Think sexism, racism, and other -isms. Does anyone else think that we're moving towards age and weight joining the above-mentioned ones as categories of discrimination?


I think that we have this already to a certain extent. I mean, there are certain stereotypes surrounding oveweight and old people, and these are things that both groups have to confront and fight against. As well, I think it is getting to the point where "fat", in certain contexts, is meant to be a hurtful and discriminatory term for some. A doctor saying "You are fat" is one thing; a ten year old poiting to a classmate and saying "Hey, you fat pig" is another. And from what I have witnessed, such labelling can be as hurtful as any anti-gay or anti-black slur. All such terms intentionally outline individuals in order to make them the subjects of ridicule.


What are your thoughts?

Age discrimination has been around forever. Why would it be a new phenomena?

Unlike race, age, sexual preference (controversial, but yes, I'll say it) and gender, you can almost always control your weight, so I don't pity the overweight or when they are called names. It's only your fault.

Maybe I should be more specific:

Do you think that there will be heightened awareness of the issue, or rather, a different approach to it than what we have seen so far?


This obviously has to do with changing demographics, at least in affluent countries. Hal of Japan's population could be over 65 in 2050, for example.

:wink:


While, yes, in most cases you can control your own weight if you have enough determination and REALLY want to...it doesn't change the fact that name-calling is stupid, unnecessary, ignorant, and wrong.

But why should you? If your biological make-up is such that it predisposes you towards being overweight, why should you be discriminated based on such grounds?

Prejudice, btw, also extends to various religions and groups that you willingly associate with. A muslim could technically convert to another faith, but why should he or she be forced to?

Having a choice is not grounds for justifying prejudice towards obese people, nor a valid reason to think of it as a less discriminatory act.

Come on box, I'm 95% kidding. Although I don't pity a 400-pound man who is fat because he gouges on McWhoppers if some guy calls him a lardass. I am a heartless person.

I don't call people lardasses anyway, it's too cheap an attack.

Oh, and the thread is slightly overblown. With 60% of America being overweight it's almost as if box is conspiracy-ing a "fat apartheid" or something. :wink:

unlike the other things you mentioned, different ages and different weights DO CAUSE differences amongst people. a 10 year old cannot be treated like a 20 year old, nor a 70 year old. 70 year old people do not work hence cheaper prices. there are some basic reasons for it.


same cannot be said about weight anymore though. people throw a fit if you comment on weight. even though i still think some descrimination is required and rightly so. i dont mean in terms of fun and stuff. plus no one really makes fun of anyone when their weight is something they don't have control over + obesity is sometimes a health risk to beggin with. its discouragement has valid grounds (whereas you cannot discourage someone from being gay on the basis that its unhealthy or something ..)

I agree. It's unnecessary when people resort to name-calling.

I think he means age discrimination lke it exists in Germany (and probably in most other countries as well) nowadays. If you are 50 and for some reason unemployed, you have basically no chance to get any decent job no matter how good you are.

By 2030 over 50% of German population will be over 50 years old....

Wow. I expected a lot more from you, Jon. I know you know better than this. A lot of people can not control their weight, and for those that can, there is a lot of aspects that make it extremely difficult to do so. I'm gonna try and dig up an excellent post that add-rock made on the subject a long time ago and post it.

Agree on this one with you, baBa, in some very specific cases...

NYPD had a case a couple years back when it was being forced to drop a weight requirement for police academy graduates to become officers... The police department was attacked as violating their civil rights when one person being 300 lbs. heavy couldn't complete the 1-mile run test and couldn't graduate... Give me a break...

Weight has to do with choices, in 95% of cases, otherwise, it is just an excuse for laziness... BTW, I have nothing against people who enjoy being fat, and they don't lose sleep over it... Hey, it's their choice... What bothers me though are the whiners and complainers who take offense to any reference to their weight. To those I can only tell: Wake up, fatsoes, it's just your weight, not a civil rights issue!!!

http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopi ... highlight=

There's the other thread on this subject. Add-rock's (andaroo's) post is about half way down.

I have to agree. I mean, c'mon, honestly, it's not like a 400 lbs. police officer is much of use when trying to catch a criminal...

Oh and you must have the best sig here on the boards =D>

I was kidding, man! ](*,)

well legally, such a descrimination does not exist here to my knowledge. its not there either right?

again, i agree under some cases that people over a certain age are liable for descrimination for certain jobs (i'm not hiring a 50 year old to chase people down and in some cases, i'm not hiring for their own health issues) just the same way, i'm not hiring an 18 year old to become my political analyst. true, there are exceptions, which is why law does not descriminate in such cases at all. but this isn't really descrimination, its just logical sense. He is not being descriminated cause hes old, hes being descriminated because due to his age, he is not able to perofrm certain duties (or other do certain things) that are essential to a job.

No, legally, it doesn't, but then again...it's just that when 10 people apply for a job they will take the younger ones and give the 50-year old some other reason why he wasn't taken.

On the age discrimination thing, it's not just the old either. I know a lot of convienience stores that only let 3 teenagers in at a time. I constantly get dirty looks from people when I'm shopping and there's usually always that little guy that follows you around. Sure, part of it might also be my race, but I can guarantee they wouldn't be so paranoid were I 30.

And as for the weight thing, it's incredibly pigheaded to say that people should just "put the fork down!." Genetics play a big role in it as said. My older stepsister's parents were both seriously overweight, so as a result she is too (though with her it's different because she has 2 year old twins and an 8 month old). One thing that really sickened me was what happened when I've went out with girls who were overweight. I only have twice, and neither were obese, but I still constantly had people telling me I could do way better, not because of there personalities (one of them is one of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I'm saying this despite her breaking up with me) but because of there physical appearance. I just think that the "your fat and ugly and it's your fault!" attitude isn't helping anyone, especially teenagers.

Uh, I've never seen people go up to "overweight people" and ask "Hey, I was wasn't sure if its ok to make fun of you so I wanna ask you if you're fat because you choose to not do anything aobut, or is it something that you can't change?"

If I understood your comment right.

Well if you're going to start categorizing reasons people get treated bad that they can't help, I see a lot of bald guys put down all the time, and as far as I know it's not something they can prevent, it's not their fault. It's not like anyone's following them around the store or firing them over it but still they take a lot of crap.

Thanks, Doc...