My friend Sara commented on my last post, asking if I had seen the Marie Claire hoopla (her brilliant phrasing). I had not, and so I immediately took to Google and learned that some genius had recently blogged about her aversion to seeing fat people making out. Actually, she went so far as to say she is grossed out by fat people doing anything. Of course, a lot of people responded with criticism.
Here’s the thing for me. I think it’s great she posted what she posted. In part. I wish, though, that she weren’t so Brad Pitt about it and had even half of a sensitivity chip. Not sensitivity as far as offending people (because she obviously knew she would), but sensitive enough to know that what she said revealed herself as a hateful, cruel person.
It doesn’t bother me that someone would say, “I get kinda grossed out by fat people” as long as that person goes on to say, “And I know it’s mean and I feel bad about it.” It’s sort of like the Juan Williams thing…He was expressing how he feels when a man in Muslim-wear gets on a plane. He certainly didn’t seem to be condoning his feelings or bragging about them (at least I didn’t think so). This woman, though, has the audacity and ignorance and general jerkstore-ness to say that she gets grossed out by fat people and then goes on to tell people not to eat processed foods. She has no awareness that her feelings are horribly mean.
She stated in a national magazine for women that she is grossed out by overweight people doing anything. Anything! She is grossed out by fat people going to the gym, being at the movies, sitting in their car, breathing. She is telling people — women — that fat people have no business existing in this world. Or, I suppose, they can exist, but they should make sure no one sees them.
This really breaks my heart. It is such a deliberate and cruel attack. It is a sick statement that instantly dehumanizes so many people. Her offer of “advice” to get 30 minutes of exercise five times a week and to eat more fiber is trite and insulting. People are overweight for any number of reasons, but almost never because they didn’t know that exercising is good for you or high-fructose corn syrup should be avoided.
She’s just cruel.
life and puppies 