Eating Disorders affect more than just your Body; Maura Kelly

Maura Kelly,sex and relationship blogger for Marie Claire, wrote a post yesterday titled, Should "Fatties" Get a Room? (Even on TV?).The post was about the sitcom Mike & Molly, "the show centers around a couple who meet at an Over eaters Anonymous group [and] has drawn complaints for its abundance of fat jokes [as well as] cries from some viewers who aren't comfortable watching intimacy between two plus-sized actors." In her post she expressed her disdain for having to watch two "Fatties" make out, or simply walk across a room. This post garnered a lot of attention on the blogosphere and spread through twitter like a wildfire. I know, I was there..fanning the flames. I thought, what a monumental asshole this broad is behaving like.My next thought, who the hell is running that joint Marie Claire? Are there no editors? Talk about free speech!

OK, so she wrote a post about a sitcom.The problem is how she wrote it.The voice she used was very condescending and insulting. I agree with her in that I don't like to watch two people make out either but it has nothing to do with size, shape, color; I simply do not want to feel like I am watching porn.If that is what I wanted, well, I'd let the Big Guy choose something. But Ms. Kelly just kept repeatedly stepping in the proverbial dog shit.It was as if she backed up and stepped in it all over again, just to make sure she got it on her shoe. As evidenced by this quote
      
So anyway, yes, I think I'd be grossed out if I had to watch two characters with rolls and rolls of fat   kissing each other ... because I'd be grossed out if I had to watch them doing anything. To be brutally honest, even in real life, I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room — just like I'd find it distressing if I saw a very drunk person stumbling across a bar or a heroine addict slumping in a chair.

As if that were not enough, she continued on


But ... I think obesity is something that most people have a ton of control over. It's something they can change, if only they put their minds to it.
(I'm happy to give you some nutrition and fitness suggestions if you need them — but long story short, eat more fresh and unprocessed foods, read labels and avoid foods with any kind of processed sweetener in them whether it's cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup, increase the amount of fiber you're getting, get some kind of exercise for 30 minutes at least five times a week, and do everything you can to stand up more — even while using your computer — and walk more. I admit that there's plenty that makes slimming down tough, but YOU CAN DO IT! Trust me. It will take some time, but you'll also feel so good, physically and emotionally. A nutritionist or personal trainer will help — and if you can't afford one, visit your local YMCA for some advice.)

This part is simply insult to injury because you see Ms. Kelly has had self admitted issues with eating disorders, anorexia in particular, herself. So, really she shouldn't be giving diet and nutritional advice to anyone.ANYONE! She claims to be recovered. Of course, having had my own experience with eating disorders, I know that being a recovered Anorexic is about the same as being a "recovered" alcoholic. You may have stopped the behavior but you have to take it one day at a time because you can't unlearn what you've already become privy to.You may decide that its not the way for you and stop the behavior but your mind still knows the path.

I'm no shrink but I'd say, from my own past experience, I had NO tolerance for overweight people because I was insane with obsession about my own weight.I felt like if I could control myself from eating, what I ate, how much I ate, when I ate, if I ate ; then why couldn't others show the same self control? You develop a disgust because partly they don't have your self control, but with that they also do not have your misery.The misery that wanting brings and this causes some jealousy and resentment. I'm not saying she still has eating issues but I think maybe she still needs to work through to her own resolution. This is not an excuse and probably not understandable to anyone who has not experienced these issues.

I've been "recovering" from these issues for 13 years and I still battle with acceptance of my own body. I have chosen to do it the right way, the slow..healthy, working out, eating right way.With the time it takes the body to heal it also gives the mind and spirit time to heal, appropriately. I do not cringe at heavy set people anymore.That was my own self loathing being externalized. I say to each his own. There is a terrible obesity epidemic in the United States and, for healths sake, I hope people can  come around to healthier lifestyles.

There is nothing wrong with the show Mike and Molly, it is representative of a large part of our population.What's wrong with having a show that lets us see these two people falling in love? Don't they deserve the same happiness that anyone else deserves? Shame on you Maura Kelly for projecting your own issues onto the overweight people of the world. Does it make you feel better to make them feel worse? Just remember how miserable you felt when you were obsessing over your weight, and now realize that your piece may have done that for some poor overweight woman or girl! If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.