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October 10, 2006

Comments

Jason

Yes - a pint of Spry is just the thing sometimes. Your blog touches on many thought provoking issues, and it's a difficult one to comment on. I think that for many people, obesity is a condition that engenders little sympathy - with many thinking that all obese people need to do is eat less and they'll be fine. Since getting to know you, I've been made very aware of the issues that obese people face on a day to day basis, and to see at first hand the lack of accommodation, thoughtlessness, ignorance and on occasion sheer prejudice/thuggery has been shocking. On a purely practical note, I would have thought that the Disability Discrimination Act would have made a superficial difference - but I don't see much evidence of this. I'm aware of how ill-equipped many entertainment venues, cafes, restaurants etc. are for 'wider than average' people - but they nearly all have ramps for wheelchairs. Even being as relatively mildly oversized as I am (especially a couple of years ago) I felt discriminated against by clothing and footwear manufacturers. What you say about attitudes towards those suffering from ebisity is true, and it's difficult to know how to turn around opinion - especially when very obese people are only portrayed on TV or film as figures of fun (how amusing) or tragedy/depravity. You simply don't get the same attitudes towards many other conditions. And it's something people are usually very uncomfortable talking about - so I applaud you for this blog, and will be interested to read other comments.

AndyC

Thanks for those insights, Jason. Perhaps they will licence a "fat-seat" which can be added to normal seats - or maybe a pair of special door-widening fat forceps?

There are simply loads fo products simply screaming to be made.

I have to say that I'd rather not be fat, though. In a way.

Jason

Yes. Good idea - try not being fat. Have you tried that?

AndyC

I gave it a good run till I was in my 20s.

I have to say that i was more unhappy then than I am now.

AMANDA KELLY

Having recently lost nearly six stone on a meal replacement diet, I can honestly say that I have lost over twenty years of my life being obese, I am now starting to make up for my lost time, but I will still be wishing I had done this sooner. The trouble is, fat people have to see the problem for themselves, its all well and good saying that they are happy as they are, that is a cover up and all the while they are running from something that makes them fat they will not lose weight. Its a long and very lonely path an obese person treads they need psychiatric/counselling and not being nagged at, when was the last time you did something after being "told" you had to do it.

AndyC

That's all very true, Amanda. Thanks for contributing.

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