Fat Discrimination is acceptible in America. How many of you have been discrimated against?

Everyone with a high BMI has beeen treated this way - unless they're deaf like some of the attackers assume we must be.  Sometimes it's just amazing to me how blatant the bad behavior is.

The part that hurts the most is when you've recently lost a bunch of weight and then you still get that kind of CRAPPY treatment anyway.  Talk about wind being taken from your sails.

Parents should be severely scolding or dragging their kids back home for making bigoted comments towards anyone who's different.  It's when those parents don't even blink or say a word to their child  - then you wish they'd both get dragged away together to attend human decency classes!

Adults who make such rude noise should probably be arrested for assault with intent to cause great harm.

Two things pop into mind.  I was called in for a job interview that sounded promising.  When I got there the guy looked at me, shuffled some papers around on his desk while he was trying to decide how to lie to my face.  He eventually said something like, I'm sorry.  That position has already been filled.  I don't know why nobody called to cancel.  I do have an opening in housekeeping.  My interview was in accounting!  The second, I will never forget as long as I live.  I had just spent 6 weeks in the hospital.  I had had twins.  One died at birth, and the other was fighting for her life. I had been out of the hospital for just over a week and was visiting my baby and was leaving for the night.  As I started to exit the elevator one guy and two girls, all in their twenties, (my age at the time) barged onto the elevator nearly knocking me over.  As the doors to the elevator were shutting, the guy moos real loud and the girls start laughing hysterically.  I had just been through hell on earth and some random idiots are mooing at me because me, a fat woman, dared to try to exit the elevator before they barged on it.  To this day that memory is one of the most hurtful. 

People have always starred at me and I am certain they were probably thinking something but I never really cared about it.  Stare on!  Feel free to hate on me.  I always have an entourage and usually a huge man (the hub) with me at all times.  I think people can sense when someone is crazy, for which I most definitely qualify.  I have the mindset of, "I wish you would say something to me!"  Just give me a reason.  I love to fight.  You ever been malled by an almost six foot grizzly bear?  I bet you won't mess with us anymore!!!  I think the craziness has prevented a lot and I usually don't have a problem.  But, what really trips me out is when you are obviously doing something good for yourself and they still look crazy at you.  I went into the local GNC the other day trying to find some protein.  There was no one in the store and the male cashier was standing at the counter reading a magazine.  One of those meathead looking guys who drives a monster truck and drinks raw eggs for breakfast (you know the type). Now, why the hell would a 400 lb person be going into GNC if not because they were at least trying to do something to address their weight?  Anyway, I walk into the front door of the store and all the way from behind the cash register I hear the guy let out this huge sigh, "UGGGHHHH!"  I was like, "wtf?  Do we have a problem?"  He must have understood at that point not to trip.   He offered to help me but I ignored him.  I made a purchase and left. Thing is I remember this and probably always will because that was the first time in a long time that someone has been bold enough to speak their thoughts.  Have boycotted GNC since then too.  I guess its just that people in this society are too caught up with the physical that they don't care who they hurt with their bigotry.  As for the other issue, kids are curious people and they say things without regard so don't take it personally.  My kids have said things that I could not even imagine how I could have prepared them better for.  We were at the park and a mother and child came to play as well.  The mother was a little person and my daughter though she was a child and kept telling her to get up and come play with the rest of us.  I was mortified and apologized.  But, how do you explain that to a four year old.  I just told her people are all different sizes but she still thought that the lady was a child for like a year after that.  Now she just stares at all little people without saying anything.  I have to remind her not to stare.  Kids are kids, think nothing of them.  The adults are always the problem.

This topic and the stories you all shared make me so angry that I am completely inarticulate, only able to say GRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrr and yes, its happened to me and GRRRRrrrrrrrrr!!!

I was just reading a couple websites where there was talk about obesity and it reminded me of this thread. The sad thing is that the majority of the posts on these other sites were negative and ignorant, which I guess demonstrates the attitudes of non-overweight people like this thread does.

