You’re Not Concerned About Fat People’s Health
There’s a difference between having health risks and having actual health problems.
Every day, I’m faced with constant reminders that my body is not the right body. Sometimes, they come in casual comments I overhear at the office or the grocery store; other times, in movies or on TV. Time after time, I am told that the main reason my body is wrong is because it is unhealthy, and that concerns people.
Stop right there. You are not concerned about me, or any fat person. “Concern” implies that you care about someone’s well-being. If you cared about my health, you might ask how I was doing, or how I was feeling. You might listen to the answer I gave rather than one you’ve already fabricated in your mind.
Recently, I wrote an article about my frustration with how fat people are portrayed in our culture.
When I shared it, comments started to roll in. I expected it, the usual faux-concern that non-fat people seem to have for the “health” of fat people.
