by Frances Ruocco

Created on: February 23, 2007   Last Updated: March 18, 2007

One of the last allowable prejudices is size, if you don't think that's true just ask anyone who is tall, short, skinny and/or fat. Hollywood, Television, Magazines and People make fun of anyone who is not what they think is the perfect size should be. Or else they make fun of people with anything large or small on their body.

If someone has a large nose, lips, chest, ears, hands, head, etc., people tend to make fun of them, jokes are a dime a dozen and everyone thinks it's funny to put them in situations where people can get a good laugh, especially in movies. The only way they can survive is to make fun of themselves also.

Then there are people who are too tall or too short, again they are made fun of, called names because of their size and people tend to act as if something is wrong with them. People also snicker when they walk down the street, pick on them, make jokes about them when in a crowd and can be downright cruel to them.

Coming from a family where people tend to be extra large, I am more aware of the prejudice that there is toward those of us who fit into the large category. Everyone says it's a health risk; the stores don't carry clothes that fit or enhance your body; people stare, laugh and make remarks when you walk down the street; you can be very good looking, kind and a good worker, yet it is harder to get a date and/or a job. In movies and on television, you are portrayed as being stupid and in situations that will get a laugh. It is harder for woman because many men will not even give a full figured woman a second look even though they would make wonderful wives and mothers.

I know that doctors will say weight is a real health risk and we are getting heavier than ever, in fact some people may even smoke because they think it's going to keep them thin, and it may keep them thinner, but not thin. Many people who smoke are still large and the risks invovled are too many, so that isn't the answer, is it? Of course exercise helps; but again not enough and some people will never ever be thin, no matter how hard they try; just as some people will never gain weight; while no amount of exercise will make people lose or gain inches in height.

Perhaps the doctors can explain why people die at every age regardless of how thin, fat, short or tall they are; just as the same amount of people of every size live to a ripe old age. Again, if only people of a certain size lived to be old and all people of another size passed away before a certain age, I would say yes being that size is the key to a longer life, but that is not the case. People die at all ages and in every shape and size.

Of course being slim is almost always in, and people who fit in the perfect body group are always portrayed as the super heroes of the world, but being thin does not make someone nicer than someone who is heavy and vice-versa.

We should be more concerned about the kind of people we are, not the size we are, and people should accept us as we are, not because of our size or looks.
Maybe someone can tell me why in this day and age, size is the last allowable prejudice; what it will take to make people realize that regardless of our size we all have feelings and can be very hurt when we are made fun of; how do we make people aware of this problem and how do we stop this prejudice?

Maybe someday people will realize that God made everything in different sizes and our beauty should be judged by what's inside of us, not by the size we are.

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