GWSS 3307: Feminist Film Studies, Fall 2008

Emme used to be a plus-sized model and very prominent broadcast journalist for E! Entertainment news. I agree with her statement that far is the last bastion of acceptable prejudice to an extent. I believe it is because the degrading stereotypes and language that surface from the prejudice come from the belief that being fat is a choice. It is a similar type of discriminatory behavior that the gay community has experienced when society wrongfully accepts the belief that sexual preference is a choice. The underlying problem in both fat and gay appreciation is the reluctance of our society to grant lifestyle choice to its citizenry. The more freedom of choice the body politic is given, the less ability any institution (social, religious, political) is given to control individual behavior. Therefore, less control means less power. I think the particular issue of the marginalization of overweight people is troubled in our society because much of it is done not only under the guise of choice, but under the guise of choice for unhealthy behavior. When bodily acceptance is intermingled with a health issue, it becomes easier for people to discriminate against someone whom they presume to be “choosing� an unhealthy lifestyle in the same way they would isolate a drug addict or a criminal for the “betterment� of society.