I know when I stroll through Walmart, checking things out, I can't wait for some of them gals I see to slip out of their sweatpants and into them sexy Halloween outfits.
I myself am generally a big proponent of political correctness when it's concerning itself with someone that serves no other purpose than to insult or degrade another human being.
That said, I think some people are confused and generally over sensitive to certain words because they've been hurt by them before. That does not mean those words are inappropriate. If you are fat, you are fat. You may also be "big" or "plus sized" or "overweight" or "obese" but simply put, you are fat. Fat itself is no more or less insulting than any of the other words. It is, however, used more often as an insult. But don't confuse the two.
"Fat" is not an insult. It's effectiveness when used as one is based solely on how you feel about yourself, not the word.
I can say to someone:
"You're fat"
"You're bald"
"You've got acne."
"You're short."
"You've got a big nose."
etc.
And there is no reason any of those should be taken as insulting if that's not the intent. This is NOT like the N word, or the term "Redskin" and to suggest it is does nothing but harm those actually impacted by word that are solely design to marginalise races of people.
In a situation like this, you could say Wal-Mart was a bit insensitive considering the general amount of people that get their back up about being fat. But they weren't being purposely insulting, it was simply a page of costumes for fat girls. I don't get insulted when someone points out descriptors that apply to me if they aren't doing it to try to hurt me.
That's my opinion anyway. If you're fat, losing weight isn't often easy, but it always helps to work on being happy with yourself first.
If you're retarted your ######ed. It's not the medical term but it describes the person pretty well they are ######ed mentally compared with the average person just like fat.
If a kid uses it as an insult on the playground it probably is a hurtful word and should be used carefully. If as language evolves "plus sized" becomes an insult at that point we can move on from it. It is not about being PC. It is about being considerate.
If you're retarted your ######ed. It's not the medical term but it describes the person pretty well they are ######ed mentally compared with the average person just like fat.
If a kid uses it as an insult on the playground it probably is a hurtful word and should be used carefully. If as language evolves "plus sized" becomes an insult at that point we can move on from it. It is not about being PC. It is about being considerate.
Refraining from making the obvious jokes.
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If you're retarted your ######ed. It's not the medical term but it describes the person pretty well they are ######ed mentally compared with the average person just like fat.
If a kid uses it as an insult on the playground it probably is a hurtful word and should be used carefully. If as language evolves "plus sized" becomes an insult at that point we can move on from it. It is not about being PC. It is about being considerate.
I disagree.
Firstly, "######ed" is actually considered a universally offensive term for someone who is mentally handicapped. "Fat" isn't. Fat is a real, still currently used term not deemed universally offensive. Consider the definitions for both:
Quote:
Fat
adjective
adjective: fat; comparative adjective: fatter; superlative adjective: fattest
1.
(of a person or animal) having a large amount of excess flesh.
Quote:
######ed
adjective
adjective: ######ed
dated offensive
less advanced in mental, physical, or social development than is usual for one's age.
informal offensive
very foolish or stupid.
Note that "######ed" is actually defined as offensive, which makes it yet another in a string of false equivalence.
Maybe the simple dictionary definition does not speak well enough for the real world application for you. That's fine. As I said, I find the term to be, at worst, insensitive. Some fat people have no problem calling themselves fat, others prefer overweight, or simply suggesting they have weight issues. That's fine too.
Kids use plenty of things as insults. The issue is when a phrase is offensive at a base-level or when people are simply offended by it, because in one scenario, it's an issue with the word or phrase, in the other, it's an issue with it's use in the situation.
Trust me, I can use "overweight" or "plus sized" or "plump" or "big" with the exact same effectiveness as an insult as "fat." The word isn't the issue, it's the intent and the audience.
I do believe Wal-Mart probably screwed up given the variable audience and scenario, but I disagree with any notion that "fat" is offensive at a base-level or that it's even nearly equivalent to "######" or "redskin" or the N word.
I also find it a bit frustrating when people suggest a remark about the current (changeable) state of one's body is even remotely equivalent to a remark about the way one is born (unchangeable). But oh well.
How can you call someone fat using the word fat and not make it offensive?
The same way you'd do it using the word small, or short, or tall, or big, or bald, or whatever. If you're using it in a practical way that requires you to use it, it works. It's interchangeable with overweight or plus sized.