It just blows me mind. Let's just say, hypothetically, that losing weight were as easy as they believe it is. How does that give you any more of a right to discriminate and act nasty to people because of their weight?! Everyone deserves to be respected, regardless of their health or looks.

       Nobody has the right to disrespect you because of your weight.
 If I new how to be skinny. I would be skinny.   Why would put with abuse and cruelty that over- weight  kids and adult have to put up with.

I had a little &*^$%#%# tell me I was "FAT" at the dentist.  This was when I was 450+ lbs and could BARELY bring myself to leave the house.  It's parents (I sat "IT" on purpose, out of anger) LAUGHED!!!  They thought it was cute I guess....no apology.  In a room full of 15 people, some snickering.

OMGWTF?!?!?  You should need a license to reproduce.

Also, I applied for a job at a greenhouse once as a super size (yet still functional) woman.  I went to college for Horticulture and Ag Science, I am completely qualified to work a cash register at a nursery and water plants in a greenhouse.  A 17 yr old skinny hot blond got the job instead.

I am a florist, and a damn good one....Most people that have employed me are amazed at what my 450lb body could do and how fast I could be and how many stairs I could climb, and how many hours I could stand, etc...

I went on an interview with a lady in a flower shop...she had me make a few things and asked me a few questions about my qualifications....I told her how many years I had been in the industry, and what I could produce and the clientele following I had and my managerial abilities, etc....She looked me up and down and asked, "Can you really move that fast, looking like this?"


I thanked her for the interview and let her know that if she owned that last flower shop on Earth I wouldn't work in it and her husband being a lawyer should give her a lesson on bigotry and discrimination and that she was a horrible human being, who just let the best worker walk out her door simply because she was stupid....I let her know that, "Yes I really can move that fast and if you call my references that will let you know that I could work circles around you, but thank you anyways!!"

I was never so hurt in my life but I stood up for myself as I always have...I too am a fighter and always stood up for myself, sometimes to a fault and seeming very mean and nasty, but it was my way of coping...I am amazed now at 240lbs how different the people I have been dealing with the last 3 years in my business treat me, I land more jobs for wedding flowers and get more corporate work...business is better in general, even though I have not changed much, my defenses have been able to come down which makes me more pleasent to deal with and I am not quick to jump to my own defense and attack an attacker....

I am with you all!  All of us have experience this I think at one point or another....

I walked into a Weathervane store to purchase some clothing as a gift for someone.... the sales person walked up to me and said "I'm sorry we don't have any clothes in your size here."     She assumed I was looking for me.

One time though... I had a sweet little boy at church... 3 years old.... without a mean spirit in his body... he sincerely looked at me and said.. "Miss Marcia, why are you so big?"  You had to see his face... he was curious because he was trying to understand..... All his family is tall and skinny and he was just wondering why I was different.  I took the opportunity to say (while his Mom, a very good friend of mine was dying of embarassment in the next chair and I assured her it was okay) "Because I used to eat too much food when I had my meals and I ate too many sweets and snacks."  His reply was "Oh.... So I should eat my good food first."  Then he gave me a big hug!  His mother kept appologizing to me and I told her... some kids are rude and you know their comments are mean... but he was sincere and sweet. 

When kids are truly curios I take advantage of the moment to teach good eating. 

I also have been distriminated against by a Minister and a Priest who didn't think I was qualified to speak or sing in front of people because I was a bad testimony of gluttony!    Hmmmm let me think.... WWJD! Encourage me.... help to identify the issues and help me to change...

These are but a few of what I am sure we could all share.....

Wow, I can relate all of thes stories. My weight has always cause me to feel left out. The most embarrasing thing that I can remember is someone telling me I was big as a house or that I would be cute if I were smaller. I found that the worst teasing came from those in my family and supposely friends.