On the Outside Looking into New Jersey.

A few months ago I posted that I was someone who takes great care in knowing where my food comes from.  I believe in sustainability in food production.  I'm not perfect but I have a CSA share (last week I had some amazing zucchini) and try to buy local and organic when possible. However I also posted how I felt ostracized because I felt the healthy=thin ideal was entrenched in the movement. 

The Grassroots Natural Market in New Jersey is not helping to dissuade me.  An ABC news segment: "What would you do" from April sent an undercover fat reporter to this market where a manager pretty much told her she wouldn't get the job because of her weight. 

This store is associated her fatness with being unhealthy and not fitting in with the health=thin idea.  The second issue is that had she not been someone who really needed the job, she'd have had no legal recourse. There are no laws protecting her either in New Jersey or at the federal level. 

However we can take action.  Please contact this store with your concerns (And if you live nearby let them know they won't be getting your business) at grassrootsmarket@verizon.net, then contact your representative, and point this out as a reason fat people need protection from this kind of workplace discrimination. 

Speaking of New Jersey, their governor Chris Christie had an asthma attack. I'm not a political fan of him, but his weight has always been mingled into criticism of him. Fat hater Bill Maher called him Governor fatty fat and a sumo wrestler and facebook haters came out in force after his hospitalization. His asthma attack has been attributed to his weight (Christie himself blamed his fat.) However asthma is not triggered by weight, but usually allergens, air quality etc. This allergy season has been so bad, it has even affected my (thin) cat. 

I am concerned that Christie's desire to lose weight has little to do with health and more to do with political ambitions. After all we can't have a fat president. (Sorry Taft.)  If he was really concerned about his health, he would get a pulmonary specialist and figure out what his trigger is. He is sending out the poor message that if you are fat and have asthma, just lose weight!

Also next week is the NAAFA convention and I will be there until Monday so most likely no blog post, just maybe some pictures.