"I'm getting so overweight!" where I respond "Well you're a bit fat, but it's not nearly as bad as you think." and everyone is just fine with it. Again, use fat an insult, and it's going to be insulting, use it as a current state of body, and there's nothing wrong with the word. It's generally not great to talk about someone's physical appearance in front of them without them welcoming you into that conversation.
You could also call them fat, and if you realise they're offended by it, say "oh... but I meant it with a ph... homie...?"
Who knows, maybe every person I've ever used the word "fat" in front of is slowly letting the hate build inside them.
The same way you'd do it using the word small, or short, or tall, or big, or bald, or whatever. If you're using it in a practical way that requires you to use it, it works. It's interchangeable with overweight or plus sized.
"I'm getting so overweight!" where I respond "Well you're a bit fat, but it's not nearly as bad as you think." and everyone is just fine with it. Again, use fat an insult, and it's going to be insulting, use it as a current state of body, and there's nothing wrong with the word. It's generally not great to talk about someone's physical appearance in front of them without them welcoming you into that conversation.
You could also call them fat, and if you realise they're offended by it, say "oh... but I meant it with a ph... homie...?"
Who knows, maybe every person I've ever used the word "fat" in front of is slowly letting the hate build inside them.
Get devils advocate in here and let him be the judge if calling someone fat is ever okay. I will defer to his expertise. But right now you sound like a white guy who wants to say n****. Not that it's equivalent in severity but your logic is the same.
'Fat' is a noun, the thing one has.
'Fat' is an also adjective, the thing one is.
Of course. My point is that for many overweight/obese people the term "fat" becomes the very definition of who they are. They look in the mirror and they don't see a human...they see fat. When people call them "fat" it only further reinforces this particular feeling. What is really sad is that when many overweight people lose weight they still see themselves as that "fat" person.
Get devils advocate in here and let him be the judge if calling someone fat is ever okay. I will defer to his expertise. But right now you sound like a white guy who wants to say n****. Not that it's equivalent in severity but your logic is the same.
Nah. I sound like someone who uses a word that is a pretty common descriptor in situations when it's appropriate to use it.
It's a descriptor that is no different than overweight, plus size, big, whatever.
This whole false equivalency thing that you're hanging onto by bringing up the N word and "######" is ridiculous. It's not in the same ballpark. It's not even playing the same sport.
Is calling someone "tall" pretty much the same as calling someone the N word?
And that illustrates why so many fail. You have to really, really want it and not everyone can do it. As I said before though you don't have to get skinny or thin. You only have to drop some weight to get closer to a healthy body/weight index. A 300 lbs person losing 25 lbs is still a big person but it's a positive to be 275 instead of 300 lbs.
Have you ever had long term weight issues, been obese?
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Not been back to the thread as I've been busy with podcast stuff (did two interviews this week since last week's was postponed due to the terrorist attack here).
I REALLY, REALLY wanted to discuss this thread topic with last night's guest, but we couldn't fit it in. But I talked to her after the show.....
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and a black man walks in, and he says "Just look at that n*gger", I'd get up, say that I don't associate with racists, and leave.
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and an overweight woman walks in and he says, "Just look at that fat woman", I'd be more likely to bop the guy in the nose.
My distain for racism, sexism, homophobia... they are all reasoned stances. My reaction to calling someone fat is emotional.
That "dated offensive" on "######ed" was not always there. We came to appreciate that the word was horribly offensive and people have stopped using it. Just because a word is not marked offensive in the dictionary YET, does not mean it isn't offensive.
A very well known weight-loss blogger posted this yesterday:
"I had a friend that kept calling me fat and it hurt.
So I told him, that I don't like when a friend calls me fat.
He said "Then why don't you do something about it?"
So I did.
I found a new friend."
Those that are claiming that "fat" is in the same realm of tall, seriously? If someone came into the store and asked where Sarah was, you would think "Sarah is the tall woman behind the counter" and "Sarah is the fat woman behind the counter" are equal in offense?
Last edited by Devils'Advocate; 10-30-2014 at 01:10 PM.
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Not been back to the thread as I've been busy with podcast stuff (did two interviews this week since last week's was postponed due to the terrorist attack here).
I REALLY, REALLY wanted to discuss this thread topic with last night's guest, but we couldn't fit it in. But I talked to her after the show.....
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and a black man walks in, and he says "Just look at that n*gger", I'd get up, say that I don't associate with racists, and leave.
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and an overweight woman walks in and he says, "Just look at that fat woman", I'd be more likely to bop the guy in the nose.
