[Dawn25936]

Such comments must really hurt. And though I’m ashamed to admit it, I’ll be honest: There are times I find myself reacting negatively to those I see who are severly overweight, though I don’t ever say anything to anyone. It makes me pause, and realize the problem, and look at the situation differently. So I have to ask myself: ‘Why? Why do people react negatively to those who are overweight?’ All I can come up with are two possible answers:
1. It’s culturally coded: somehow, somewhere, society tells us it not desirable to be overweight – although, with the exception of health reasons – it shouldn’t matter as long as you’re happy. Right? Yet, anyone who ‘falls out of the norm’ is seen as different: hence, undesirable. This is a terrible knee-jerk reaction and very wrong. Those who can’t reign in their reactions are just plain ignorant. They can’t see the human first. Until a person can truly understand and look at himself/herself, he/she will always be a slave to kneejerk reactions.
2. Those who make hurtful comments about others are afraid. Either afraid of becoming what they see, or, more than than likely, afraid of their own worst self being exposed. So they divert the attention to someone else to enhance their own self-worth. They are reacting out of their hurt/insecurity.

Either way, these people are slaves to their own hurt and ignorance. Really sad, huh? Take this information as consolation that people who act/react to people for no good reason other than the other person is overweight are slaves to their own unenlightenment. Also, I’ve heard of other people handling those who’ve been mean to them with a little dose of honesty mixed with sympathy. For example, a person who had a roommate who was always harsh to everyone countered her sarcastic barbs with, ‘Was someone really mean to you as child?’ or ‘You must be having a really bad week to react/act the way you’ve been acting.’

Whether you say something or not is not the point. Just know it’s not you, it’s them. If you’re happy with who you are, that should be all that matters.

User Detail :  

Name : Dawn25936, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 31, City : Boston, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : Admin Asst/Student, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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