Fat jokes

[Deleted User]natickben (deleted user)
in General

Most everywhere in my life, I see people making fat jokes. Politically about people they disagree with, culturally about people they see, etc. As a fat dude, I just want to say this sucks.

Fat is not a choice. Don't believe me? Look at literally all the science about obesity.

If you disagree with someone, attack their ideas, not their body. Nobody else's body is your business's

End rant.

«134

Comments

  • StillAwkward24StillAwkward24

    Unfortunately, anonymity behind a screen gives people keyboard muscles.

  • Katelyn_BKatelyn_B
    edited June 2024

    I agree that people should not mock people for being overweight. That is a contemptible thing to do, and everyone has feelings.

    Better to be positive and kind, and if one can't find that in oneself, say nothing and move on.

  • Sheena123Sheena123

    I usually do have some strong debates with a lot of people online and offline. When they start calling me fat, making fun of my looks or saying something childish as opposed to pending more to the debate itself, I know I won….

  • Carrie_AnneCarrie_Anne

    Weightism, ageism, appearance expectations and insults, prejudices. Bullying. So much judging that turns to hateful behavior. Is it mostly insecure people who are most guilty of this?
    There are some things that sets each of us apart. As individuals it would be nice to be noticed for our positive qualities and not our appearance. But pretty sure nothing’s going to change, especially the way I see the influence that social media has on younger people.
    I’m just glad that I didn’t come of age in this culture. Some people are in for a rude awakening.
    Try to turn a blind eye, there’s not much else we can do.

  • TxTomTxTom

    Given I don't possess the body of Adonis, nor the intellect of Schrödinger, nor the strength of Kratos, I have therefore, by comparison, a few "shortcomings" by which some humor can be made at my expense... and has been made.

    And it's funny. So what?

    Make the deliberate decision to not so easily give others the power over you to offend you.

    Over-sensitivity to everything is killing humor.

  • pmvinespmvines
    edited June 2024

    I'm pudgy and make more fat jokes about myself than have been made by others. Sometimes it's a choice to be offended or not by things we experience in life. It takes more effort for me to be mad about something than it does to ignore it. Plus I love myself too much to give a shit about what others think. Too many much more important and positive things to give my energy to.

  • [Deleted User]CuddlerGirl33 (deleted user)

    Two years ago I worked for a well-known tree care company. We had a client dinner event, our CEO was at my table & went on a rant about how being fat was just lazy concluding that if fat people just had willpower they wouldn't be fat. As someone with polycystic ovarian syndrome (a disorder where your body is basically resistant to it's own insulin and stores fat easily), I was appalled and hurt. But that turned to anger when HR said they were docking my pay for being out with COVID and that if I hadn't eaten Doritos, I wouldn't have gotten it! I resigned that day. There's far too much judgement going on. Another reason why we need all the hugs we can get!

  • MorpheusMorpheus

    If a man disagrees with someone ideas and attacks them personally, all he’s doing is admitting to you and showing you that he’s weak.

  • FitSmartCuddlerFitSmartCuddler

    I'm against fat jokes, or any jokes that denigrate people. I grew up in an area and culture where "put-down humor" was commonplace. These days, I avoid such "humor" because it's unkind. Most people have enough challenges in life without being made fun of. I'm "average-sized" and I'm pretty sure overweight people don't want to hear me poking fun at them.

    That said--I can't get fully on board with "fat is not a choice." Yes, some people have medical conditions that contribute to obesity, but pretty much anyone I know who's seriously obese eats too much or eats the wrong things or both. No one should beat themselves up for being overweight, but there's nothing wrong with saying "in this one area of my life, I'm not where I know I should be, and I can do something about it, and I need to work on that." We all have something we can do better with.

  • PeopleLikeUsPeopleLikeUs

    I love Virgie Tovar. She is the first weight-based discrimination person I ever heard. I found her when she took over Sister Spit (A poetry and performance art group) from Michele Tea who founded it. Everybody involved with that project is nothing but cool.

  • DirkSavageDirkSavage

    Being fat is a choice in many instances, and this is coming from a fellow husky person. In my case, being fat is directly caused by me eating to much and not getting enough exercise. I have nobody or nothing else to blame for me being fat other than myself. I am currently on a diet and have lost a substantial amount of weight over the past six months and hopefully my lifestyle changes will help me maintain some permanent weight loss, though.

  • Mike403Mike403

  • [Deleted User]natickben (deleted user)

    To all saying "fat is a choice," this is simply not true. Literally all of the science shows otherwise, and I encourage you to look it up.

    But what if it was a choice? Why does that give you the right to use somebody's body against them? Why do you get pleasure out of causing pain to someone else? That, specifically, is the point of fat jokes. Why is that funny to you? What does that say about you?

    For those who say "be less sensitive," would you say that to the people who are the target of racist jokes? Homophobic jokes? Jokes about rape? I sure hope not.

    "I lost weight so everyone can lose weight" is a terrible argument. It's akin to saying "I had lunch today so world hunger is not a problem" or "my cancer was cured so all cancers are survivable."

    Obesity is a disease. Plain and simple. Using other people's diseases and health conditions for our own entertainment or to silence them-which happens ALL the time-is a thing that bad humans do, and good humans stop doing when they realize it's harmful.

    https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/obesity-is-not-a-choice-ania-jastreboff/

  • UREverythingUREverything
    edited June 2024

    This comment isn't appropriate. See you in a few days [netrunner]

  • pmvinespmvines
    edited June 2024

    Nothing is always anything or everything all the time . Some people can't help that they are overweight due to underlying health conditions . Some people are overweight due to lifestyle choices. It's important to not make generalizations or absolutes. Important thing is to love yourself regardless of body type, or reasons your body is the type it is.

