Your opinion

[Kellig]

I am writing a book, and I am doing some research. If you wouldn't mind answering a question (or two) for me, it would be so helpful.

For the purpose of this poll the definition of Class is social boundaries to which the population divides itself.

Question: In your opinion does western society group people who are overweight in a different Class category than those who are slim?

Optional question: Please explain your answer.

Thank you,
Kelli

 

[handy]

A class distinction...I don't think so.

I've been skinny and now I'm overweight. There are definitely some folks who have a subtle bigotry towards the overweight...but I don't think it reaches the realm of a class distinction.

 

[Pizzaguy]

Question: In your opinion does western society group people who are overweight in a different Class category than those who are slim?

In general: I honestly don't believe so. I see no evidence to support the idea at all. Oh, sure, we all like to watch TV shows with attractive people in them - but I don't see where it goes any farther than that.

I do know that being overweight can cause you to have fewer job offers, and that goes for men AND women. There are ten people working for the company I now work for. Only the two YOUNGEST are overweight - and I mean OVERweight. I have noticed that they get interviews for other jobs, but not job OFFERS. I do believe this has to do with their weight. Would this be a CLASS category? I don't think so.

As to the argument about class in general, I think we here in the USA are "over it". We've moved into a PC kind of train of thought that renders class as something we don't recognize. It is, perhaps, the only positive aspect of PC thought that I can think of.

Optional question: Please explain your answer.

It is best if I dont' even TRY to explain ANYTHING about me.

 

[Chris]

kellig There is a class distinction that overweight people will encounter. we all have a really bad habit of formulating judgements of people based on outward apprarances.

We tend to assume people on outward appearances are like other people that look the same.

Overweight people are often assumed to be unconcerned about their health or lazy or even someone who has a physical or mental disorder that causes weight gain. By this I mean emotional eating possibly asa result of depression.


Be it unemployed or obese there often is a difference in the way they are treated.

Its the same old story a skinny blonde turns up at church in an Audi and an overwight girl turns up in an old Toyota looking scruffy. To people worth knowing the outward appearances wont make any difference. You know what I mean there is a superficial unsaid barrier to instant acceptance for some overweight people.

Why? Photoshop! we are surrounded by an imaginary world of perfection!

View attachment 2091

 

[Christ_empowered]

I think overweight people are treated differently (by which I mean decidedly worse). I used to be skinny to normal weight, and now I'm bigger and working on losing it. Even though I'm male, I still get treated differently, although its probably more subtle than what happens to women. But I think looks in general matter, for men and women. Before I treated my hair loss, I was treated rather poorly. Now that I have a full head of shiny hair, people are a bit nicer.

 

[BobbyKing]

Hi

There are those who choose to be overweight because of lack of discipline in their life; excessive eating and lack of exercise. They have a choice to do otherwise but they didn't. Hence, some people may view them negatively. But that does not mean that they are inferior or anything.

Then there's another group who can't seem to lose weight because of some illness. It's really difficult to tell at times, but I know of some friends who suffer from this inconvenient. The sad part is that until you talk to them, society tends to view them as willingly overweight because of what they do or didn't do.

And yes, unfortunately, there are some who class them into a different category, right or wrong aside.

 

[reba]

Seem fat women have more of a class problem then men.

12 years i served on the local water board part of that time i was FAT. My thoughts/ideas were brushed over folks did not want to listen to me etc.. Well i quickly lost 129 pounds and what a difference....

Much of that difference could well have come from me my attutide, confidence level, etc

I do know i was treated differently. Differently by public, press and the other board members. While fat i was an object that discribes it pretty good.

In simple words a big FAT YES

I have kept most all off!!!

 

[Classik]

As to the argument about class in general, I think we here in the USA are "over it". We've moved into a PC kind of train of thought that renders class as something we don't recognize. It is, perhaps, the only positive aspect of PC thought that I can think of.

This sounds good, Pizzaguy.


