Last night's Nightline was pretty interesting. It was a discussion regarding the 'war on obesity' and whether it's okay to be fat. [note -the Nightline link goes to video playing/volume on - I don't like those]
A while back I read the Time's article about this {*cough* insane} woman who, in a call to arms against obesity, once stormed her local YMCA and threw out all of the toppings at an ice cream social. This, of course, is a simplified explanation of the situation, although I should add that the police were called - but it is also just one of many, um, interesting ways she is has tried to get her message out there. Perhaps any fair points she is trying to make about the obesity epidemic are lost in the hostile delivery.
In addition to this bright ray of sunshine, the discussion also included a successful memoirist and plus size model, a reformed yo-yo dieter and fat acceptance author, and an author and weight loss leader who lost over 200 pounds and has kept it off.
It was certainly interesting - the two women with the most extreme and polar opposite views, the crusader and the fat acceptance author, seem on a personal level to be the most unhealthy {mind/body}. One refuses to understand and acknowledge all of the different factors regarding obesity, embraces stigmatizing fat folks and just comes off as a shrill Ann Coulterish type spouting 'facts' - especially nice was one factoid about fat people having smaller brains.
The other author is, understandably, speaking out against this type of stigmatization and 'cultural' hostility, but in the interest of defending personal freedom and the right to not be unfairly judged, she is loathe to acknowledge that obesity is at odds with optimal health.
The other two women, the weight loss author and the model, held more nuanced opinions and I think that is a place we all need to come from. Nightline here and interesting article here.
May the chocolate ice cream sprinkles Rest in Peace.