It's a sad comment on human nature that prejudice and obesity go hand in hand. Ask any person who has battled with obesity and they'll be able to reel off a list of examples.
It begins at school, where some children have a knack of singling out anyone who's different from the rest for bullying and taunting. Children who are more overweight than their classmates are easy targets.
If they also happen to be of a different ethnic background from the majority of their classmates, their lives can become especially unpleasant.
Sadly, this attitude does not end when the child leaves school. Research has shown that prejudice and obesity is very much a fact of life in the workplace.
--The Sad Story of Mr X--
In a society obsessed with unrealistic ideals of how we should look, overweight job applicants have an especially tough time breaking into the job market. A typical story of prejudice and obesity in the workplace goes like this...
Mr X applies in writing for a job. The company replies positively to his letter by asking for a more detailed resume.
Then, Mr X receives an enthusiastic phone call asking him to come in for an interview. It's clear from the tone of the call and various other hints dropped by the caller that the interview is really just a formality, that Mr X is clearly the best qualified candidate.
But all this changes come the day of the interview. The members of the interview panel refuse to meet Mr X's eye. The questions they ask are cursory. They shuffle and fidget when he speaks. It's obvious they're simply going through the motions.
When he leaves they shake his hand and thank him with enthusiasm bordering on relief. A week later he receives a form letter in the mail regretfully informing him that he was unsuccessful in his application.
Mr X is not surprised. He's gone through this charade a dozen times before.
Prejudice and obesity have an even more unpleasant face when they're paired with ethnic stereotypes - the grown up version of schoolyard taunts.
We've all heard the jokes about women of certain ethnic backgrounds ballooning after they've had children. They're mild compared to some of the other, supposedly funny, stories doing the rounds.
You can help to lift the lid on the scourge of obesity related prejudice.
Were you bullied as a child because you were overweight? Have you experienced prejudice in the workplace? Have you been the butt of an ethnic/obesity related joke? Or perhaps you've got an inspiring story about how you've overcome negative perceptions. Maybe you're a counsellor or website publisher with important insights. Visit http://www.obesitycures.com/prejudice-and-obesity.html and share your experience or advice. You could make a difference.
Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year's experience and the publisher of ObesityCures.com, a site with the ambitious aim of being a "one-stop-shop" for impartial information on obesity and weight loss solutions - including fad diets, prescription weightloss pills and natural weightloss aids.
tidy up service Glenview ..The Atkins Diet Seems To Never Go AwayFad diets come... Read More
At the beginning of December, WeightWatchers.com announced the release of... Read More
What do I mean by that?Well, carrots are good for... Read More
"Hey, you have reduced now, compared to the last time... Read More
To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an... Read More
Most people who want to burn off some excess pounds... Read More
There's nothing more fun then being creative with food and... Read More
New Medical Research shows high-intensity exercise can increase the body's... Read More
You may be considering weight loss surgery if you are... Read More
Quick weight loss is promised by diets all the time.... Read More
In theory, if you're starving, exercising less helps conserve energy.... Read More
Weight Loss tipsAll throughout my childhood and teenage years I... Read More
I clearly remember how much I loathed having my picture... Read More
The market is flooded with weight loss supplements that make... Read More
Yes, my healthy diet has at times suffered at the... Read More
Diet drop out, a significant problem for all types of... Read More
I've talked to quite a few fellow gastric bypass patients... Read More
Weight loss programs often have big claims. Understand the "science"... Read More
There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More
Notice, if you would, that every diet out there only... Read More
I had lost nearly fifty pounds before anyone mentioned my... Read More
I know a lot of people out there would like... Read More
One of the hardest aspects of getting yourself into shape,... Read More
According to the BMI chart, if you are overweight, you... Read More
Why Walking Could Be the Solution to Your Fitness Dilemma.Walk,... Read More
full-service cleaning Mundelein ..The goal of many athletes and exercisers is to "get... Read More
At around ?350 pounds a treatment, Lipo-Dissolve the so called... Read More
You may not like what I'm about to say, but... Read More
As a weight loss mentor it never ceases to amaze... Read More
This year, we all made some of the typical New... Read More
What are the best fad diets? It's a question I'm... Read More
The cost of gastric bypass surgery and other bariatric surgical... Read More
Obesity is a disease that is not caused by a... Read More
With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of... Read More
Your health is affected not only by how much body... Read More
When we gain more weight than is good for us,... Read More
Developed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, The South Beach Diet touts... Read More
Phentermine, like many other prescription drugs, works with chemicals called... Read More
Is Zone Diet a Fad?How do you recognize a fad... Read More
"Who are you to give me weight loss advice?" I... Read More
More than any other time in history, people are all... Read More
It seems there are two schools of behavior patients follow... Read More
You are ready to shed those energy draining, body crippling,... Read More
I am so proud of you and your accomplishments. You're... Read More
Would you run out of fingers, and maybe even toes,... Read More
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But now... Read More
Our bodies only require a small amount of salt for... Read More
A distorted body image is one of the symptoms that... Read More
It comes as a surprise to many consumers that the... Read More
Looking to avoid the dieting mistakes many of our weight... Read More
Weight Loss |