  • UREverythingUREverything

    Ok. No jokes due to sensitive nature of the subject.
    100 years ago a person who was overweight would be considered portly and well off or just big boned.
    200-500 years ago europe was saved by the potato and other foods because most were malnourished.
    The reason we keep on more weight today is portion sizes, plastic usage and non activity.

    Its a part if society and then structures we have in place for easy living.

    Now another thing that should worry people besides being fat is being ugly, I knew a lady so ugly we had to tie a pork chop around her neck just to get the dog to play with her, she was so ugly she would sit outside on the porch and scare the mailman... I meant she looked like she got hit with a bag of nickles every morning and chewed real pebbles for cereal..

  • JohnR1972JohnR1972

    Thread locking in 3… 2… 1…

  • supadupasupadupa

    Having endured fat jokes throughout my life I can confirm that they do suck. My attitude was I couldn’t control what people said. And of course I hated them. But I hated racial slurs much more because I couldn’t control my ethnicity. My weight went up and down and then last November I had my physical and my sugar levels, cholesterol, triglycerides were thru the roof. So the doctor told me unless I wanted diabetes to change.
    After butting my carbs and fatty meats by 70% and going to the gym once or twice a week, I have lost about 8 pounds. If I went to the gym 3 or 4 times it would be even more. And all my bad numbers dropped to optimal levels.
    So people should be kinder and we should also try and make some changes to improve our health and stick around longer.

  • UREverythingUREverything

    @supadupa I like to eat snacks so you already know im a bit hefty. What you said is important its about health. Unfortunately we live in a society that has food deserts and bad choices that make it even more difficult to stay healthy. Fat jokes are jokes like any other jokes. Some are funny and some are messed up.
    I personally feel jokes are used for the purpose of making people laugh as well as making people think on a deeper level outside of the surface appearance and shallowness of looks.
    Jokes are fine but our health practices and system are not joke at all, so we should not get hung up on one aspect that is totally different from the other. The system's and choices we have are terrible and unfair. We are told to eat and be happy from September to december, then told we are fat and unhealthy January to March, then we are told to drink and party then repent in April as well as sign up for overpriced health care. May you start thinking about your summer body.
    All of that it is shallow. Health is eternal. But the way its set up we stay stressed trying to stay with the trends being sold to us.

  • CuddlesByGracieCuddlesByGracie

    I'm very happy in my fat body but in my opinion my skin suit is both the least interesting thing about me and the least important part of this amazing biological machinery I own. Anyone who feels affronted by what I do with my own body I feel kinda sorry for; they're the ones hung up on someone else's appearance which doesn't seem like the best use of their time on this planet!

  • BripicBripic

    As a big girl, I love my body. As long as I feel good and do my best.... I am 100% comfortable in the skin I am in and if someone doesn't like it, not my prob. I love me.

  • MorpheusMorpheus

    I just think if all someone can do if they are trying to hurt you is to make a fat joke, they need to try harder because that’s some pretty immature jr high behavior.

  • supadupasupadupa

    @ScroogeMcducky food desserts don’t matter in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Asia they are food desserts and obesity isn’t an issue.
    Obeisity is a disease once you get to that point but we can get out of it with just a little will power and a little exercise. I love watching my 600 lb life. And with cutting their calories to 1500 a day and just a little exercise they dropped 50 lbs a month. And it’s a great feeling watching them get their lives back. Lots of trauma that caused them to use food as their safety.
    But yeah everyone can if they want to. Now if you’re happy the way you are, you do you and your doctor says it’s okay. But you will definitely live longer and your golden years will be filled with less doctors visits. Plus I still have one cheat day a week.
    So fat jokes suck but not the end of the world for me, for others it’s a different case.
    I was molested when I was young a few times by a relative, but for me it’s packed away deep inside somewhere. I hope it never comes out and has bigger effects on me than there already are. Far worse than fat jokes. Anyway everyone reacts to things in their own way.

  • MonkeyNeedsAHugMonkeyNeedsAHug
    edited June 2024

    Humanity has a long evolutionary history of relying on tribalism for survival. In this context, good-natured teasing and humor was a fine way to reinforce communal expectations. But that history also produced a primitive impulse to ostracise and alienate people who look or behave differently.

    And being shamed and ridiculed for things beyond our control is not a “joke” at all. The logic or maturity of those saying the hurtful thing does not matter to our limbic systems. The biological response to that treatment is remarkably similarly to our bodily response to physical harm.

    So, telling people whose feelings are natural, biological certainties, that they are choosing to be offended is as wrongheaded as telling them they are choosing to be fat. Those statements lack empathy and understanding. And, if we actually care to try, we are capable of seeing them as hurtful and changing the way we treat people.

    🙉

  • Carrie_AnneCarrie_Anne

    @Morpheus
    You said it perfectly. Probably the person doing this has some big unresolved issues themselves. Just know you’re the better person for not being so hateful.

  • cuddlyDavidcuddlyDavid

    @TxTom America has already killed humour :)

  • JoyfulHeartJoyfulHeart

    If it hurts someone it's really not funny.

  • CuddleHugs01234CuddleHugs01234

    @ScroogeMcducky Plastic usage? Can you state why this is?

  • IronicMaidenIronicMaiden

    A lot of times these jokes are Schrodinger's Joke. They actually do mean it, but if you get offended, lighten up it was just a joke.

  • TxTomTxTom

    If it hurts someone it's really not funny.

    The most inspiring people I know convert pain and setback into resolve or wisdom. They are usually very happy and successful in life and credit the handicap as an important factor in their success and happiness.

    The least inspiring people I know use pain and setback to showcase their eternal victimhood. They are usually not very successful or happy.

Sign In or Register to comment.