Shame on the "Jump for Joy" program for this anti-fat-kid message.
There is an excellent article by Dr. Pattie Thomas regarding this prejudiced campaign. This was my response.
How about if they eradicated the anti-obesity message and simply said something like "be active, be healthy" and showed kids of all sizes and races playing together? What a positive message that would be instead of the message that tells fat kids they don't have a right to exist. And yes, there are active fat kids. But they won't remain active participants in sports or even playground games if they are ridiculed for their size whenever they try to join in. So, how about we eradicate the hate and instead spread the message of joining in activities regardless of size?
"Cease to be obese"? WTF?!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing this kind of campaign does is make everyone feel like crap.
I prefer your idea.
Good idea. I would not have thought of it like that, but obviously it is best to bend over backward not to insult a group whose behavior one wants to change.
ReplyDeleteweirsdo
The thing about saying stuff like "cease to be obese" particularly where children are involved is that it makes the child a target. Rather than encouraging health at every size, it targets fat as bad. Fat people already feel bad enough about themselves in this society that has targeted them as scapegoats. People, especially kids, need to be encouraged rather than scapegoated.
ReplyDelete