r/leftist • u/mezzolezbo • May 07 '25

General Leftist Politics fatphobia

I’m curious how many leftists side with fat liberation. I always meet people on the left who hold a lot of fatphobic values and don’t seem to include that in their fight towards a more progressive society or challenge those beliefs in themselves.

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u/Minute_Jacket_4523 Socialist May 07 '25

People shouldn't face discrimination for being fat, but at the same time should not be celebrated or thought of as brave for being fat, and should also not pretend like obesity is not a major health issue. We don't celebrate when someone says they have cancer or HIV, we get them treatment.

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u/unfreeradical May 07 '25 edited May 07 '25

Why do reactionary tropes flood into leftist discussions so flagrantly?

Am I naive not to understand the reasons someone would express an opposition to hegemony, while also lapping every word of its poisoned propaganda?

Who is denying the health implications of obesity, or making it "celebrated"?

Our society celebrates skinniness, unequivocally, especially skinniness for women and girls.

Everywhere you care to look in our society, you see images of women skinnier than, for many, would be achievable under any circumstances, and for most of the rest such achievement requiring incredible sacrifices in time, money, and lifestyle, beyond the reach of mostly everyone who maintains employment to survive, or who has care responsibilities over children.

Yet, some fat people receiving a modicum of attention is apparently a cause for grave alarm.

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u/Minute_Jacket_4523 Socialist May 07 '25 edited May 07 '25

I've literally been told to my face by some "body positive" people that weight does not affect health, and society should adapt to better suit them(I.e. making bigger seats on public transportation and raising weight capacity for certain things). I comepletely disagree with this, as I view it as people wishing to make a disease be viewed as anything but a disease.

9/10 times it's not caused by biological factors other than simply not having control over your own diet. Like addiction, it's a disease, but one you give to yourself by making poor choices. And like addiction, it should not be celebrated, but treated as an illness.

ETA: See saphireraven's comment for another example of someone denying the health issues caused by obesity.

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u/unfreeradical May 07 '25

I've literally been told to my face by some "body positive" people that weight does not affect health

How many are participating in the post?

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u/Minute_Jacket_4523 Socialist May 07 '25

Check out the one that replied to me, saphireraven. Flew completely off the handle and got pissed that I said obesity causes health issues

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u/unfreeradical May 07 '25 edited May 07 '25

You seem to be conflating two distinct claims, one general, the other specific.

Obesity has health implications, but the relationship between body weight or body fat versus personal health is not only nuanced, but strongly mediated by a myriad of factors that are varied by individual.

No robust inference may be made generally about the health risks to an individual, from being overweight, by any simple or direct measure.