:..................:............:..................:............:..................:..............
In sports, however, it is a serious issue. :bounceball

 

[handy]

Seem fat women have more of a class problem then men.

12 years i served on the local water board part of that time i was FAT. My thoughts/ideas were brushed over folks did not want to listen to me etc.. Well i quickly lost 129 pounds and what a difference....

Much of that difference could well have come from me my attitude, confidence level, etc

I do know i was treated differently. Differently by public, press and the other board members. While fat i was an object that describes it pretty good.

In simple words a big FAT YES

I have kept most all off!!!

I have kept most all off!!!

Good for you, Reba! That's an achievement!

It very well could have been the confidence and attitude though that changed people's perspective of you.

My situation, surprisingly enough is opposite...I started out thin, but very shy and awkward. I had zero confidence and folks didn't listen to me or value any of my opinions. As I got older and more in tune with who I was and especially more knowledgeable about my various jobs in life, my confidence grew and I also ceased to be as shy.

When I became fat (I packed on over 80 lbs in a two year time frame), I was felt sick, my hair was falling out, my fingernails were yellowed and bumpy...but I still was confident in my ability to do my job and in my friendships. So, I didn't get the "invisible woman" treatment I was so used to before.

When I was in 6th grade, I weighed about 90lbs. We moved from an extremely rural area and school (17 people in the entire school, including teachers) to a large town. Early in the school year, I had one friend, but she moved...for the entire rest of the year, I spoke to no one except during class or when I was being mercilessly bullied.

When I was in high school and college, I weighed around 105 lbs...and never dated, was never called upon to participate in classes or things...invisible woman, that was me. I didn't have any confidence and my attitude was a poor one, I thought I was smarter than everyone else. My Junior and Senior got better as I had settled in and had friends. I did make it to my proms. Only two dates in 4 years and one was "arranged" (not fun) and one was with a friend, not a romantic interest (but we had a blast at my senior prom!).

When I got out of college and moved into adult life, I put on 15 lbs...I weighed around 120 throughout my 20's and 30's. A little weighty for someone my size, but still within "normal" range. But, in my early 20's I still didn't have any boyfriends or dated or anything and I was still very shy. In my mid-20's, I went out a couple of times, then when I was 28 I got a boyfriend, we became engaged and it all ended very badly for me.

I was gaining life experiences. As I moved through my 30's those life experiences kicked in and my shyness went away and my confidence kicked in. My 30's were my greatest years, however, it was then that the thyroid went wonky. I became fat. Not only fat, but obese. FAT-FAT-FAT!!!

And yet, I received steady promotions, I dated more when I was in my 30's than I ever had before, then I met Steve and we got married.

I know that this tends to buck against common perceptions, but I truly do think that confidence and attitude makes all the difference in the world. Back when I was thin, I had neither and was walked over all the time. By the time I became truly obese, I had both confidence and an attitude (I'm cute, I'm friendly, I'm smart, but give me any lip and I'll take you out!) and people responded very positively to me. I once heard a supervisor of one sales floor ask permission of the supervisor of the sales floor I was on if he could "borrow" me for a tricky bid they were working on. The answer (I could overhear this because this was cubicle land) was "No, you can't have her...I need her too much right now."

Confidence and attitude really make a difference. I dressed better, kept my hair better, looked people in the face, made a point to remember their names, used their names when talking to them (amazing how people respond to that, and it was hard for me, I'm terrible with names, I truly am). Guys flirted with me, but I kept that to a minimum because most of them were guys I wouldn't go out with.

Being overweight does tend to make people feel shy and have less confidence. So, the treatment they receive tends to be be blamed on the obvious, the weight. But, for me, I found the weight not to be an issue when I had confidence and a pretty spunky attitude.

 

[handy]

I said all that and now think...yeah, but...

There is a difference in perception about weight. Folks can and do judge overweight people...and, it very well could be that I didn't get the fallout overweight folks get because a lot of folks at my business knew that I had a medical condition.

