Comments on: New Australian weight-loss show “Excess Baggage” tries to outdo “Biggest Loser” http://www.about-face.org/new-australian-weight-loss-show-excess-baggage-tries-to-outdo-biggest-loser/ Wed, 05 Jun 2013 08:05:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Joy http://www.about-face.org/new-australian-weight-loss-show-excess-baggage-tries-to-outdo-biggest-loser/#comment-8755 Joy Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:53:22 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9988#comment-8755 Firstly, I agree that weight is not a measure of health and certainly I'm an avid supporter of the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement. My statement, "Health isn't tied up in numbers" addresses this sentiment exactly. In this article, my main argument is that when the media profits on the dramatization of weight loss under the sneaky guise of "health promotion", there is no advancement toward HAES. I'm not arguing for a particular body size, shape, or weight, but bringing attention to the fact that Excess Baggage uses the same tactics as The Biggest Loser (shaming, public embarrassment, and sensationalism) which keeps a hyper-focus on weight loss rather than the adoption of healthy lifestyle practices, regardless of size. Firstly, I agree that weight is not a measure of health and certainly I’m an avid supporter of the Health at Every Size (HAES) movement. My statement, “Health isn’t tied up in numbers” addresses this sentiment exactly. In this article, my main argument is that when the media profits on the dramatization of weight loss under the sneaky guise of “health promotion”, there is no advancement toward HAES. I’m not arguing for a particular body size, shape, or weight, but bringing attention to the fact that Excess Baggage uses the same tactics as The Biggest Loser (shaming, public embarrassment, and sensationalism) which keeps a hyper-focus on weight loss rather than the adoption of healthy lifestyle practices, regardless of size.

]]> By: Jackie http://www.about-face.org/new-australian-weight-loss-show-excess-baggage-tries-to-outdo-biggest-loser/#comment-8633 Jackie Tue, 14 Feb 2012 06:56:22 +0000 http://www.about-face.org/?p=9988#comment-8633 Obesity isn't a real health issue. Pwople not being as healthy as they should be is a health issue, regardless of size. I'm surprised Joy, I would think working on this site would help you to realize that obesity is just a way of pigeonholing people who don't meet society's standards for looks. Weight is a poor barometer of health. Instead of giving validation to those who seek to feel justified in otracizing fat people, or stereotyping them as unhealthy, you should be saying poor health is an issue for everyone. Being thin doesn't make you invincible, and being fat doesn't mean you'll be diseased. It's this kind of black & white thinking that leads to shows like these. I suggest you read this Joy: http://www.bigfatfacts.com It's such a shame that a site aiming to abolish lookism, would follow the pop culture notion that being fat is wrong. Obesity isn’t a real health issue. Pwople not being as healthy as they should be is a health issue, regardless of size. I’m surprised Joy, I would think working on this site would help you to realize that obesity is just a way of pigeonholing people who don’t meet society’s standards for looks. Weight is a poor barometer of health. Instead of giving validation to those who seek to feel justified in otracizing fat people, or stereotyping them as unhealthy, you should be saying poor health is an issue for everyone. Being thin doesn’t make you invincible, and being fat doesn’t mean you’ll be diseased. It’s this kind of black & white thinking that leads to shows like these.

I suggest you read this Joy:

http://www.bigfatfacts.com

It’s such a shame that a site aiming to abolish lookism, would follow the pop culture notion that being fat is wrong.

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