# the health industry is so antifat



## blubberismanly (Aug 3, 2010)

I have a chubby friend who works in a hospital. I remember once he was telling me about all the shit he has to put up with just because he's overweight. He was also telling me how he had coworkers who had kids and were expected to instantly lose the weight, like being pregnant wasn't a good reason to gain weight. I asked him if a fat guy comes in with syphilis and no other serious health condition would he get an antibiotic, and he said he would probably have to lose weight first. My friend has been forced to use the stairs since he is overweight and able bodied, I guess an effort by the hospital to cut down on fat people. But the underlying message I got from our conversation was that fat is absolutely not tolerated by the medical community, and is seen as a factor, if not underlying cause, for every single medical issue. It sickens me to think it's true, but it might be. What is everyone else's feelings? Has anyone had any experience with medical fat discrimination?


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## HappyFatChick (Aug 3, 2010)

ANY time ANYONE says ANYTHING negative about fat people around me I remind them that 80% of adult Americans are overweight.:wubu:


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## Adrian (Aug 28, 2010)

The medical community is among the most bigoted when it comes to people of size. The only real acceptance seems to come from other people of size who work with you.



blubberismanly said:


> I have a chubby friend who works in a hospital.


Boy, I am sorry to hear that.



blubberismanly said:


> I asked him if a fat guy comes in with syphilis and no other serious health condition would he get an antibiotic, and he said he would probably have to lose weight first. My friend has been forced to use the stairs since he is overweight and able bodied, I guess an effort by the hospital to cut down on fat people. But the underlying message I got from our conversation was that fat is absolutely not tolerated by the medical community


Has he gone to human resources about this problem? Maybe get some other people who are large to do the same. One of the perks of working in a large company is the protection HR provides.



blubberismanly said:


> It sickens me to think it's true, but it might be.


No it is not true, there are many illnesses which have nothing to do with ones weight. Many people will tell you that or try and shame you into losing weight.



blubberismanly said:


> Has anyone had any experience with medical fat discrimination?


I am a large man and have a limited tolerance for taking crap before I forcefully speak out. At some point you and your friend are going to realize these folks won't stop. That the way you get some people to back-off is to openly challenge them!
Some woman once commented on my weight, I responded, "is it an issue to anyone minding their own business?" She did not speak to me again, then again a real friend would not. I lost acquaintances/friends from my 'hostile attitude' but, it was the only way people got off my case. I was lonely at times though, at work.
I do have the advantage of having a history of going through the days of civil rights (1960s and 1970s), being the only non-White person in the department... in some cases the company.


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