Thick Not Fat
In the essay “Discrimination at Large” written by Jennifer A. Coleman, she speaks of her struggle with weight and how no matter what she does she is still antagonized. In the essay “O.K. So I’m Fat” written by Neil Steinberg, he accepts that he is overweight and lives life happily. Although the essay “Diabesity” opposes obesity, both authors do a fantastic job in giving the larger person’s point of view by the way they appeal to the reader’s emotions, the way Coleman touches on morality, and the way Coleman and Steinberg make themselves relatable to people being discriminated against.
Both Steinberg and Coleman do a fine job of giving the heavy person’s perspective by using pathos to stir up the audience’s emotions. Jennifer Coleman says that, “fat people are lampooned without remorse or apology on television, by newspaper columnists, in cartoons, you name it… All fat people are “outed” by their appearance(198).” This creates a sense of sorrow for obese people because they are constantly insulted by the media; moreover, in public the insults get even worse. Out in public, heavy people are told to “move your fat ass(198),” “they are told over and over [they] are lazy and disgusting(198),” “and to lose weight you fat slob(199).” Growing up as a thicker kid myself, these words are harsh and depressing; they are the type of words that will cause some to starve themselves and take radical measures such as, liposuction, to stop the insults from coming. Neil Steinberg uses a sense of humor to express his views, “Some people are no doubt fat because of glandular disorders or the wrath of an angry God. I am fat because I eat a lot (202).” This is funny because he is not in denial of his weight; rarely does a fat person just accept he or she has a problem. As Steinberg writes, “the fat are good at denial (202).” He uses his humor to trash thin people, “forget the social stigma of being fat.
The Essay on Fat People
Some of the world's top scientists have got together to try to reduce the growing number of people who are dangerously fat. In Britain one in five women and one in seven men are obese - and those figures are growing fast. But we are still behind the States where over half the population are grossly overweight. Scientists from the University of Aberdeen, Rowett Research Institute and Grampian ...
Ignore the medical peril, the sheer discomfort of dragging all that excess weight around. There is still a final ignominy almost too dire to mention: thin people (202).” From my own personal experience, I feel as if thin people believe they have a sense of superiority over those who are obese, as if being fat is a crime against nature, so the thinner people feel better about themselves. Steinberg describes a scene with a dinner-party hostess preparing some “intensely fattening dessert” for her guests, “Bananas Foster… This is great. Aren’t you having any(202)?” Steinberg continues his story “Oh, no, she said, too sweet, too fattening (202).” This is funny because the hostess was a “wisp of a woman with legs like beef jerky(202)” and its ironic because she does not have to worry about her weight compared to Steinberg, a self-described “big guy(202)”… “halfway finished and already thinking about seconds(202).” The hostess reminds me of myself because my friend would offer me ice cream all the time and I would say the same thing the hostess says, “too sweet, bad for you.” I am also very sure my friend feels the same way Steinberg feels, “I wanted to take my Bananas Foster and grind her face in it(202).” Thin people have this insulting mentality where they look out for themselves, but as they watch their weight they insult the weight of the person offering them the dessert, just not stating it directly.
Not only did the authors do a good job of giving the fat person’s perspective through the use of pathos, but they also use ethos to make their points. Coleman learned the hard way that, “it was impossible to be both fit and fat(199).” No matter how much she worked out, rode her bike, or went jogging it was “not uncommon for them to shout, ‘Lose some weight you pig(203).” This is wrong on so many levels; first off it is insulting and hurtful; secondly, Coleman is actually trying to lose weight, yet strangers are still commenting on her weight; finally it is morally incorrect to comment on a woman’s weight no matter how fat she is. Some things are just inevitable, such as eating in a public place and witnessing a larger woman enjoying her dessert. It’s difficult to restrain from thinking things like “No dessert for me; I don’t want to look like her (203).” A mean insult I overheard one day while I was in Jack in the Box; I saw a rather larger man walking to his seat with about 10 tacos, 5 chicken sandwiches, 5 cheeseburgers, and a large fry and a group of rude young teenagers snorted out, “No wonder they shut Jack in the Box down all the time.” This comes to show how just some jokes are inevitable.
The Term Paper on Eating Disorders People Weight Women
Hypothesis The media are inducing eating disorders by exhibiting pictures of 'stick like models. Personal Reasons for Research My own personal reason for choosing to research and find out about eating disorder is my ex-girlfriend suffered from bulimia, and I witnessed first hand how badly it affects the sufferer, and their loved ones. I would like to use this opportunity to find out how to help ...
According to “Diabesity,” written by Jane Brody, these kinds of insults are not necessarily out of place. She writes “In just over a decade,… the prevalence of diabetes nearly doubled in the American adult population: to 8.7 percent in 2002, from 4.9 percent in 1990(205).” This means the obese population has risen over the past 12 years, so people are eating too much of the wrong things and not getting enough exercise. It has gotten to the point where “teenagers now come into the clinic weighing 200, 300, even nearly 400 pounds with blood sugar levels that are off the charts(205).” Americans are obviously getting fatter and now it has affected the youth. It is not completely the fat people’s fault than “an economic structure that makes it cheaper to eat fries than fruit(205)” is bound to make the American youth fat.
Coleman does a great job of using ethos to get her message across to the reader, but at the same time both authors make themselves relatable to fat people in the writer’s situation. I feel I can connect with what Jennifer Coleman is saying, “kids catch on early to be sensitive to the feelings of gay, black, disabled, elderly, and speech-impaired people. At the same time they learn that fat people are fair game(200).” I have dealt with insults the same way she has instead of being called a “whale,… cow,… slug(199),” I was called “fat fart, quadruple nurple, fatty, tities, and buddha.” Eventually I did the same thing Coleman did; I changed my diet, I went to the gym, and still I got called names. Steinberg is right when he says, “Envystoked anger is natural when dessert suddenly turns into a little lesson about restraint, a lesson I have endured for years but somehow never absorbed or profited by(203).” Since when was dessert all about who can restrain the most or the longest? Dessert is a treat at the end of the night after dinner that everyone should enjoy, not just fat people.
The Essay on Sports People Do Not Make Good Role Models
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY SPORTS PEOPLE DO NOT MAKE GOOD ROLE MODELS There is much evidence to support the argument that steroid use is widespread in the Olympics. Rugby League Footballers abuse alcohol, there is widespread corruption in cricket, racism in football, Rugby League and AFL and violence and fights among the players. Sports people generally make very bad role models. Athletes who use ...
In the essay’s “Discrimination at Large” by Jennifer Coleman and “O.K. so I’m Fat” by Neil Steinberg, both the authors tell their perspectives on their fat lives. There are many fat Americans and they are constantly insulted about their weight; it is depressing to them and wrong morally. Even though there is an epidemic on the rise, people should still be able to eat and look the way they want even if it is bad for them. On the other hand, fat people are the reason why I work out so hard, because I really do not want to look like that ever again.
