Famous Fat Suit Experiment March 3, 2010

I was watching television the other day and they were talking about the experiment that Vanessa Minillo did where she got into a fat suit for the day and went around town asking for directions and taping people’s reactions to her. For example, she went into a few stores and the clerks didn’t even act like they saw her there let alone ask if she needed any help. Then to top it off, after she left the store, the clerks were taped making fun of her and openly talking about her weight and blowing up their cheeks and opening their arms to poke fun at her size. The fat suit I believe made her something like 350 lbs or so. They taped people’s reactions to her crossing the street and how people just blew right by her and even shoved her out of the way with their shoulders at a few points. She tried to stop a few people to ask for directions but they blew her off even then.

w all that, she took the suit off and went back to her 120 lbs frame and did all the same things over again to see the difference in how she was treated. It was amazing!! People stopped, looked her in the eyes and gave her full directions. The sales clerks were helpful and immediately approached her as she walked into the store. Gentlemen were holding the door for her and so on. Vanessa gave her reflections on the experiment and actually cried because she said she never understood how difficult it was to live in a world who has such prejudice against obese folks.

I watched this a few days ago but it’s been sticking in my mind. I don’t know why it’s sticking with me but my heart just breaks. Breaks for folks that have to be treated this way, breaks for the way our society is and how lacking in compassion we are and also for the fate of the folks who treated her this way; the way these folks probably treat overweight folks every single day and it breaks for all of those people. Even at my heaviest I was not quite that heavy but I was heavy enough to experience some of this although not on that scale. What a sad, sad thing.

My hope is that the experience for Vanessa will help her to see the difficulties these folks face and perhaps to remember it the next time she is asked for directions by an overweight person. I hope she cares enough to stop and give this person her attention as a human being. I think folks who have always been thin can be nonchalant about it because they don’t know what it’s like so hopefully this helps give her perspective. Also, since she’s famous, hopefully the exposure of this little experiment opens the eyes of some people who might be acting in this way. Have you seen this on television? What did you think of it?

Mandy

Obesity DNA Related? February 25, 2010

I read an interesting article today that more evidence has been found that obesity is DNA related. There are folks, about 1 in 5, that are missing roughly 30 genes that help to regulate weight. What this report indicated is that these folks can not lose weight even with diet and exercise due to this fact. Work is being done to see if there is a protein or enzyme that can be developed to help put these missing genes back and even things out so these folks can lose the weight.

This was a very interesting article because the debate over whether obesity is related to DNA or that some people are predisposed has been a hotly debated topic. Personally, I fully believe that it is, in some cases, related to genetics rather than lifestyle. I’ll be interested to see what comes of this and how further research develops. 1 in 5 initially doesn’t sound like all that much but in the general scheme of things when so many are overweight or obese, that number is staggering. I’m particularly interested in how weight loss surgery affects this. Does it change things hormonally that benefit patients and help them to lose weight? For example, the duodenal switch, Roux-en-Y, and vertical sleeve change your metabolism because of the portion of the stomach missing as well as other physiological changes. Interesting topic.

I’ll pass along anything further I find on this topic.

Mandy

Perceptions of Obese Folks Eating Popcorn at the Movies January 27, 2010

Last Saturday my husband went up north snowmobiling so I decided to spend the day by myself rather than calling a friend. I love to have “me” days when I am completely alone and can do whatever I please without worrying if it pleases my company. So I decided to go to the movies and (a) watch Extraordinary Measures as well as Legion and (b) try movie theatre popcorn for the first time since my surgery 8 weeks ago.

I am able to eat popcorn at home but have been nervous about trying it at the movies since they use a different kind of butter. I have read that some folks are able to tolerate it and some are not so I did not want the first time to be while I was with someone else and have them watch me spend the afternoon in the can.

The end result was okay I guess. It tasted as good as I remembered it but I think I ate a bit too much of it. I did get small but ate it all. I felt find at first but then toward the middle of the 2nd movie I started to get pretty uncomfortable gas pains. I never ended up spending any time in the can and did not get stinky farts but did get some rumbling in the jungle but nothing I couldn’t handle. End result? I’d eat it again ….. this time with a friend in tow.

The reason for my post today though was something I saw while at the movies. I sat in the 2nd row up (I like to be able to put my feet on the railings) and the row below me is the bottom row; the main isle where you don’t have to climb stairs. I was sitting there waiting for the movie to start and in walks this heavy set man. I would guess him to weight in the 400’s at least. He was waddling from side to side and breathing heavy (this is a small theatre). In his hands he held an extra large popcorn bucket (which he refilled 2x in the course of the movie) and a 44 oz drink. I instantly passed judgment and then shamed myself for doing so. I found myself thinking things like “why would you eat that much popcorn if you’re that overweight?” and “why wouldn’t you think about WLS when you’re clearly that uncomfortable?” I was passing judgment on someone based on what I saw and felt terrible for it. I felt like such a hypocrite!

He had a hard time getting into the chair and lowered himself very, very slowly almost like he wasn’t sure if he’d fit and didn’t want to break it or get stuck. The chair did scream in protest as I heard the joints creaking and buckling under the pressure but he did get in. When he was seated I saw him looking around out of the corner of his eye trying to see who saw him ease into his chair and he also began tugging at the front of his shirt in an attempt to keep it from sticking to his every curve. I recognize this behavior because I WAS this person once upon a time. I find myself noticing and feeling sorry for overweight folks because in my mind I am saying “there’s help out there” and “you do not have to live like this” but then I realize I am being arrogant. How do I know he isn’t already checking into weight loss surgery? How do I know he hasn’t tried and been denied insurance coverage and is locked into a battle with them? Plus, how can I pass judgment on how much popcorn he’s eating or soda he is drinking when I have been there and I know the more you eat the more you CAN eat and that whole cycle? I felt so crappy by my presumptions I almost walked up to the man and hugged him!

My point of this is to say that I hate the way society (myself included) presumes to know what goes on in the mind of an overweight person and how they live their lives. People assume that it’s easy to order a small popcorn rather than a large knowing it’s the best choice when in reality if you’ve never been there, you really don’t understand how hard that is. It got me wondering if I would have viewed him differently if he were thin eating all that popcorn and the answer is probably so. I am thankful though that I’m aware of my tendency to do this and actively work to correct my thinking. I was this way even when I was at my heaviest so it’s not a “because your thinner” mentality. I used to think it about my own mother as a child. I remember being in the 5th grade being embarrassed when she’d have to come to the school for something. That shame and guilt has haunted me to this day and probably always will. She’s never known (or let on anyway) and I’d never tell her!

I too challenge you to change your thinking and how you perceive others who are not like yourself. I will actively work to avoid prejudgments and assumptions as I hope others will do when viewing me.

Much love,

Mandy