Regina Benjamin: The Obesity Society Takes a Stand
In July, Samhita posted a "Friday Feminist Fuck You" about Regina Benjamin and the fat haters. Today I was thrilled to see that The Obesity Society has taken a stand on the criticism of Regina Benjamin relative to her weight. Here is the link to the statement:
I could not have said it better myself.
For those not familiar with The Obesity Society, they are a scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity.
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That response is actually really frustrating to me, because it doesn't address the argument of those who oppose Benjamin because of her weight.
Their logic goes something like this:
1. The Surgeon General should exhibit healthy behavior / decisions.
2. Being overweight is a sign of unhealthy behavior / decisions.
3. Regina Benjamin is overweight, and is therefore unqualified to be Surgeon General.
I agree with point number 1, which is why someone who smokes, for example, shouldn't be Surgeon General. But point number 2 is not always true -- there are many reasons someone could look the way Regina Benjamin does, including unhealthy behaviors, but also including genetics / general body type, diseases, etc. So if you don't buy point number 2, then point 3 doesn't logically follow.
I wish that they had actually addressed people's concerns instead of just saying "hey, stop being biased against obese people!"