big is beautiful vs wls - to me, a false dichotomy

[Guest guest]

The saddest thing I run into are people who somehow think expanding the idea

of what is beautiful and also embracing wls can't be done at the same time.

Many wls patients remain, at least by some definitions " fat, obese, or

overweight " after we've quit losing weight. Even those who get to an ideal

weight may not look like cover girls. I wish all of us could learn to accept

ourselves, and to think of ourselves as beautiful, or handsome, or at least

attractive and worthwhile regardless of our size.

That said, regardless of weather or not I'm beautiful, I need to watch my

weight. If I don't watch my weight, statistically, I'm more likely to get

diabetes, have joint problems, become disabled, have a heart attack. I chose

wls because I loved myself (or at least most of myself) and wanted to live.

I see myself as good but flawed, and wls is part of what I needed to manage

the flaws.

I guess I compare the " big is beautiful " idea to the pro-smoking crowd. Some

people who oppose smoking seem to me (as a nonsmoker) mean and judgmental.

In response to that, smokers sometimes become defiant. I wish antismoking

people were somehow perfect, and could express the idea that they oppose

smoking because they don't want for smokers to become sick. It doesn't

always come off that way.

I hope that when I talk about my journey in the presence of overweight

people, I never sound like I think that overweight people should not be

accepted and treated with respect regardless of their size.

The ironic thing is that people who say mean things to and about fat people

make us more withdrawn, more sedentary, more likely to be inactive, and thus

weigh more. When I see that we're moving toward fat acceptance in this

culture, I think in general, it's good, because I hope that more plump kids

and teen-agers will keep walking and moving and doing things because they

won't be embarrassed. (Can you tell that I'm the godmother of two overweight

kids?)

Thinner thighs for everyone...

in St. Louis