How I believe WE sometimes perpetuate negative opinions of obesity

You really said it.
I never, ever hid my intention to have the surgery, and when anyone asks me how I lost so much weight, I tell them, in as much or little detail as seems appropriate, that I had gastric bypass. I have never, in my whole fat life, cooperated in society's attempts to make me feel like I'm not good enough based on my eating and weight. Screw 'em. I will apologize to no one. I bought the food I ate, with my labor, I paid for my size 24's, I owed nobody a damn thing, and I knew I deserved respect, whether it was given or not.

And to me, "hiding" my WLS is pretty much implicitly agreeing that it's a shameful thing, that I've gotten away with some unearned, undeserved prize. I pity the fool that tries to use the word "cheat", because this isn't some game, and my weight was never an issue of morals or character, and now I'm getting all worked up - - and I'm gonna go kill some zombies on Killing Floor, then make dinner for my charming family, who don't deserve to have me stomping around the house muttering to myself like a crazy woman.

 A truly fantastic thread and a testiment to how we can respectfully discuss and disagree in a mature and amicable way. Thank you all for this terrific discussion. 

Andrea

 I really never thought about it this way at all.  A very refreshing outlook on the surgery we have chosen to have