However, I just don't see it as a "class distinction". Kelli defined class as "Class is social boundaries to which the population divides itself."

I don't feel that I've experienced "class distinction" due to my weight. The only time I ever felt as if I were in a different "class" of people was when I lived for 8 months in North Carolina. There were "class distinctions" there...and it was made pretty clear to me that I was of the "lower" variety. Not to knock all North Carolinians, truly I don't want to do that especially since I don't even know all North Carolinians...but there are some good Christian women around the Winston-Salem area that can think pretty highly of themselves. There was one time when I came home to find a woman from the church I was attending discussing my clothing with my roommate. She had cleaned out her closet of some clothes she no longer wore and wanted my roommate to give me her cast-offs because my wardrobe just wasn't up to snuff.:verysick

I had good friends in NC...really good friends! But, all of them came from somewhere else. Texas, New York, Maryland (just out of Washington DC)...but not native North Carolinians. My other roommate, native NC'er...she always looked at me and treated me as if I were some kind of alien life form that she need to be friendly to so as not to start an inter-galactic war.

Only time I dealt with "class" in my entire life. When the opportunity arose to get my old job back in California, I jumped at the chance.

 

[Drew]

I am writing a book, and I am doing some research. If you wouldn't mind answering a question (or two) for me, it would be so helpful.

For the purpose of this poll the definition of Class is social boundaries to which the population divides itself.

Question: In your opinion does western society group people who are overweight in a different Class category than those who are slim?

Optional question: Please explain your answer.

Thank you,
Kelli

Given your definition, I believe the answer is generally "no" - people who are overweight are not considered to be a class (at least not in North America).

Part of the reason is that so many people are overweight - at least 50 % of adults (in Canada and hte US at least). In short, there are are plenty of overweight people in each of the "real" classes into which North Americans divide themselves such as:

1. Young vs Old;
2. Rich vs Poor;
3. White Collar vs Blue Collar;
4. Well-eductated vs Poorly-educated

....and so on.

 

[Potluck]

The government has been floating the idea of taking on the overweight people "for their own good". If there's no class distinction concerning this now there soon will be.
What's your BMI? Heck, I never heard of BMI until just a short time ago.

[sarcasm]
Somehow we've got to make everybody the same, equal in every way regardless of motivations, beliefs, personalities or gender. It's going to be tough but shared sacrifice from one and all should help us attain the goal we all have in common... equality for all no matter what it takes.

 

[G. White]

In your opinion does western society group people who are overweight in a different Class category than those who are slim?

Even within the western society there are many sides to anything. In this case "overweight vs. shapely" most of the time with the vanity side of things you encounter those who typically have a shallow personality, one-sidedness, and lack any spiritualness. If they are hiring personnel in a place of business and you are unlucky enough to be the overweight candidate applying for a job, chances are you will fail the interview right from the get-go - this is likely for multiple reasons and not just any one company policy.

There are discriminatory factors based on a person's weight, but guess what? An employer has every legal right to refuse the hiring of any person who they perceive to be a health risk - a potential liability to company health coverage. These days it could boil down to being overweight or they somehow know beforehand you smoke tobacco ... or whatever.

Then again there are many people in western society who are in great shape. The fast food restaurants are not the problem. It's the laziness of wanting to go home and cook something fresh, wholesome, good for you, that is the problem. It's also consuming more calories/complex carbs than someone exercises away.

The deep fried, greasy, high sodium foods in school available for kids is not the problem either. I ate greasy, fatty, an sugary foods the entire time I went through jr high and sr high and I was lean. The problem today is when the kids get home they no longer engage in outdoor activities like I used to (this is exteremely important). They would rather jump on video games and wait for parents to bring home something from some rank fast food restaurant.

Those who are overweight are not in a different class unless they want to put themselves in that category. We are all human beings and should not be persecuted because of any physical abnormalities.