Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id g19DLIu05040; Sat, 9 Feb 2002 08:21:18 -0500 (EST) Date: Sat, 9 Feb 2002 08:21:18 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <001f01c1b16c$991418e0$a920a78e@7wpan> Errors-To: alcrsb@langate.gsu.edu Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Barbara Cleveland" <eldersense@prexar.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:2011] Re: our language and hidden messages X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 7784 Lines: 204 yes, thanks you Mev for bringing out "fatism" I agree with you and feel as though the fight for fat acceptance has just begun. Buy I don't think that "fat-phobia and hatred is the last frontier of acceptable discrimination"- for I feel as though we are also just beginning with "Ageism". Being OLD in American culture is as bad as being fat, which is very unfortunate. Glad to see this discussion. thanks Barbara ----- Original Message ----- From: "Deborah Schwartz" <deborah@alri.org> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Sent: Friday, February 08, 2002 4:55 PM Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:2009] Re: our language and hidden messages Yes thank you Mev for opening up this conversation, and to Daphne, thank you for focusing us on this "ism" through your questions. I find that fat-phobia and hatred is the last frontier of acceptable discrimination- atleast in the US. Especially how it operates with sexism. I struggle with what I consider a kind of internalizes sixsm around it, as do many women that I know. Women are just not supposed to be big in this culture.The medical profession certainly doesn't help- blaming every ailement and illness with f "being over weight". There's much more to talk about; it would be great to hear from others. Thanks, again for providing those Web sites and for the braveness you both possess in just rasing the questions and the facts about fat-phobia. Deborah Schwartz ---- Daphne Greenberg <alcdgg@langate.gsu.edu> wrote: > Mev, > Thanks on three accounts: > 1. Admitting that you were nervous. > 2. Speaking up in spite of the nerves. > 3. Sharing with us the information. > I think that Mev's point are well taken and as folks interested in adult literacy, we need to think about, discuss, and analyze with ourselves, our learners, our instructors, etc., the following: > a. Why is it okay in our society to discriminate, stereotype, and laugh at people who are overweight? > b. What misinformation is floating around in the materials we use in class and the media we are exposed to in our daily lives that facilitate, as Mev called it "fat-hating." > c. In the classroom, how do we unknowingly, contibute to the propogation of misinformation concerning weight? > d. In the classroom, how do we unknowingly, contribute to the discrimination, stereotypes, and hurting of people who are overweight/underweight? > e. As a society, why are we so obssessed with weight? > I think that Mev has shared some information that may be helpful if printed out and shared with learners. The information can be used to work on reading, oral debate, or journal writing. > Daphne > >>> mev@winternet.com 02/07/02 20:50 PM >>> > gulp... ok Ujwala and Andrea - now it's my turn to be nervous about speaking up... > > >Because it's capitalized -- those who "own" > >the food would rather sell it to fat Americans who don't need it but who > >have money than to give it to those who need it much more than we do. > > I DO hope the writer of this post used "fat americans" as meaning the over generalized sense of first world privelege and wealth rather than literally "over" weight people. > > If you meant the former, I'd encourage you to reconsider your choice of words. > > If you meant the latter, then it's time for a discussion on fat-hating. > > fat discrimination - sizism - is a big problem ad often not recognized. > > Fat people do not necessaily eat more than thin people or over-eat. > > Did you know that some people are fat because they can't afford better nutrition? food in cans, inexpesinve items, food shelf items (government issue) etc. are often loaded with salts and sugars, high fat, etc. it's not necessarily about over-eating - rather poor nutritional value of the food that can be afforded. > > Fat people can still be openly criticised. While some people MIGHT think twice about making an open racial or sexist slur, fat people are openly criticized and called hateful names, without ay censure. > > Fat people are often poor and/or under employed -- job discrimination is rampant though it's hard to prove. > > Clothing for fat poeple often costs an exhorbitant amout of money -- more than it needs to -- and clothes that are iexpesive often fit poorly. many fat poeple are homebound because they don't have decent clothing or a winter coat or whatever. > > There ARE healthy fat people -- just because a person is fat does not automatically mean they will get high blood pressure, diabetes, or have heart troublee. There's evidence to show that constant dieting -- weight loss then weight gain -- contributes to these diseases. fat people can get these diseases not because they're fat but because they have been over dieted! > > fat people also exercise -- and can still be fat. and it's a double whammy because if you exercise, people still make fun of you! > > fat people are not lazy -- dieting keeps you undernourished and malnourished -- your body naturally slows down and gets tired -- it's hard to be energgetic when you're literally starving. > > the diet INDUSTRY is a $32 BILLION a year industry (1996 statistics). it exploits fat people and everyone else whose afraid of getting "fat" -- and mostly diets don't work > > fat oppression is mostly a women's issue and a manifestation of sexism. fat oppression is another way to contain our power and keep us smalland manageable -- dieting keeps us preoccupied with food and counting calories (also leads to eating disorders) so we don't have the time foor important things - like fighting explotation of women's sexuality and labor! > > > want more info? > > National Assoc. for Acceptance of Fat people (NAAFA) - http://www.naafa.org/ > Largesse -network for size esteem - http://www.eskimo.com/%7Elargesse/ > Fat! So? for people who don't apologize for their size - http://www.fatso.com/ > Council on Size and Weight Discrimination - http://www.CSWD.org/ > > looking for a good activity for learners? how about International No Diet Day! > http://www.CSWD.org/INDD.html > > > sorry - flood gates got opened. > > Mev > > Top Ten Reasons To Give Up Dieting > #10: Diets don't work. Even if you lose weight, you will probably gain it all back, and you might gain back more than you lost. > #9: Diets are expensive. If you didn't buy special diet products, you could save enough to get new clothes, which would improve your outlook right now. > #8: Diets are boring. People on diets talk and think about food and practically nothing else. There's a lot more to life. > #7: Diets don't necessarily improve your health. Like the weight loss, health improvement is temporary. Dieting can actually cause health problems. > #6: Diets don't make you beautiful. Very few people will ever look like models. Glamour is a look, not a size. You don't have to be thin to be attractive. > #5: Diets are not sexy. If you want to be more attractive, take care of your body and your appearance. Feeling healthy makes you look your best. > #4: Diets can turn into eating disorders. The obsession to be thin can lead to anorexia, bulimia, bingeing, and compulsive exercising. > #3: Diets can make you afraid of food. Food nourishes and comforts us, and gives us pleasure. Dieting can make food seem like your enemy, and can deprive you of all the positive things about food. > #2: Diets can rob you of energy. If you want to lead a full and active life, you need good nutrition, and enough foo to meet your body's needs. > And the number one reason to give up dieting: > #1: Learning to love and accept yourself just as you are will give you self-confidence, better health, and a sense of well-being that will last a lifetime. > ©2000, Council on Size & Weight Discrimination, Inc. 845-679-1209 www.cswd.org > > > Mev Miller > mev@winternet.com > > > >
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