Why does society treat very fat people as second class citizens?

Question

(My BMI is 23 thanks)

Answer 1

It doesnt does it?
Ok they might feel excluded from certain jobs like acrobatics.

Answer 2

Much of the blame lies with the media and the celebrity status rubbish that drives too much of modern thinking. So rake like good - junoesque bad. Bit like 1984.
I don't understand BMI so don't know what you mean by that but my feeling is that society sometimes feels the need for a fall guy or gal and people seen as less than glamorous are good targets.
We are all the same under the skin so I don't let folk bug me because of my size

Answer 3

You said "very fat" so I am assuming you mean very obese people. Nevertheless, they are treated differently because some of them that are very obese can not do some of the simple things for themselves such as: wipe their behind, get to the bathroom fast enough to urinate, so they smell of urine throughout the day, their breathing is very labored (you can hear it), and they have to ask you to do a lot of things for them because they can't do them for themselves or because it takes too long for them to do.

Of course, not all obese people are like that but because some are, people tend to carry that negative thought/discrimination against all obese people.

I use to work with a very obese person who was fired after 6 months for the reasons given above, I really liked her and tried to help her but there was just a lot of things that she could not do that was interfering with the production of her work. She was hired in error, they called back the wrong girl.

She is doing well, her and her husband just had a baby boy months ago. She is still looking to be employed.

Answer 4

Because the assumption is that they are greedy and eat too much - and that therefore this is a bad reflection on their character. Of course it is perfectly possible to be fat, or even clinically obese without being greedy for valid medical reasons ("oooh its me glands!") but generally, there is an element of truth to the overeating scenario. Which is unfair when you are trying to fight it - and overeating for emotional comfort, perhaps. The only sort of second class citizenship I can understand is being squashed next to someone obese in an inadequately small plane seat - that's just not fair!

Answer 5

Yes a big part of society does treat heavy people differently. They seem to think it is laziness or ignorance that causes folks to be heavy. They don't know nor care that factors such as heredity, disease, injury etc. could be the cause. Plus, they have no manners or compassion. Those who think it is ok to make fun of fat people would be very offended if anyone made fun of them for any of their shortcomings. If any of this has happened to you, please hold your head high, try not to let it bother you & "smile. It makes your enemies wonder what you're up to." Ha! Ha! Just be your own sweet lovable self.. remember even rude people usually love someone. If they're making fun of you, It's because of their own insecurities.

Answer 6

It is a sign to most people that these extremely obese people have no control when it comes to food. They eat and eat and eat, even though they are enormous. Only very few of them can REALLY blame it on a medical condition. All the others are just addicted and can't seem to stop, no matter how big they are or how many health problems they have.

That, and the fact that all that fat is really disgusting. Come on now, you know it is.

Answer 7

Well.... this doesn't answer yours but I have a pact if i ever become a very fat lard i am to be taken out of this world. I lift 6 times a week and run about 15 minutes every morning.... plus I have a diet that im bulking up on, 10 egg whites morning,raw potato,orage. protien powder snack.lunch tuna,rice,cottage cheese.snack same with flaxseed oil. dinner steamed veggy, low fat peanut butter, cottage cheese, fried rice with an egg. snack protien poweder. cottage cheese about 40 before bed.....

Answer 8

Because they see all big people as big eaters of all the wrong stuff and they also see them as lazy.

I am a big person and I don't eat much, I cant even eat a normal sunday dinner anymore, because I am so used to eating small snacks as a meal, I don't eat, any biscuits,cakes,puddings,crisps or anything like that, not because a cant but because I don't like them, I eat a lot of veg and salad, My weight is nothing to do with the amount or what food I eat, it is a health problem I have, and it is about time all the people who call us bigger people names realise the hurt you are causing, I have Thyroid problems, and also Heart problems, I also get very down because of what stupid idiots say, or call me after i have passed by, Never to my face, they are not brave enough to do that, because they are just idiotic cowards.

Answer 9

Because media implies that really fat = ugly and horrific
but really thin = happy and famous.

It misses out the small print, like the side effects one gets when on a starvation diet, or the psychological effects.

Answer 10

I don't know why , i don't consider them as 2nd class because of their weight its whats inside that counts , if you took notice of the media etc you would never be yourself. My bmi is 21

Answer 11

Cos they lack any form of understanding and do not appreciate that there can be an underlying cause for the excess weight.

You carry on being the person you are and whoever judges you by your outisde appearance misses the real you underneath and it is their loss.