Is it becoming the norm to "fat-shame" people into losing weight?

1. 88

   Stacie Lposted 9 years ago

   Is it becoming the norm to "fat-shame" people into losing weight?
   
   Private individuals and public personalities such as Kelly Clarkson are subject to "fat-shaming" on a regular basis. Chris Wallace is the latest to discuss Kelly's weight on the radio.
   Are people bullying her or are they trying to help?

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2. 39

   ChristinSposted 9 years ago

   In the case of Kelly, yes they are bullying her and this tends to happen a lot to women in the spotlight and it's very unacceptable to judge someone on their weight alone or to poke fun of them.
   
   On the other side of this though is a tendency to shame other fit women in the other direction.  There was a woman recently who happened to stay very fit through her pregnancy and was blasted in the media for it and had a lot of women shaming her for being "selfish" because she had the nerve to continue to care for her own body etc.  Then there was the whole "fit mom" thing that happened several months back where everyone jumped all over her for simply saying that motherhood is not an excuse for laziness and letting oneself go.   
   
   I think that women are often critical of each other physically (which doesn't help our cause) and that the media make a huge deal out of shaming women of every size.  They are shamed for what they are wearing, or how fit or fat they are etc.  If they have wrinkles or show any signs of age, they get shamed for that too.  If they succumb to that pressure and have procedures to look younger - then they are shamed for that. 
   
   You can't win as a woman in the public eye - like ever.

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      dashingscorpioposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent point! Lots of women were angry at the "fit mom" too! In fact the slogan: "Real women have curves!" is a dig against women who are fit or thin. Just because a woman is thin doesn't make her any less "real". Every group is attacked.

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   2. 88

      Stacie Lposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Women are in competition whether they realize it or not.
      Its primal and lives beneath the surface.

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3. 79

   dashingscorpioposted 9 years ago

   In all honesty I don't believe we're witnessing anything new here.
   The primary difference however is the Internet provides more avenues for people to comment on other's appearances.
   The National Enquire and other store rag newspapers have always had a field day pointing out overweight celebrities.
   Joan Rivers used to blast Elizabeth Taylor for being fat. "She's the only person I know of who stands in front of a microwave and says, (Hurry up!)"
   That was back in the 80s! Another difference today is we as a society have become much more sensitive and politically correct.
   Everything shocks and offends us today!
   No one today would suggest making a TV show where a large bus driver routinely threatens to punch his wife to evoke laughter and yet "The Honeymooners" is considered a "classic" sitcom.
   Foster Brooks made people laugh imitating being an alcoholic on  "The Dean Martin Show".  Dudley Moore was nominated for an Oscar playing a "funny drunk" in the movie "Arthur"
   Cheech & Chong sold millions of albums portraying stoners.
   Richard Pryor used the "N" word in most of his jokes.
   What has become (the new norm) is using such terms as:
   "Fat shaming".

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   1. 88

      Stacie Lposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      There are more fat people today than in history.i don't remember seeing many in my childhood. I'm not sure if people are speaking out of concern(tough love)
      or joining in with the bullying.

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