Everyone loses because of fat stigma. Maybe especially Democrats.

[nancylebov]

The usual discussion of stigma against fat people is about what it costs them, and that's reasonable because it costs them a lot.

However, there's another side-- what stigma against fat people costs everyone. I've read a lot from women who put off their ambitions for both work and love until they lose weight, which may never happen. It wouldn't surprise me if the same pattern (starting at higher fat %s) occurs for men, it's just that I haven't heard about it.

How much accomplishment and love haven't happened because of people who don't try until they think their bodies would be approved of? And they aren't hallucinating the prejudice-- how many fat people get turned down just because they're fat?

So, to Trump, because everything seems to get related to Trump. Unless I'm missing something, Republicans are more willing to accept fat candidates than Democrats are. Is it possible that Democrats are throwing away more talent than they can afford to? (I'm not extremely sure of the premise here-- let me know about if there are fat Democratic politicians which would contradict my theory.)

Comments

[onyxlynx]

Technically, W.J.Clinton got grief about his weight (as did Mr. Gore).

Hubert Humphrey before 1968 was stout. Those are the only ones I can think of, though

[nancylebov]

Thanks. I wasn't sure I'd thought of all the fat Democratic politicians.

The next question is whether there really are more fat Republican politicians, or just a couple of notable recent examples.