Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Because I'm Fat

This article made me mad.

I know, I know. It's all my fault I got preeclampsia when I was pregnant. Because I'm fat. It's all my fault the doctor couldn't properly gauge my baby's size. Because I'm fat. Basically, it's probably all my fault that Ethan has the problems he has. Because I'm fat.

If you believe this article, I shouldn't have been able to get pregnant in the first place. Because I'm fat. And fat women have infertility issues.

Well, I guess my two surprise pregancies were just luck.

I should have had all kinds of complications after my c-section. And I shouldn't have been able to have a decent spinal. Because I'm fat. And fat women have lots of problems at birth.

Except, the nurses were all shocked with how quickly I was back on my feet, both times. And I had a spinal that was quickly administered and long-lasting. Guess those were just flukes too.

This section in particular really irked me:

“I’m not going to say there have not been people who left my office in tears, no question,” says Riley, who carefully broaches obesity as a medical problem.

“They need to be retrained for their own health, but you know what? They’re going to be raising kids. You don’t want them to teach their kids those same bad eating habits,” she adds.

What the hell does that mean? I can't even put into words how that pissed me off. Call me sexist, but it surprised me that this was a female doctor.

Basically, she's saying every fat woman is fat because they have bad eating habits, and therefore, their child is doomed to a lifetime of bad eating habits too.

Why don't you just slap women everywhere across the face and tell them they're going to be horrible mothers before their children are even born?

Where are the articles discouraging smokers from getting pregnant, 'cause they'll teach their kids that bad habit?

Or that women who drink alcohol might teach their kids the bad habit of drinking?

Or that women who gamble, lie, cheat, swear, pick their nose, have acne, or bad hair might just want to think twice before reproducing? Don't want to pass on those flaws to future generations.

And? What about fat fathers? Can't they pass on bad eating habits to the children?

But that doesn't matter, I suppose. As long as the mother is skinny, life for the kid will be just peachy keen.

Basically, I've decided the heart of this article is this:

We should discourage fat people from reproducing in the first place, cause obviously, all they'll do is make more fat people.

AND NOBODY WANTS THAT.

But maybe I'm just being sensitive.

Because I'm fat.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

My friend had problems getting pregnant. She had read about how being overweight could add to her problems so she went on a diet to lose some weight.

We are in Ireland so she had nearly 6 months wait before she saw a fertility specialist. As soon as she walked into the room the doctor said to the nurse 'Weigh her' and then proceeded to give her a lecture. He told her that she needed to lose at least 20 pounds in the next three months or she would be refused treatment. She left in tears!

Luckily she was able to lose even more than that and when she saw the doctor again he told her he hadn't expected her to be successful. He then added her to the waiting list.

Luckily though she became pregnant in the meantime and the baby is due in six weeks!

But I have to say I understand your anger.

Anonymous said...

This entry is great and sums up my thoughts exactly. My own complications had almost nothing to do with being overweight and my spinal was done in record time. This whole thing about fat women having fertility issues cracked me up to since I was 190 when I got pregnant by surprise and by a boyfriend who had a sperm count of 3. (tested for reasons having nothing to do with trying to get pregnant) and the whole bad habits thing, pulease..my son is 4'6 and weighs about 72 pounds, the last thing he is is remotely overweight. Next people will be saying that if a fat girl has a skinny kid it's cause she's eating his food. Grrr.
Oh btw, it's me reading your entire list of archives, it's riveting stuff.

Anonymous said...

If you're fat, why is it an issue that people just don't want to play YOUR game?

Fat patients hurt nurses, increase health care costs, and, thankfully, die earlier.