Have you been discriminated against?

As a weight loss surgery patient and former morbidly obese person I have experienced and witnessed discrimination against the obese on many levels. I've always been an advocate for the underdog. I've written more letters than Carters has liver pills. Now I realize that in addition to hosting the support group and working as a Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator I have another mission. I have to find a way to give the obese community a voice. Even if it's only by writing a letter and mailing out 1000 copies. I have to do whatever I can to stop the discrimination. I know how bad it hurts! I have been the frustrated late night traveler stopping at a convenience store to see that they have 8 flavors of V8-Splash yet none of them diet and 15 different types of bottled water but none of them flavored. I have been the patient at the gynecologist who was given two gowns to wear (one frontwards and one backwards) because they were too insensitive to purchase one large enough to fit me. I have been the patron too large to fit in a booth at any number of restaurants and fast food places. I've been on the plane and wedged myself into a seatbelt that was far too tight and suffered through a 3 hour flight because I was too embarrassed to ask for an extender. I have been the patient who was sent out of town for an MRI because there was no machine large enough to fit me. I have been in the comedy club when the commedian made fun of people who were 50 pounds lighter than me causing me to cower in the darkness hoping he wouldn't see me. I have been the friend that people told "Boy you sure have put on alot of weight!". I have been the employee passed over for a promotion when I knew I was easily the most qualified candidate. I have been the support group leader who listened when a morbidly obese member sobbed that her weight loss surgery was denied because it wasn't medically necessary. I have been the viewer when Dr. Phil told the audience on Oprah that all you need to do to lose weight is "love yourself more and quit wimping out". I have been the woman who had strangers rub my stomach and ask me "When is your baby due?" 12 years after I had a hysterectomy. I have been the customer forced to leave a store because I had to go to the bathroom so bad yet I was too big to shut the bathroom door once I got in the stall. I have paid triple price for plus size clothing in spite of the fact that they contained only a few cents worth of extra fabric. I have experienced the indignity an obese friend suffered at his funeral. And...........I can't take it anymore. I may not accomplish a thing but I can try. I can make my voice heard. I feel that by doing this, then all the suffering and humiliation I endured during the 18 years that I was morbidly obese will be worth it. If I've made one small change by the time I leave this earth then I will have accomplished my mission. I have started an e-group called DO-IT! This stands for DIGNITY for OBESE INDIVIDUALS TODAY. Please consider joining and sharing your stories with me. This will allow me to try and help others and increase public awareness. To join the e-group send an email to [email protected]. We may not have it all together.......but together we have it all!

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