My distain for racism, sexism, homophobia... they are all reasoned stances. My reaction to calling someone fat is emotional.
That "dated offensive" on "######ed" was not always there. We came to appreciate that the word was horribly offensive and people have stopped using it. Just because a word is not marked offensive in the dictionary YET, does not mean it isn't offensive.
A very well known weight-loss blogger posted this yesterday:
"I had a friend that kept calling me fat and it hurt.
So I told him, that I don't like when a friend calls me fat.
He said "Then why don't you do something about it?"
So I did.
I found a new friend."
Those that are claiming that "fat" is in the same realm of tall, seriously? If someone came into the store and asked where Sarah was, you would think "Sarah is the tall woman behind the counter" and "Sarah is the fat woman behind the counter" are equal in offense?
So what were you before you lost a lot of weight? How would you have described yourself physically?
Not been back to the thread as I've been busy with podcast stuff (did two interviews this week since last week's was postponed due to the terrorist attack here).
I REALLY, REALLY wanted to discuss this thread topic with last night's guest, but we couldn't fit it in. But I talked to her after the show.....
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and a black man walks in, and he says "Just look at that n*gger", I'd get up, say that I don't associate with racists, and leave.
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and an overweight woman walks in and he says, "Just look at that fat woman", I'd be more likely to bop the guy in the nose.
My distain for racism, sexism, homophobia... they are all reasoned stances. My reaction to calling someone fat is emotional.
That "dated offensive" on "######ed" was not always there. We came to appreciate that the word was horribly offensive and people have stopped using it. Just because a word is not marked offensive in the dictionary YET, does not mean it isn't offensive.
A very well known weight-loss blogger posted this yesterday:
"I had a friend that kept calling me fat and it hurt.
So I told him, that I don't like when a friend calls me fat. Eric Estrada said "Then why don't you do something about it?"
So I did.
I found a new friend."
Those that are claiming that "fat" is in the same realm of tall, seriously? If someone came into the store and asked where Sarah was, you would think "Sarah is the tall woman behind the counter" and "Sarah is the fat woman behind the counter" are equal in offense?
fyp
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Captain James P. DeCOSTE, CD, 18 Sep 1993
How can you call someone fat using the word fat and not make it offensive?
You can't if they are the type of person that gets "offended" by just about anything. People used to get annoyed or possibly upset about things. Now EVERYBODY IS OFFENDED because my god, someone said something that I don't agree with. Quick, I must get on the internet and turn this into a big over blown case of social media hype and political over correctness. How dare people not share my "correct" sensibilities.
Honestly, how do these people function. More so, how do these people survive in the business world. Hmmm...I think I will go watch a pvr of the last Flames game checking gratuitous shots of Fire and Ice girls between the stopage and play. That is as long as there are no fights....there better not be any fights in hockey.
So what were you before you lost a lot of weight? How would you have described yourself physically?
Dangerously morbidly obese.
In fact "morbidly obese" doesn't carry with it the stereotypical connotations that go with "fat". Similar to "######ed". The insinuation with "######ed" or "fat" is that the reciever is "less than".
Not been back to the thread as I've been busy with podcast stuff (did two interviews this week since last week's was postponed due to the terrorist attack here).
I REALLY, REALLY wanted to discuss this thread topic with last night's guest, but we couldn't fit it in. But I talked to her after the show.....
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and a black man walks in, and he says "Just look at that n*gger", I'd get up, say that I don't associate with racists, and leave.
If I was in a bar, sitting at a table with a stranger, chatting away and an overweight woman walks in and he says, "Just look at that fat woman", I'd be more likely to bop the guy in the nose.
My distain for racism, sexism, homophobia... they are all reasoned stances. My reaction to calling someone fat is emotional.
That "dated offensive" on "######ed" was not always there. We came to appreciate that the word was horribly offensive and people have stopped using it. Just because a word is not marked offensive in the dictionary YET, does not mean it isn't offensive.
A very well known weight-loss blogger posted this yesterday:
"I had a friend that kept calling me fat and it hurt.
So I told him, that I don't like when a friend calls me fat.
He said "Then why don't you do something about it?"
So I did.
I found a new friend."
Those that are claiming that "fat" is in the same realm of tall, seriously? If someone came into the store and asked where Sarah was, you would think "Sarah is the tall woman behind the counter" and "Sarah is the fat woman behind the counter" are equal in offense?
hahaha...knew you would have something to say about this.
