Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Melissa, whoever and wherever you are.....this is one of the most incredible 
posts I have ever read!  You are obviously thoughtful, considerate, and 
wise.  Your message should be posted everywhere in this country, so everyone 
can read it.  I am stunned by your wisdom.  GOOD for you!!!  I do get so 
tired of pictures on magazine covers that show impossibly thin, or at least 
svelte, film stars three months after they have given birth.  It seems to 
have become the rage. Personally, I would rather concentrate on a person's 
kindness, consideration, honesty, integrity, and talents than how much they 
weigh. "Beauty is as beauty does" (one of my mother's bits of life's lessons 
that come back into my head constantly.)

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Melissa Alexander" <mcalex@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: "'Tom Sites'" <goearth@xxxxxxxxxxx>; "'ridecamp'" 
<ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2005 7:34 PM
Subject: RE: [RC] Rider Weight


> > Why is it impolite to call some one fat and not when someone is called
> > skinny? Ts
>
> Who says it isn't?
>
> In American culture, however, I'd much rather be called/considered 
> "skinny"
> instead of "fat." What are the connotations of skinny? "Needs to eat 
> more."
> "Works out too much." "Has a too fast metabolism." Jokes about skinny 
> people
> are, usually, followed with wishful overtones. It's only when someone is 
> so
> thin that they look unhealthy that people become concerned.
>
> What are the connotations of fat? Lazy. Eats too much. Sloppy. Slovenly.
> Doesn't try. "Should be ashamed of herself." Jokes are NEVER followed with
> wishful overtones. Instead the tone is disgust. Disdain.
>
> I was at the gym the other day, changing in the locker room. I was, as I
> always am, amazed by the variety in shapes and sizes of the women. Every
> combination of height and weight. Old, young. Wrinkled. Unblemished. And I
> was amazed at how beautiful and unique they were -- and how none of them
> were perfect. But I also couldn't help but overhear the self-disparaging
> remarks. Beautiful women who have been made to feel ashamed of their
> imperfect bodies. It's not Hollywood and the media that does it. It's
> thoughtless remarks like "lose a few" or "skinny."
>
> People should think before they speak. Seriously. What you say *does* 
> impact
> people, no matter how offhand it is. Being "honest" -- who the hell asked
> you anyway? -- doesn't give you a license to hurt people. I've spent the
> afternoon, after reading the posts, feeling bad about myself and my riding
> -- and most especially, my desire to ride in endurance in the future. I'm
> second-guessing my choices. Doesn't matter that I'm actively working to 
> lose
> weight or that I'm taking riding lessons to get better. Now I'll wonder
> who's riding behind me, disgusted and appalled that I should dare to get 
> on
> a horse.
>
>
> Melissa
>
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
> Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
> Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
> Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp
>
> Ride Long and Ride Safe!!
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=



=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=