Lizzo and "body positivity"

Elemonator wrote: »

There definitely is the issue of modern media pushing the ideal of what is a beautiful body. On the flip size, the body positivity movement has pushed the notion that we should accept everyone even if they promote an unhealthy lifestyle.

I'd support anyone not feeling comfortable in their skin to change and not put them down but I will not tell them they are fine when they are heading for problems.

This is it. It's a hard one to balance.

We should "accept" everyone regardless of their size. Being fat doesn't reduce their worth as a person, and doesn't make them less deserving of respect.
No more than being fit and skinny makes someone a better person deserving of respect.

However, there is an undercurrent of "You're not allowed to say that being fat is bad", "Having facilities not accessible to people over 20 stone is ableist", "Not putting fat people in ads is fat-shaming".

And that has to stop. Because the fact of the matter is that being fat is bad for your health. Putting a positive slant on it, is not good public health policy. Not promoting healthier lifestyles, not promoting healty weights, will result in a major health crisis.

The comparison can always be made with smoking. People are allowed to be smokers. But that doesn't mean that we should allow smoking to be promoted as a positive lifestyle choice, or that we should make special accomodations for smokers.

Lizzo can say she's fat and she's happy and that's good for her. The smoking campaigner guy says the same about being a smoker.

But it's also OK for me to say that Lizzo is class 3 morbidly obese and her immense frame is going to result in serious health complications before she's 40 and a very premature death. There's nothing mean or fatshaming about that.

Shaming doesn't work it just makes people feel ****.

Positivity and confidence actually would encourage people to go to a gym. When you are happy and confident you want to take care of your body.

No mirrors in her house...

KiKi III wrote: »

Don’t remember the thread about the risk to the individuals and society about the last Victoria’s Secret show where underweight models with unhealthy BMIs are glorified...

Who's glorifying them?

The fashion industry is putting them under pressure to be thin but I haven't seen anyone say it's a great thing to look anorexic.

This Lizzo one is a walking heart attack and this will result in a shorter lifespan for her and size zero models will also suffer health problems.

Neither look is a healthy one.

KiKi III wrote: »

Don’t remember the thread about the risk to the individuals and society about the last Victoria’s Secret show where underweight models with unhealthy BMIs are glorified...

This is dumb.

Firstly the percentage of people suffering from eating disorders is small. Whereas the vast majority of people in the US are obese.

There is an issue of eating disorders. But its not a pandemic. There is an obesity crisis.

60% of adults over 40 in the US have metabolic syndrome. That means they are not just over weight ..they are so overweight and have been for so long they now have a myriad of health issues associated with that.

Part of the reason thinness IS so glorified ..is because now its rare.

You can't compare the two issues though. One affects a small amount of people and mostly at a particular age group.

The other affects the majority of people in the western world and every age group ..particularly older people.

While i am sympathetic to people who are over weight. We do need to educate people on the health affects so they can make better choices.

They may never lose the weight but maybe they will realize they need to see their Dr more often and realize their obesity makes their immune system vulnerable ..makes them more vulnerable to clots etc ..metabolic syndrome.

They might not be able to lose the weight. But they can still be much healthier at their current weight if they take certain steps.

A person who is obese and active is way way way more healthy than an obese person who is inactive.

Signore Fancy Pants wrote: »

I just Googled to see who this was.

I recommend not doing the same. Jesus fcuking christ.

I had the misfortune of seeing a swimsuit photo

I cant believe people look at her and think unhealthy and fixate on her weight. To me she looks so happy and vibrant and just radiates positivity

wakka12 wrote: »

I cant believe people look at her and think unhealthy and fixate on her weight. To me she looks so happy and vibrant and just radiates positivity

I find it hard to believe you find that hard to believe

Meh, honestly I’m a fan of the larger ladies, but I’m not so deluded as to imagine it’s in any way healthy or that there’s anything positive about it beyond a sexual fetish.

I’m just glad I’m a guy and a fat fcuk like me doesn’t come in for anything near the same amount of scrutiny and “concerns for my health” as women :pac:

wakka12 wrote: »

I cant believe people look at her and think unhealthy and fixate on her weight. To me she looks so happy and vibrant and just radiates positivity

She is beautiful. She is vibrant. But she is unhealthy. Obese people today are living longer because we have statins and meds to help them. But this is not true self love.

"I also feel strongly that we love ourselves enough to acknowledge there are serious health consequences that come with obesity — heart disease, diabetes, cancer to name only a few."

Jillian Micheals.

I think most of us will luckily never understand what it feels like and how harshly society judges you when you're 10+ stone overweight.

People like Lizzo get there for various reasons. Usually involves over-eating, but what's rarely understood or talked about is how there's very often eating disorders and mental health issues at play - binge eating disorder, or cycles of emotional overeating - depression - and more overeating. Pretty painful experiences, topped by the obvious self-esteem issues, and complete judgement and dismissal of you as a worthy human by society.

I think empathy is a really valuable trait to have as a human, and knowing how frustrating and sad an experience it is for me as a normal-sized person to gain even a few pounds, I can't even imagine the pain of being in an undeniably obese body. I honestly wouldn't be able to leave the house.

But equally, I can't get on board with this in-your-face promote fatness at all costs messaging, it's tone deaf and crude and confronting. Seeing a 22 stone body parading across a stage or on a magazine cover in a bikini is NOT "promoting body positivity", it's making a freak show of bigger bodies. We're all compelled to stare for the wrong reasons and it's just another form of commodification - this time of fatness as something that at a base level, humans will stare at and object to.

bitofabind wrote: »

I think most of us will luckily never understand what it feels like and how harshly society judges you when you're 10+ stone overweight.

People like Lizzo get there for various reasons. Usually involves over-eating, but what's rarely understood or talked about is how there's very often eating disorders and mental health issues at play - binge eating disorder, or cycles of emotional overeating - depression - and more overeating. Pretty painful experiences, topped by the obvious self-esteem issues, and complete judgement and dismissal of you as a worthy human by society.

I think empathy is a really valuable trait to have as a human, and knowing how frustrating and sad an experience it is for me as a normal-sized person to gain even a few pounds, I can't even imagine the pain of being in an undeniably obese body. I honestly wouldn't be able to leave the house.

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This. Overweight people need our love softness and support.

I want to see bigger people portrayed doing healthy things. Not all athletes are skinny ...look at the size of some powerlifters etc.

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I find it hard to believe you find that hard to believe

Meh, honestly I’m a fan of the larger ladies, but I’m not so deluded as to imagine it’s in any way healthy or that there’s anything positive about it beyond a sexual fetish.

I’m just glad I’m a guy and a fat fcuk like me doesn’t come in for anything near the same amount of scrutiny and “concerns for my health” as women :pac:

Young boys really do. I think its even worse for them....but to be buff and natty etc. HUGE pressure.

Redneck Reject71 wrote: »

She might be happy now, but in another 5 to 10 years, she will be feeling the extent of all that weight.

She is feeling it now. She is probably to scared to say or embarrassed.

In 5 to 10 yrs statins and anti blooding clotting diabetes meds etc will be keeping her alive.

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

This. Overweight people need our love softness and support.
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I've a feeling that's gonna push a few buttons