Obesity: A Protected Category?

Massachusetts is trying to one-up California on crazy legislation. There is a movement by obese persons to pass legislation that would see the words "height" and "weight" added to the existing anti-discrimination laws.

Yes, obese persons are trying to declare that it's not their fault they are obese and they can't be discriminated against.

When denied elective surgery by her doctor, one woman decided to advance the fat cause. Gail Burns testified before the Massachusetts legislature how it wasn't fair. "This is decided solely on the basis of a number on the scale, not an examination of the patient. I was denied surgery," read Burns, a church secretary and theater reviewer.

According to Burns and "fat activist" Marilyn Wann, Massachusetts would not be the first state to adopt this type of legislation; a similar bill was approved in Michigan and several cities - including San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Calif., Madison, Wis., and Washington, D.C. - have instated their own variations.

A number on the scale? Do you think that her doctor was perhaps concerned that her size and physical condition made surgery a risk he was unwilling to take?

I remember writing a research paper in the 6th grade on obesity and the condition, "overweight." Even in 1973, before the health and exercise "industry" and awareness began, doctors recognized the need for self-discipline, diet, and exercise.

Ask anyone who has had to lose weight, how difficult, but possible it is. I've had four back surgeries - all within six years. I never had a weight problem before back surgery, but after my physical routine was dramatically altered because of a ruptured disc years, I slowly put on extra pounds. However, after the 4th and final surgery, with careful diet discipline, and power walking, the weight came off and stayed off. No excuses - even rutpured discs are not an excuse.

That's exactly what it becomes - an excuse. Ms. Burns who was denied elective surgery, is looking for excuses and reasons for her hurt feelings because a doctor told her that she was too fat and consequently unhealthy for him to do surgery. I see that. I understand. But stop with the legislation. Look in the mirror and decide what you can or are willing to do about it.

Work or blame. Accept, or deny. Can you do something about it, or not? And if not, why do we need to legislate for obese guilt? Obese persons' poor health is not something that everyone should have to pay for, any more than we should have to pay for smokers, or drug users health problems.

The health issues that accompany overweight as too numerous to list. From bad knees, ankles, and feet to heart problems and even glaucoma, obese people are walking heart-attacks. And unlike a handicapped person with no legs or Cerebral Palsy, obese people can change their condition and situation.

Obesity is no handicap. If is a self-imposed condition (in most cases). When doctors issue handicapped license plates to the obese, they should be challenged. What the obese person needs is more opportunities for exercise, not coddling and legislation.

"I hope people in Massachusetts will take a courageous step. If we establish civil rights for height and weight, we're setting a standard for self-worth," Wann, of San Francisco, added. Wann also attended the hearing. (Of course she's from San Francisco)

Self- worth - now we are legislating self-worth. What next? Legislation against bad attitudes, or for people bad hair, bad skin, and ugly faces? If these people spent even half of the time exercising as they do sitting around and complaining how unfair life is and how they want to be accepted, they'd all be 100 pounds lighter.