Dealing with weight discrimination & "fat shaming"

Learn about: Dealing with weight discrimination & "fat shaming" from Leah Segedie,...
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Dealing with weight discrimination & "fat shaming"

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So we have all of these wonderful campaigns about obesity, and weight loss and healthy living, which is fantastic. But what we also have a lot more of is weight bias. What I would call that is 'fat shaming' or treating someone differently because of their size because they are bigger. I know that when I was a size 22 versus being smaller, people would treat me totally differently. And that's not fair. It's really not fair. One of the things that we need to find, that's important about the obesity epidemic, is do not treat that persons' weight as who they are. They are a person, you know. Don't treat them worse because of what they are or the size of their body. It has nothing to do with anything. What the studies are very clear about is that if you 'fat shame' someone, they actually gain weight. They don't lose it. So if someone tells you that you are overweight ... because you are overweight, you are rising up healthcare costs, or you are creating all these problems. You know, it's not in me to want to exercise after someone says stuff like that to me. I want to retreat into my home and not leave, because people are being obnoxious to me. And that is essentially what happens. That's what the studies show. Smoking and weight loss are 2 totally different things, but people treat them the same. You can't treat smoking cessation campaign awareness the same as weight loss. It's not the same thing. With smoking, one day you are a smoker the next day you are not. Boom. I am automatically a non-smoker. But weight loss is completely different. I mean you are going to have that body size for a very long time, and people are going to continue to look at you like you are big or you are fat, or you are this or that. And have these judgments about you for a very long time until you gradually get smaller. But the road is long. So what I really want to impress on people is have compassion. Treat people like people. Don't treat them like objects. And people are more than just their weight. Period. End of story.

Learn about: Dealing with weight discrimination & "fat shaming" from Leah Segedie,...

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Leah Segedie

Mamavation Creator

Leah Segedie is a fitness matriarch in the social media realm who helps “digital moms” learn and sustain healthy living practices to combat obesity. She has lost over 170 lbs. over two pregnancies and is an inspiration to women all over the Internet with her communities Bookieboo.com and Mamavation.com.

Leah has been recognized for several feats in her professional and personal life such as being named “Mom of the Year” by Shape Magazine, also being named the 4th most Influential Mommy Blogger by Cision Media, compared to Lady Gaga for her unique social media tactics in The Huffington Post, and Bookieboo being named a “Favorite Weight Loss Blog” by Fitness Magazine.  Leah has a master’s degree in Communication Management from the University of Southern California. She was also Commencement Speaker during her 2001 Graduation Ceremony at the University of Southern California when she received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She lives in Simi Valley, California with her husband and three young children.

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