Why.......................................??

[lis351]

Firstly, it is quite warm in WA at the moment :-p, everyone who knows me, knows how much I love the warm weather.

Catching up with friends yesterday, some were complaining bitterly about the heat. One turned to me and, largely in jest, told me to "stop grinning like that", another commented that I "need more meat on my bones, then I would be normal."

Im fairly certain this question has been asked before, but Im going to ask it again.

Why is it acceptable for larger people to point out that I "need more meat on my bones"?? It is not OK for me to tell them they need to lose some, certainly without offending them. And why am I expected to be flattered by such comments??

[monstersinthedungeon]

Lis, hear you on the loving the heat, hating the cold, I'm exactly the same. It just can't get too hot for me and I suffer winter in abject misery.

Re the skinny comments, I truly believe they were not meant as a dig, or to offend.  Many overweight people are not happy with their bodies, and anyone who is skinny is (in their eyes) to be envied. I think a lot of the time, overweight people (generalising!) think they are giving the skinny person a compliment.

[nevynreally]

It's not just about hot/cold, overweight/skinny. Some are just not happy within themselves. Easy deflection.

[chuk_77]

Re the skinny comments, I truly believe they were not meant as a dig, or to offend.  Many overweight people are not happy with their bodies, and anyone who is skinny is (in their eyes) to be envied. I think a lot of the time, overweight people (generalising!) think they are giving the skinny person a compliment.

but the thing is, if something negative is said about an overweight person, it all breaks loose.

Why is it different? Not all skinny people like being skinny, I certainly didnt. (I was beyond thin)

A dig about weight is just that, it offends/hurts no matter the size.

[monstersinthedungeon]

but the thing is, if something negative is said about an overweight person, it all breaks loose.

Why is it different? Not all skinny people like being skinny, I certainly didnt. (I was beyond thin)

A dig about weight is just that, it offends/hurts no matter the size.

Dunno, maybe 'cos there's more overweight people than skinny people?  Maybe because fat people want to be skinny, but skinny people don't want to be fat? (I know really skinny people probably want to be a more "standard" size, but not fat).

I think it's terribly rude commenting on anything about people's physical appearance, whether it be fat, thin, short, tall, etc. 

[*crikey*mate*]

I think because society spurred on/conditioned by the media believes that skinny people are the ideal and thus socially acceptable whereas overweight people have something wrong with them.

So by acknowledging a slender person's physique - they are accenting to what society deems acceptable - but Political Correctness tells people not to point out things not considered ideal...

ie - sort of like we get taught not to point at someone in the shops when we are kids who might have a physical abnormality etc

or - it's ok to make an example of a kid who's smart or is good at sport etc (they win awards and scholarships etc - so are awarded for their "greatness") but it's not OK to point out the slowest runner or the dumbest kid iykwim

[cherry*135]

I was a thin (but healthy) child. I used to get sick of comments like that as well (especially from my short & rotund Aunties). Once I called one of them fattie (because she used call me skinny), that didn't go down to well.

I also used to eat a lot, so people use to comment on that as well - how I was still skinny after eating heaps.

This issue of commenting on thin people's size has be going on for a long time, long before media attitudes, super thin supermodels etc.

[joz*garage]

the question was, why is a thin persons body type a free for all as far as personal comments go, but not a larger person. Maybe I'm too polite.

mebbe you should try and tell 'em how you feel

still an odd thread

[*crikey*mate*]

[joz*garage]

why is it odd?

just because something is said in jest does not mean it doesn't upset the person it was said to.

your question is invalid seeings you musta misinterpreted the OP too

[gem-boy-g]

:^O at crikey's post. All personal remarks unless made by your mother or very very close friends are rude.