Comments on: Of two minds… http://www.chris-diet.com/2008/04/29/of-two-minds/ In an effort to shape up, I'm putting it all online. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:04:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tom Parker http://www.chris-diet.com/2008/04/29/of-two-minds/#comment-57 Tom Parker Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:57:47 +0000 http://www.chris-diet.com/2008/04/29/of-two-minds/#comment-57 I understand that this is a sensitive issue and I do not agree in the slightest that people should be discriminated against for being obese. They are still human beings and have not done anything wrong by becoming obese. However, I don't think you can class obesity as a disability. In general (and I understand there are exceptions to this) a person becomes obese because of certain lifestyle choices they make e.g. they choose to not exercise or choose to eat unhealthy foods. A person with a mental disability does not make a choice. It is thrust upon them and so they should be in my opinion entitled to some legal protection. People with a mental disability cannot do anything to make it go away. If they are being discriminated against they cannot turn off the mental disability and make their brain function normally. However, if obese people are being discriminated against the vast majority can (if they want to) lose the weight. Like I said at the beginning of my comment I do not agree with discriminating against obese people and have no problem with them. I just do not feel it is a condition which requires or deserves legal protection. I understand that this is a sensitive issue and I do not agree in the slightest that people should be discriminated against for being obese. They are still human beings and have not done anything wrong by becoming obese.

However, I don’t think you can class obesity as a disability. In general (and I understand there are exceptions to this) a person becomes obese because of certain lifestyle choices they make e.g. they choose to not exercise or choose to eat unhealthy foods. A person with a mental disability does not make a choice. It is thrust upon them and so they should be in my opinion entitled to some legal protection.

People with a mental disability cannot do anything to make it go away. If they are being discriminated against they cannot turn off the mental disability and make their brain function normally. However, if obese people are being discriminated against the vast majority can (if they want to) lose the weight.

Like I said at the beginning of my comment I do not agree with discriminating against obese people and have no problem with them. I just do not feel it is a condition which requires or deserves legal protection.

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