MovieChat Forums > Shallow Hal (2001) Discussion > Being overweight isn't easy in today's s...

Being overweight isn't easy in today's society-let's have compassion

posted 14 years ago by spunkygirl222001
11 replies | jump to latest

I watched this movie and thought it was very excellent. It made a lot of good points. I was an overweight girl who went to a high school where you had to be pretty and thin to be accepted. My life was hell because of my weight. I was a nice girl-quiet and sweet with an attractive face, but not too many people could overlook the weight. I graduated from school, and it took a few years of hard work, water and walking, but all the weight has come off and men actually turn their heads my way. That hurts a little because I am still the same person- I think that I was in fact a little nicer when I was overweight and just had my personality to turn people on.

Being overweight in society today has taught me to have more compassion to people who might be different. I am not overweight any longer, but I am glad that being overweight taught me to be accepting of everybody and to know that true beauty is on the inside. Sometimes people need experiences to teach them these things.

A lot of people who are blessed with good looks from the day they were born do tend to be conceited and vain and to go though life thinking that they can use their looks for anything.

And to all you people who say that overweight people are just whiners who need to go on a diet-karma might get you. One day, you might realize how hard it is to lose weight. It is the hardest thing in the world. Be nice to everybody-because if your not, then one day you might have to walk in their shoes and see how it feels.

I love people for who they are on the inside. This movie taught us a little bit about the concept of that. We all have physical imperfections-even the supermodels who society claims are beautiful. Let's accept these imperfections and make everybody's day a little brighter!

"Munchkin doesn't like being pushed!" HP

[–] virgiltx 14 years ago

I agree. People should be polite and respectful, but I would not expect them to accept that overweight is just another style of beauty.

I'm pulling for you to keep the weight off, if what you say is true.

As for completely accepting the overweight as companions, many people don't like the fact that many, if not most, overweight people have "fatitude", or don't even believe they're chubby, and they just pig out like there's no tomorrow, and expect and encourage others to join them in their eating habits.

Being invited to an overweight person's home for dinner can often mean having excessive amounts of fattening foods shamelessly pushed at you. And the chubby host/hostess thinks nothing of it, or sometimes thinks skinny people need to be fattened up, and need to learn how to eat.

So plus-size people should also respect thin people who don't want someone to try to "put some meat on their bones" for them.

[–] jmich416 12 years ago

How do you know how "most" big people are? As a big person myself, I can tell you that the world constantly reminds you of how fat you are. Even those with "fattitude" are generally not people in denial of their size - they are people who have learned to learn themselves despite society and others around them telling them they shouldn't. I have seen fat and thin families alike with lots of food, that's more about culture and less about size. You really need to stop stereotyping and get out more.

I applaud the OP for the hard work she did. Some of you are missing her point - from the point of view of someone who had to make it her job to lose weight, and more than likely has to work hard to keep it off (which is COMPLETELY different from a naturally thin person), she is saying that you shouldn't judge those of us who are fat. If you have never grown up fat or never spent a signifityne amount of time fat, you have no idea how hard it is to change it. If you've never been through it, you cannot expect someone to do something you have never had to do. Especially with something so mentally, emotionally, AND physiologically connected as obesity, those who give fat people crap and just say they should "lose weight" is talking out of their a**.

[–] Captain_Fantabulous 14 years ago

Not to be rude . . . but you said that "And to all you people who say that overweight people are just whiners who need to go on a diet"

Isn't that what you did? (go on a diet I mean)

[–] Chrysann 13 years ago

This was beautiful to read.. i totally agree. its very unfair and wrong. I loved this movie because of the underlying message. People are deeper than just size and looks.
I want everyone to read this :)

------------------------------------
If it shines, that means it's shiny.
:D

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] sxymommacitaprincess_227 10 years ago

I dont see anything wrong with being curvy. Now as for extremely overweight people that's another story. There is nothin wrong with not being a size 0. I hate seeing all these skinny boney size 0 girls who think they are the hottest thing on the planet and that all men want them. I DON'T THINK SO! Most men dont like dating a bag of bones. Now im not saying all skinny women are mean but iv seen it before. Being thin isn't the sexiest thing on earth. Most men love bbw. People out there are so quick to judge big girls! Nobody has the right to call bigger people fat,fatty,chunky,chubby,piggy,
Fat ass,lardo,robust etc.

[–] GirlwonderReturns 9 years ago

So it's wrong to call fat people names but perfectly OK for you to call thin women "bags of bones" and unsexy? How's that double standard working for you?

I don't care if someone is big or small, but I do have a problem with people who complain about being treated poorly or stereotyped yet then turn around and insult or stereotype others.

The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.

[–] karen_cantu 9 years ago

No to defend sxymommacitaprincess_227 but the point is that society idolises thin people all over the place, thin people in movies, in tv shows, in the fashion industry. It's an impossible model everyone is trying to fit into, and anyone who is less than that is unworthy and "fat". It's all over the media, it's all over the place. The main message should always be to be healthy and be happy with who and the size you are. So, if you're a little overweight, or a lot, or just don't look like those Victoria Secret models, you really can't help but feel there's something wrong with you. (growing up with this standards). So... yeah, I'm not justifying insulting thin people, but if it was more even, it would be a little easier to sympathise instead of being bitter about not fitting into those standards, which society is anyways trying to shame you, for not doing so.

[–] Doubting_Mustafa 9 years ago

Nobody has the right to call bigger people fat,fatty,chunky,chubby,piggy,
Fat ass,lardo,robust etc.

And yet, you just called me an unsexy bag of bones because I'm a size 0. Good for you!

And to the OP, I think society has come a long way in how we treat overweight people...so much that there isn't much left to do for them but put them on a higher pedestal than average and thin people simply to avoid offending them. My mom said when she was a child she went to a couple of those "traveling freak shows" and they would have fat people in them. Do you see that nowadays?
I've never been overweight so maybe I don't understand, but I feel like since a great majority of the USA is overweight, people don't seem to bat an eye anymore.

[–] jedite1000 9 years ago

Glad you still like your overweight you, I would give anything to get rid of my weight but I do t have the motivation to lose weight

[–] robken0174 9 years ago

@spunkygirl, that's a two-way street. I was really thin growing up, and I heard countless insults and mockery from people (many were fat people, ironically). It was nearly impossible to gain weight when I was younger. I'm a pretty good looking guy, but without the muscles in high school, most girls wouldn't give me a date. Girls like you fail to understand that being a guy isn't easy when you're not built well or rich, especially in those school years.

So just to reiterate, being thin in our society today is definitely not a picnic either. In fact, I witness people defending a fat person being fat-shamed, but have never heard someone defend a thin person when they're being called stick or bones.

These pc-obsessed times are getting old.