Today in Fat Hatred

[Content Note: Fat hatred; disablism.]

Via Ragen Chastain, who credits Never Diet Again UK's Angela Meadows, comes this image of a sign posted at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre during the 12th International Congress of Obesity:


"Dear Guests: In conjunction with the 12th International Congress of Obesity the escalators will not be operational from 09:30 to 16:00 hrs."

Get it? Because fatties should be taking the stairs.

Ragen writes:

I've already ranted about self-important blowhards who feel the need to suggest that fat people shouldn't have access to mobility aids. The ICO has taken things a step further and it's posturing of the worst kind. What the International Congress on Obesity has done is to convince the Kuala Lampur Convention Center to make life more difficult for people with disabilities, limited mobility, balance challenges, injuries, etc. so that the ICO can posture and preen.

...When organizations pull stunts like this, the only thing at which they can possibly succeed is creating an environment that prevents people from, and shames people for, navigating the world in the way that's best for them and their situation.

As I've said many times before, I am not entitled to your health, and you're not entitled to mine, and so even if someone's never using an escalator again would significantly increase someone's health, that's a choice one should be allowed to make for oneself. The end.

Naturally, fat people with disabilities and/or temporary mobility issues can fuck right off. Because, so goes the narrative, all fat people's disabilities are caused by fat (never mind that it's often the other way around) and tough luck if you sprained your ankle or broke your toe or twisted your knee, fatty! It probably never would have happened if you weren't so fat!

Since, as we all know, those things never happen to thin people.

Except for how they do. And how neat for thin people with disabilities and/or temporary mobility issues to be redirected away from the escalators, too, in some sanctimonious display of telling fatties to take the stairs.

How terrific for us all.

And, sure, there were probably elevators somewhere else that could be used instead of stairs, but, apart from the fact that there are people who don't like using elevators (many women, for example, avoid elevators at conferences when they can for reasons), access to an elevator doesn't mitigate denial of access to an escalator under the auspices of fat-shaming.

[H/T to Shaker Aaron.]