Portrait of a "fat" person.

[Mike 03]

I hate this topic, but I always get drawn into it.

My Mom is "fat." I want you to know a little bit about her.

She was the daughter of an alcoholic mother, who we had to 'take in' to our own home later in life when she was unable to care for herself.

Her father died of a heart attack when he was fifty, one week before my mother's marriage to my dad.

Because her mother was incapable of anything, she had to become the "Mother" of the family when she was eleven years old. She had to cook, clean, do everything. She had to become the parent.

She has suffered from lifelong migraines.

She developed both major depression and obsessive compulsive disorder.

I could go on and on.

She's fat. She knows it. Everyone knows it. Nobody needs to hurt her any more than she's already been hurt by life.

[tonysam]

1. I Detest Fat Prejudice,

but it continues to be acceptable. Body size is not any kind of indication of a person's worth, and I believe people who ridicule those who are "larger" than the norm or continue obsessing about what people eat or what kind of diet is best are the ones who have the problem. There is nothing worse than people who have shallow values.

[Captain Hilts]

8. It's the NUMBER ONE predjudice in this country in terms of hiring, etc. nt

[Pavulon]

2. Sadly this topic has wound emotions and data.

i would hope no person in this discussion would act hurtfully towards another person. I am sure this can be discussed without hurting feelings or offending.

[Skittles]

3. I hear you Mike

[hlthe2b]

4. the sad fact is that she undoubtedly has been hurt by society...

as have millions of millions of others. I find it so disturbing that some of the same people who (rightfully) demand tolerance for themselves and their causes, think nothing of publicly belittling or discriminating against the obese.


For all the "broken-hearted" people... may you find a circle of compassion that continues to spread...

[Karenina]

5. This hug's for YOU.

:hug:

[elocs]

6. My best friend who is like a father to me has been near 300 pounds for most of his adult life.

Being morbidly overweight has been no joke for him and it is the single thing that has most negatively impacted his life. He is about to turn 71, but he lost many employment opportunities in his younger life because of his weight. It eventually forced him to retire under SS disability and his weight has destroyed both of his hips and his knees, all of which have been replaced. He struggles to get around and must use a scooter for any distance. He is hypertensive and now diabetic. To tell the truth, I don't even notice his weight and haven't for many, many years, but I do know if there was one thing in his life that he could change it would be to have a normal weight.

[MarianJack]

7. Your Mom...

...sounds like a truly noble woman.

As an overweight person myself, I always ated the fact that strangers felt the freedom to put their hands on me, patting my belly while making some snide remark. They ALL learned about me great talent in insulting people back. A few of them learned that I threw a hell of a good punch to the jaw.

PEACE!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Give her a hug for me

My Gramma was my dearest friend growing up. She was as big around as she was tall. She had endured a lot in her life--the death of a child, several major operations, etc--and yet she could always smile and make me laugh. She lived to be 85 years old, longer than some of her thinner brothers.

You've got to take people as they are. Appreciate them if their actions warrant it, criticize their actions if they don't.

[Mari333]

10. my mom is very very fat and shes 83

i think she has the longevity gene. she smoked for 45 yrs. she eats a lot. at this point, i just say 'eat the pie', i mean, shes 83 for petes sake. shes happy. i am not fat, i think i got my dads genetics, he was skinny. nonetheless, she seems okay with who she is . I love her to pieces.