UGH.
JUST UGH.
I came across this news story today. In case fat people aren't facing enough stigma and shame, a federal health advisory is now advising that fat people receive intensive counseling. From the story I saw at The Frisky:
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force encouraged doctors to identify and aid obese patients by providing counseling, or referring them to a weight loss-oriented program. Specially targeted: patients with a body mass index of 30 or more — which is currently one in three Americans.
Under the current health care law, medicare and most other insurers would be required to cover the cost of any recommended weight loss services.
Under current guidelines, many health insurance companies aren’t required — and don’t cover — weight loss counseling.My blood is just boiling. I really don't think I have any words for this. I'm just so emotionally exhausted by feeling like I am constantly on the defense for existing in the body I have. And I'm so tired of hearing that thinnness is "success." And I'm so sick of the unnecessary fear mongering and pearl clutching about "ZOMG the obesity crisis!" I'm so tired of only certain body sizes being accepted as "healthy" and weight being used as the only indicator of overall health.
I just want to scream it, "STOP TRYING TO 'FIX' MY BODY!"
It's taken so much work, and it is very much still in progress, but I love my body. I appreciate it. I am thankful for it. It is imperfect, but it is the only one I have and it enables me to do what I love, from walks with Ronald to Turbo Kick classes to writing this blog. How dare someone, wielding an extremely arbitrary standard (BMI), tell me that I'm wrong. That I'm not good enough. That I need help.
It's old, people.
Never mind the fact that the government is setting up a suggestion that they cannot even help us carry through since these counseling programs aren't covered by insurance companies. So even if someone DID think this was an appropriate thing for them to do personally (which is totally within their rights!) they would have to be able to afford it out of pocket.
It makes my head explode almost as much as when I learned about Japan's so called fat tax.
I definitely empathize with the "emotional exhaustion" of living under the constant social stigma. This year it feels worse than ever. I literally can not escape negative messages about my weight and the implicit (sometimes explicit) messages about what a failure I am for existing in this body.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I recieve any direct criticism about my weight (at least not recently), but I do feel affected by media messages, even when they're directed at other people. For example, there have been a lot of negative and down right cruel headlines about Jessica Simpson gaining baby weight. I gave birth 5 months ago and am now trying to lose the weight I gained during my pregnancy. So when I see headlines about Jessica being sooooooooo huge after her birth and all her *desperate* struggles with her baby weight, I feel attacked too. I just want to yell, "STFU, Us Weekly!"
ReplyDeleteI love feeling "specially targeted" by the government. Wait -- no I don't.
ReplyDeleteAnd the part about my doctor "aid"ing me? Best accomplished by asking about my entire lifestyle instead of assuming by default that I should or want to lose weight. (Which, I mean my actual doctor already does -- but she's going to be out of line with the task force recommendations.)