Is Fatism justified?

Part 1

Jon Corzine, incumbent governor of New Jersey, recently ran an ad not so subtly mocking his opponents ample weight.  This has provoked commentary discussing whether discrimination against the overweight is qualitatively different than other kinds of discrimination which society generally opposes, or whether “fatism” is simply the latest in our society’s track record of morally reprehensible “isms” to be overcome.

To start thinking through this question it’s worth pointing out that fatism shares some of the same qualifying characteristics as other, less acceptable isms.

  • Science continues to reveal that much of the cause of obesity is genetic.  While weight can be controlled or reduced, for a high percentage of those overweight their natural weight is simply above average (of course this does not explain the rapid increase in obesity over the last few decades)
  • Being overweight makes one the victim of societal prejudice - most concretely, the obese make less money
  • Like race, obesity is tightly correlated with poverty

In many ways, fatism looks like homophobia ten years ago.  Homophobics then claimed that homosexuality was a a learned and chosen behavior, one that could be reversed (with dire and very sad psychological consequences).  However, as scientific evidence continued to pile up and enter the mainstream consciousness, anti-gay attitudes dropped and are likely to continue to do so since the young are much more gay-friendly than the old.

Slate published an article charting the rise of a distinct “fat rights” movement, one that has both political action groups and it’s very own academic specialty.  The response, predictably, has been very much negative, seeing fatness as a personal weakness or a symptom of a broken consumer culture.

The critical question may just be whether being overweight is, to be blunt, bad for society.  Ultimately racism etc were and are doomed to failure not simply for philosophical and ethical reasons but because members of every oppressed group have proven their equality as excellent citizens and people.  (There is a strong correlation between tolerant attitudes towards homosexuality and simply knowing a gay person).  There is simply no downside to a world with racial equality.  However, there are significant costs to be born by an overweight society, primarily  vast medical expenditures.  There is a utilitarian argument to be made for fatism. I’ll examine this argument in the coming week.

-John

Related posts:

  1. Is government intervention in obesity justified?
  2. Who said looks don’t matter?
  3. Does health reform treat the obese unfairly?
  4. Is the regulation of payday lenders justified?
  5. My ancient Greek wedding

October 21, 2009 · Filed Under Equality, John

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