Comments on: Anti-fat bias

By: sushi

sushi — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:20:15 +0000

just looking at percentages, a 5′6″ woman with a bmi of 40 is 61% (in lbs) above the highest end of the “normal weight” range. taking that 61% off of the lowest end of the “normal weight” range, would give you a woman with a bmi of 11.3, or a 5′6″ woman weighing only 70lbs!!!! this is why there are no regulations on the lower end, because that woman is 3.7 bmi points into the category of “STARVATION” and is not in any doctor approved condition to adopt.
the same follows for a woman of the national average height, 5′3″, using the same approach, she would weigh a mere 64lbs, and once again, never be approved by a doctor.

By: soblessed

soblessed — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 01:24:00 +0000

Good points, OwensMama:

I think it's safe to say, without fear of thin-bashing, that there is more bias against fat people than against thin people.

A priest once said to me that fat people wear their faults (in the case of over-eating, as is my issue) on the outside and it makes it so easy for others to comment, insult, ridicule and belittle while ignoring what faults they themselves carry.

It would be interesting, would it not, if everyone carried a list of their worst faults stamped on their forehead. Gives me a little chuckle to think about it....

By: OwensMama

OwensMama — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:58:46 +0000

Correction to my last comment–fat people are more likely to be UNMARRIED not married. Pardon my proofreading skills.

By: OwensMama

OwensMama — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 16:50:52 +0000

I have no desire to “bash” anyone regarding their physical appearance, but no one can make me believe that very thin people take as much flack from society as large or fat people do. I certainly believe that any comments made by anyone about a person’s appearance are at the very least rude and can also be hurtful and devastating. The issue for me is that size has nothing to do with a person’s ability to be a good parent, but as far as I know there has been no regulation set forth that puts a limit on how THIN is TOO THIN to adopt/be a good parent. It is apparent to me that the general consensus in international adoption regulations does not address or consider issues with adoptive parents who could have health issues from being underweight; it seems as if the “rule-makers” believe thin=healthy. If we are going to prohibit adoption based on weight under the guise of potential health issues, it occurs to me that the judgement should be made to cover both ends of the weight spectrum. For my part, I believe there are much deeper issues with regards to prohibiting “overweight” folks from adopting; it’s not just the fat person’s weight that is under scrutiny, but their judgement, intellect, abilities, industry and morals. That may seem like a huge and unrelated leap to the thin or average weight individual, but you only have to research the statistics regarding thin/average weight people and their fat counterparts to find out that fat people make less money for doing the same job as a thin person. Fat people are more likely to be poor, less educated, married, promoted at their workplace…well, you get the picture. The statistics are out there and very hard to deny–fat people have a hard row to hoe in this world and it seems a lot of explaining to do with regards to their physical being. I, for one, am tired of apologizing for my weight and I take exception to being excluded from ANYTHING based on my size.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 05:18:07 +0000

Well, it’s a good thing no one ever told my kids workers that, or I wouldn’t have any, and my kids would have bounced around foster care for much longer than they did. They love me being “soft” to hug and the fact that I have some curves, not to mention an ample bosom for them to snuggle up against rather than feeling sharp bones digging into them.

Would you rather have a fat mom who loves you, or a skinny one who hates you??

By: azsuma1

azsuma1 — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 20:53:57 +0000

I find it funny that people are complaining about fat-bashing and stereotypes of overweight people, while making these same mistakes in regard to thin people. Thin people experience bigotry as well, from kindergarten on up. Having someone walk up to you and say, “god, eat a hamburger.” or, “you are so tiny!” is just as belittling (yet another pun) as many of the callous overweight cracks. in both cases you just have to put yourself in the other persons shoes.
So, lets stop fighting about who is better fat/skinny, no one is and thats not what this is about. Its about stereotyping. of overweight people, those without college degrees, without large net-worths, etc.

By: Veronika

Veronika — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:40:02 +0000

Deb, what a funny response, it really made me laugh. But all in all, the whole situation just makes me so sad. I've been waiting for 14 years to adopt from China and I have another 2 to go before I'm old enough. Now the BMI restrictions might disqualify me. I say might, because I've honestly not had the courage to check if my BMI is over 40. Being fat doesn't make me a bad mother and no, I don't have high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.

My best friends mother is almost skeletal in appearance and she is constantly making remarks about fat people. She even told my friend that my hubby would leave me if I didn't loose weight, because a man cannot love a fat woman. Must really bite her butt that her husband is now shacked up with a woman twice my size.

If they want to restrict the upper limits of BMI, isn't it only fair that someone at the lower end of the scale also gets prohibited from adopting? Someone who is underweight has significant health risks too and is at just a high risk of dying of a heart attack. Who takes that into consideration?

By: Deb Donatti

Deb Donatti — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 21:47:16 +0000

Well I freely admit it was hard not to roll over a smoosh my first baby she was so darn tiny and I am so rotund. I also had to be very careful not to accidently lose her in the folds of my belly flubber when I hugged her. Feeding the little rascal helped make her more visible and lessen the risks of that though.
My second and third children were taught by their older sister how to find air pockets in the sofa cushions, in case I parked my posterior in a space they already occupied.
Now my biggest problem is to try and avoid eating one of the little dears by accident (heaven forbid there is not a McDonalds close by!)

By: CinnamonOpus

CinnamonOpus — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:36:04 +0000

Hey! Where did you get that picture of my husband and I at the start of your post?

*snicker*

By: Heather Lowe

Heather Lowe — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:29:03 +0000

I think this points out how ridiculous the whole foundation is -that social workers/adoption workers actually think they can know who will make the best parents. And then play God to make that happen.

People seem to be okay with it when the social indicator is something like money, education or wedding bands, but turn to something like weight or health and they start getting nervous. Personally I think all of these markers are suspect!