Sizism is the new Racism

We have come a long way since the Civil Rights and Feminist Movements... most people are shocked by use of the "N" word, the GLBTQ community is making great strides in the fight for marriage, and women are breaking through the glass ceiling. We have our first African American president and Justice Sotomayor recently received Senate approval.

But racism and sexism aren't the only "isms" that we need to have conversations about.

Sizism is the discrimination against someone based on their weight - and the subject of this rant. (Click the link for an interesting article on this subject from USA TODAY.)

So I went to an Ear, Nose & Throat doctor - I'll call him Dr. X - to get my deviated septum checked out. I had previously visited my general practitioner who informed me that I had broken my nose and he recommended I get it checked out because I had been having certain symptoms.

Well, Dr. X came into the room, after making me wait for 30 min, and immediately said "Well your weight is a risk factor... you are very overweight. The fat isn't good for you." Now at this point I probably should have left but I had already waited so I stayed.

He proceeded to discuss my "weight" for the next 15 minutes (I know shocking that a doctor spent that long with a patient!)... forget the fact that I have broken my nose several times, forget the fact that he said I have a deviated septum and forget the fact that post-nasal drip has NEVER been caused by being fat.

The Dr. told me to consider starting to exercise and watching what I eat. He also told a horrible story about how he makes his daughters weigh in every morning.

Side Note: I work out 3-5 times a week with very hardcore cardio, eat healthier than most people, drink more than the normal 8 cups of water a day, and was the only person I know of that actually lost weight their 1L year. Now, with that being said.... in the brilliant words of Bridget Jones, "I will always be just a little bit fat." I'm curvaceous and have PCOS. I am not delusional about the way that I look, but I also know that I am a very healthy person and in great shape.

For the remainder of the appointment he was patronizing, offensive and pompous. Needless to say, I will not be going back.

Besides wanted to vent about this outrageous experience, it also inspired me to try and force this much needed conversation about sizism. When some people look at an overweight person they have a litany of negative thoughts: "How could she let herself go like that?" "I'll never be that big!" "He should just get on a treadmill and put down the donut!" It is absolutely unfair to link weight issues with laziness and being a slob. Just as people don't wake up each morning and choose to be homosexual... they don't wake up and choose to be fat.

I propose we abolish the "F" word from our everyday language like we have the "N" word, that we don't allow ourselves to make snap judgements based on someone's appearance, and that we don't associate being overweight to being lazy.