||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES |||
I have been reading a bit about Kate Manne, an Australian-born, Cornell philosophy professor, who, among her published books, writes about ‘fat phobia.’ and the prejudice against people who are ‘overweight,’ especially women.
Instead of my trying to repeat what she says, you can read here:
https://as.cornell.edu/news/
It’s nothing new, really, but she has the scholarly cred to examine the subject and get published. In addition, she uses her own life to explain about the negative results of the prejudice, and how she has been on diets with limited, or short term results of dealing successfully with weight issues. And the disruption that has brought to herself, her family (especially her young daughter) and the world of people whose weight seems to offend the world at large far beyond health concerns, etc.
Her work got me thinking about how, during my lifetime and yours, the obsession with weight has the culture in a death grip, along with all the other prejudices against women in general.
With all the new weight control drugs that seem to be somewhat effective, at least short term, we (the culture) are going to have to find something else to blame women for. Might be dementia, which does seem to affect more women and at an earlier age than males, and which surely must be our own fault. (Probably for ‘choosing’ to be born with the wrong hormones, and losing them at an earlier age.) I haven’t heard that obesity is correlated with dementia in either gender.
Of course, I’m well aware that the damage caused by misogyny alone can pale when considering prejudice against other groups of people. To wit: immigrants, people of color, people living in poverty, with illness, gender dysphoria, physical handicaps, mental illness, cognitive challenges, short or tall statue, any physical disfigurement at birth or acquired later, even baldness, poor speech, poor hygiene, acne etc. Not to mention advanced age and any of the things that might come with age such as dementia, poor eyesight, palsy… Even those issues may bring more prejudice against women than against men.
One thing that sometimes may protect women in a still male dominated culture is beauty. But even that may backfire when women, even young girls can be blamed for causing assault against themselves because of their dress, or even just their good looks. (When I was young, women in curlers were blamed for appearing in public as though they were willfully offending others, especially anyone male. Although, those curlers may have been used to please men later.) Why bring this up now that curlers in the grocery store seem to finally be out of style? Maybe just to illustrate the silliness of most of our prejudices.
I’m not talking about being offended by evil things that people DO. I’m talking about things that people ARE, mostly beyond their control. And it’s time to include weight along with gender, ethnicity, place of birth, accidents, genetic factors and bad luck. (I had a friend who claimed he made his own luck and I was impressed with that idea. Maybe he did. However, he died young suddenly and not by choice.)
More seriously, our current President said he could not have raped E. Jean Carroll because ‘she wasn’t his type.’ As though rape might be construed as a compliment rather than assault. The President also told Carroll’s lawyer to her face in public that she ‘wasn’t his type either,’ as though she was not worth raping either.
But back to the offense of fat: In my family, there was plenty of obesity, including my mother, my two sisters and eventually, my brother. Only my father and I escaped that poor self choice, apparently by eating anything we wanted.
From an early age, I was aware that I somehow got ‘credit’ for something that likely wasn’t under my control. From observation, I probably eat more than most people, and while I’m reasonably active, I’m certainly not a regular exerciser or any sort of athlete. However, apparently, I was responsible for my own myopia, and the unattractive glasses that my bad choice required. And poor eyesight and glasses (not yet the fashion statement they are today) were something to be made fun of if you are old enough to remember Mr. MaGoo, whom you can see here:
Sooooo…, the next time you see a woman (or anyone) you think weighs too much for your comfort, you might consider it’s not her ‘fault,’ although she could, indeed, take credit for her insight, kindness, generosity, and her excellent, plus-sized brain.
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