely due to the thyroid.

[jedimaster91]

His statistic is actually correct even if he used the wrong prefix.

Prefixes matter. Especially in medicine. It's the difference between getting a correct diagnosis, correct treatment, and insurance coverage, or not. And with it being my day job, I want people to have correct information.

Conditions that actually make you obese are rare and metabolic syndromes are a result not a cause.

That they are, but they do exist. Some people are also genetically predisposed to weight issues without having an actual disorder. And you also can't tell just by looking at someone whether or not they are one of the rarities with a legit diagnosed disorder.