Thank you so much for all your responses.They are really interesting to read.
In fact I, like kaplods, started to value myself much more after reading a sort on anti dieting book about loving who you are now instead of waiting until......because "until" is a long time coming. But that is because my personal weight problems are , I think, linked to terrible self esteem and fat-as-protection issues from childhood.
I leap about the beach like a loon in my swimming costume to make the most of my time with my children instead of hiding under a towel like I used to.I learned to kayak and scuba dive and trekked in Iceland for charity.....all way heavier than I am now.
Please don't think that by starting this thread I am anti fat acceptance....I really am not.... far from it..... I was interested in people's opinions.....
Have a great day

While your comments are true ; slim, skinny or fit people can have all these diseases you mention. While the risk is higher for overweight people, the fact does not not change. That anyone could get these diseases.

While we do have a lot of fat women and men with low selfsteem . I think it's great to see women and men who are over weight with positive views about themselves . You must love yourself first and be happy in your own skin. Hopefully shows like that will motive overweight people to love themselves and not care about what others think. However, at the end of the day our health is still the most important thing.

I too owe the FA movement for allowing myself to enjoy swimming, dancing, sex and living overall. I used to change in the washroom stall at the pool and now I shower naked like all the other women.

I think it's important to admit that weight is not only a health issue. If it were, we wouldn't need FA or this discussion.

Skinny people who discriminate (and not all do, of course), are not, at least not most of the time, thinking, "I don't want you around because you are at increased risk of heart attack and diabetes." When I was in college in the 80s and young men used to moo at me or yell "eat a salad" out a car window as they passed, I'm pretty sure they weren't worrying about how long I would live or how happy I would be.

Instead, they were making judgments about things like how smart I am, what kind of family/social background I came from, whether or not I was lazy.


Personally, I internalized enough shame as a young person that I can't go as far as a lot of FA advocates do, but I thank them for making it a little easier for me to exist in the world.

If I'm wrong, and what prejudice against fat people is really about is a care and concern about their health status, then maybe what we need is to have signs hanging around skinny people's necks that reveal their good or bad health habits: "Doesn't wash hands after going to the bathroom," for example, or "Binge drinks weekly" or "Has never flossed." Then we could all judge each other's health on an even playing field.

vvv i lovedyour post.

I love this too.

A lot of people discriminate against fat people and justify the prejudice because they assume that fat people are in fact more likely to get sick, etc. Maybe that's true over a long term, but much less so in a short term. But in the meantime, many many people with more "invisible" vices are at risk for many health issues as well. But because no one can see these vices, there is no discrimination. I love the idea of hanging signs around people's necks "Heavy smoker" (though that one can be more visible).

I've also talked to employers who say they assume fat people are lazy and will also be more likely to skip work. I'd like more signs for these employers that say things like "In deep debt" "Embezzler" "Has 5 kids who are always sick and will miss lots of work"...

I'm on the fence about the FA ideas.

although, I might have some misinformation about it to be perfectly honest.


I know during my struggles, and when I was smaller and still losing weight, my doctor told me if I could get down to 180 (hence my goal) that would be good for me and my body type. Even though on the BMI scale it would still put me as overweight (I'm deciding to go with my doctor because that's like 12 less pounds to shed and right now, every pound counts)


My ultimate goal, besides 'looking good' is being healthy. ANd I've learned you can be "fat" and healthy. Since I was, for years (think textbook fat, but still have a healthy cardio system, everything working and maintained)

Not everyone can be a size 0. And I don't want to be a size 0.

I'm all for the confidence though (Which I've currently lost) because no one should feel horrible because of their weight, you are still a person and deserve love and acceptance. Have no confidence doesn't help in becoming healthy.

I am always going to be textbook fat. At my skinniest, (and I looked damned good), I weighed 200lbs. That's 20 lbs more than what that stupid BMI index says is an optimal weight for someone my height. I've always been ridiculously healthy....or so I thought. When I couldn't keep up with my friends (WHO WERE SMOKERS FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!) this summer that was a real wake up call. I know I need to lose weight. But I also know I'm not less of a person because I'm heavy.

I'm for fat acceptance, because you know what? If I hadn't been told I was "fat" and ridiculed when I was actually at a healthy size (just taller and more developed than most of my peers), then I would have loved myself enough to take care of my body, and I wouldn't be here fighting to lose half my body weight!

Radiojane, what a lovely photo.
I hit puberty young ( I had my first period at 10 for heaven's sake!) I was tall and had to wear a bra. From that point I always felt HUGE and was teased for being fat. I wasn't very sporty ( very much a nerdy kid) but do you know what? I was never more than a size 16 even if I didn't have a shape and probably weighed a max of 168lbs. That figure is WAYYYY under my goal now.
My mum put me on a very restrictive diet at 12( it was the 1970's!) and I gave up dancing because we couldn't afford lessons any more. If only....if only....if only.....!
I am sad when I think back to all the times I could have done with someone telling me that health was the goal.....not being skinny like my Mum and best mate ( I wanted to be short like my mate too but even I knew that was never gonna happen!).
I would like to improve my achey knees, avoid diabetes and decrease my asthma meds but BOY I would like to see the scales under 200lbs!

What happened to just being a nice person and treating people like decent human beings? My weight is a concern between me and my doctor, not society.

I'm all for fat acceptance! I don't understand why some people believe that fat people should just hide away inside their house and make NO attempt at having a fun, fulfilled life until they have lost weight. No one gained their weight overnight and no one will lose it that fast either, so I guess in the meantime, we should just avoid going out in public.

It is no ok to discriminate against someone because of their weight citing "concern for their health" no more than it is to discriminate against someone due to their ethnicity, sexual preference or disability.