I look ill, sad and unhealthy. I quit smoking, and I eat mostly vegetarian food. I enjoy biking, walking, swimming and Nia dance classes. I exercise and eat well because I love living, not to lose weight. I've learned that being fit is more important than being thin.
Fat prejudice begins in childhood.
One study showed that as early as nursery school children preferred images of disfigured or disabled peers to images of fat kids. A 1988 survey of college students said they'd rather marry an embezzler, a cocaine user, a shoplifter or a blind person than someone who was fat. The prejudice creates discrimination that affects fat people in every part of their lives, including finances. Fat white women usually earn less than thin white women 24 percent less, according to one study. People often justify their judgements about fat people by saying they choose to be fat.