Comments like these question my right to bodily autonomy, and even my right to exist.<\/p>\n
I find it stunning that in a country — the US, where many of my commenters live — that is supposed to be so staggeringly individualistic and freedom-oriented, and which, by the way, does not have universal health care yet<\/em>, commenters will so readily lean on the notion of costs to the state as an excuse to strip away someone’s bodily autonomy. <\/p>\n Trust me, this is not<\/a> a road<\/a> that has<\/a> led anywhere good in the past.<\/p>\n Commenters also question my right to privacy, by asking me openly about confidential medical information — which might seem reasonable at first, but consider whether someone else in a similar position, but who is thin and promoting the popular view would be asked the same questions. <\/p>\n Probably not, even though the questions would be just as relevant. Maybe we should start asking Dr. Oz about his blood glucose and cholesterol numbers. It’s only fair, right?<\/p>\n No. Not only is it rude and presumptuous, it’s incredibly ableist<\/a> – a term you’re probably not familiar with if you haven’t heard about this Health at Every Size<\/a> thing (and maybe even if you have.)<\/p>\n In short: shaming people based on physical impairments or medical conditions is wrong. Treating someone as less of a person, or presuming that they are stupid, illogical, or not worthy of listening to because they have physical impairments or medical conditions is wrong. <\/p>\n I have worked with health care professionals who had diabetes. Did it make them less capable? No. <\/p>\n Was it any of my business? No. <\/p>\n Was it the business of their patients, most of whom were being treated for diabetes<\/em>? <\/p>\n No. Not even then.<\/p>\n Refusing to engage with the logic of someone’s argument because it might be easier to attack them for the way they look, or for the way their body functions, is not only wrong but transparently foolish. <\/p>\n Engage with the argument, not with the arguer’s body.<\/p>\n I used to be willing to talk about my metabolic health indicators as a way of stereotype-breaking, but I’m not going to do that here. It is a way of throwing “unhealthy” people under the bus. It implies that it’s okay to be fat only<\/em> if you meet X criteria.<\/p>\n You know what? No. <\/p>\n It is okay to be fat, because fat people already exist. <\/p>\n Fat people have existed for a very, very long time<\/a>. <\/p>\n Even if all of us tried, not all of us would become permanently thin<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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