I was in the room when " The Biggest Loser" came on TV. I stayed on the couch and watched. At the end of the show I was conflicted about what I had seen.
On the one hand it was heartwarming to get a glimpse of the person inside the obese shell that tends to solicit our stereotypes. When they expressed their vulnerabilities at having the world see their true weight, it was hard not to feel empathy for them. For a brief instant their pain could be felt by others, and prejudices reduced ever so slightly. And that is a good thing.
It is also powerful to see people work at something and achieve their goals and their dreams. It sends a powerful message of hope.
On the other hand, it is troubling to see people so desperate to fit in to larger societal demands of compliance, that they would humiliate themselves in front of world. Do they do it just for the opportunity to fit into clothes worn by people who view them as stereotypes? What message does that send to the up and coming eating disordered?
While on the one hand it brings humanity to obesity, it also shows the powerful sense of shame and deep internal pain that they live under. Numbers of them have tried other methods and failed. Now they are willing to play again in plain view of an ogling public in the hope of lasting success and social acceptance.
While I wish a the contestants on "The Biggest Loser" well, I also wish well to those who have decided that the cultural standard of attractiveness does not define their personal worth.
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