Fat and happy: In Defense of Fat Acceptance - Essay Example

Hillel Schwartz in her article 'Fat and happy" shares the same notions above as Mary Ray Worley. She also asserts that it's a society that makes fat people unhappy and discriminates against fat people like other minority groups. The two articles have successfully brought out the discrimination and the wrong perceptions of society about fat people. It enlightens the reader on the fact that being fat is no crime and accepting one's body weight is the best solution to the problem of being fat rather than going on numerous diets.

Schwarz asserts that "What causes the most damage is not the actual weight itself, but the fear of weight. People who drive their weight down and up through a series of diets are those most likely to become fatter and unhappier than before, for they upset the natural equilibrium of their bodies." Both articles also bring to the notice of the reader the role health personnel play in compounding the problem of fat people instead of being sympathetic and helping them seek the right solution to the problem.

And this may have been a contributing factor to fat people not seeking professional medical attention and the death of many fat people. According to Schwartz, "A fat society would be less harshly competitive, less devouring. People could be assertive without seeming aggressive or threatening. There would be no cannibalism, no fear of swallowing or being swallowed up. Accepting one's bulk, one need not consume others or gnaw at one's self. Dieting is cannibalism. Dieters eat off their bodies.

" I agree with this statement to the extent that people should be allowed to be themselves and accepted as they are. But there have also been medical situations where the weight of a person is so threatening that there must be a reduction in weight so the health of the person could be assured. I think dieting should not be viewed as "cannibalism". As much as it does not help in weight reduction and sustenance, as evidence has proved over time, it has its uses. After all, the body needs food to live but that does not mean one cannot decide to forgo a meal for health or religious reasons.