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Recognizing my own bias or prejudice .....
Just Want to Talk | Last Active: Oct 15, 2019 | Replies (173)Comment receiving replies
@gingerw There is definitely prejudice against overweight people. When I was much heavier I felt like some people acted like being fat was contagious! Some also seemed to treat me like they thought that since I was so overweight that I must be of low intellect, and some treated me like they thought was sort of pathetic. Now that I am substantially less heavy (I never think of myself as anything other than overweight, still, although my BMI is only about 26 now) there is a definite difference in the treatment I get.
I was not overweight before I had children, I gained weight with the pregnancies and not only didn't lose it, but being at home caused me to continue to gain weight. As much as I loved my children, I was bored. I should not have quit work entirely but in those days companies were not as accommodating as they are now. I am the type of person who enjoyed the positive feedback I received from a job.
JK
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@contentandwell
Had not checked into this subject in a while, just saw your comment. Of course being fat is not contagious, that is ridiculous. However, some time ago I read that there seems to be a correlation between you and the body type of the people you surround yourself with, namely, if most of your friends are slender, you are more likely to be slender as well. Whether this is because you seek similar looking friends in the first place, or whether you try to be more like them, the effect seems to be the same. Supposedly it also works that you are more likely to gain weight if most people around you are heavy.
Also, while everyone is different, and makes their own choices regarding health and weight, I am somewhat grumpy. On both of my recent flights I was stuck next to a) a very tall, very hefty, young man, and b) a very, very, large lady needing a seat belt extender. While it is their business how they got to that point, I was not pleased to have to share my already shrinking seat with overflowing thighs, and other assorted excess body projections, given that I find sitting for long periods difficult anyway, and need some space to change positions from time to time. I also seem to be the one passenger sure to have a wailing baby close by... but that’s another story. Probably for my next 10 hour overseas flight!