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I am thinking of an offensive word, a name that you might call someone who has a different kind of lifestyle from you. The kind of people who are called this name have been harassed and shunned in society, as a whole, for a while now. They are often treated very differently than other people who aren't this way. The word is three letters long and begins with 'fa--'.
Do you know what the word is? If you guessed the word, 'fat', you are correct.
As a fat guy, I often find humor in the rallying cries of various groups that claim to work toward equality. I see silly folks walking around campus, carrying signs with curse words on them and wearing tape over their mouths for some reason.
I see people at the homecoming parade, carrying around flags for their cause and talking about their sexual practices in public (thanks for sharing!). I suppose it's because folks like that have been discriminated against in some way. Legally, they can not get married to each other, and socially, they are not accepted with open arms by every last person on Earth.
It is difficult to take exclusionary groups on campus seriously as they demand school money, facilities use, and constant attention for their pet social classes. I say this because their causes are, generally, already won: Here at this school, President Sethna issues a letter, every year, talking about how UWG does not discriminate.
Inside of the front cover of the UWG Undergraduate Catalog - well before there is any talk of degrees, classes, or other subjects that directly relate to an institute of higher learning - there is a policy compliance disclaimer that states that UWG "does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, creed, religion, sex, age, disability." In article V, Section 2, of the UWG Policies and Procedures, that list is expanded to include "sexual orientation" and even "veteran status". I notice that weight and body type are not included.
Aside from the fact that these groups are beating a dead horse, I also find it entertaining that there is no "fat guy support group" on campus. This is an issue with society as a whole, however. Politically correct culture refuses to debate the origin of sexual orientation - you're probably born with it, but you should be accepted regardless. The same cannot be said of fat guys.
It is acceptable to discriminate against fat guys, you see. We fatties are a lazy folk, and we could easily change if we wanted to, so say those that wish to justify their apathetic or insulting attitude toward us. We're disgusting and immoral because we are a tax on the health system (what with our unhealthy lifestyle that will cost you money someday, somehow) and so forth. It's OK to be gay, but it's not OK to be fat.
Were there to be an overweight support group (which I am not in favor of), it would undoubtedly be for the purpose of changing fat guys. Whereas Lambda doesn't exist to change people from being GLBTBBQLOL, groups like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig are specifically designed to change me from being the ugly person I am into someone more acceptable to society.
It is for these kinds of reasons that it is my contention that society is against fat people more than any other group. Further, such embedded discrimination is impossible to avoid because being fat is not something you can hide. I cannot jump into a closet to keep people from discriminating against me.
If I decide not to tell people that I'm fat at a job interview, it won't matter because they already knew before I said a word, and have already drawn conclusions about how I'm lazy and will cost them more on their insurance plan. Even if there is pretty good evidence that I am not hired because I am not thin, it won't matter to the law, which would prosecute against race, disability, and other kinds of discrimination, but not for that.
The social consequences of being fat are worse than this. I would think that few homosexuals can say that they have been unable to enter into a sexually active relationship simply because they are homosexual. Further, I doubt any homosexuals have ever been dumped by a significant other because of their homosexuality. That would be absurd. I also doubt most blacks have racist feelings toward other blacks.
Being fat, however, brings scorn from everyone, including other fat people, and will most definitely exclude the fat guy from most peoples' minds as being a potential mate - Ladies, when is the last time you've dreamt of your dream guy and had him as being very overweight? If that's ever happened to you, send me an e-mail, I'm available Friday.
More seriously, I have witnessed this kind of discrimination against my friends who are fellow fatties. I've had a girlfriend's mother try to break us up because she (openly) disliked my weight. It eventually worked. I've been flatly told at a job, when I applied for a higher position, that my weight would exclude me from having a position where I regularly interacted with and sold to customers. When looking at a career in law, I've had folks tell me that I should lose some weight if I expect to plead in open court or go into politics, as neither juries nor constituents will vote in favor of the fat guy.
Even from people that know what it is like to face scorn and derision, I've seen scorn and derision. In an online comment at this paper's website, one member of Lambda, when confronted with these types of arguments, wrote "You have no idea what it's like to be truly discriminated against." I disagree - I've had a pretty good idea ever since the playground in third grade. Another Lambda member wrote "quit crying and find something real to complain about." Glad to see that those folks are so open and caring toward the plight of other human beings.
I even see it in rather minor ways. Do you know when the last time I've been hugged? Neither do I. Last semester, I lived in a building here on campus that was very huggy - people hugged all the time, especially between the female residents and the openly homosexual guys.
3 comments
That is why straight women will get naked around them. That has nothing to do with why they won't get naked around you. Geez, write another greek life piece.