bullying-part 1

[Kim, Proud Queen of the Fat and Fabulous!]

I just saw a report on Yahoo! about what the most common reason children get bullied. Surprise! it's being overweight. Somebody did an extensive study on it. I wonder who paid for that and how much it cost, because I could have saved them every penny by telling them "Well, duh!" I shudder to think how much money was spent on this that could have gone to help those in need when the answer was so obvious!

Kids do not see race as a factor most times, they see size and fear what is different. The article said that by 6th grade most kids are bullied or begin to get bullied for being overweight. Again, I say "DUH!" Kids are small humans and humans fear the unknown or the different constantly. We have not changed that in all our years on this planet. It used to mean something to be afraid of the different because it could kill you. Now, if you don't fit into a cookie cutter mold, you must be made fun of, shamed, feared.

How do we stop this? Educate our kids that different is good, build self-esteem in all people and for the love of all that is good and decent, stop making those who are different fell bad about it! Making a big deal over size is what is causing the upswing in bullying. Kids are dying because of it, and yes, I was bullied in school, not like they are now, but yes, I did want to remove myself from the gene pool upon occasion because I was troubled on top of everything else.

Kids can be cruel, but they learn from adults. "Little pitchers have big ears" comes to mind. Well, they have big eyes too, and they see how you react to things too. Look around in your life. Do you have people in your life who are different? Different religions,races,etc.? Are your kids exposed to different ideas? Non-exosure to other ideas, cultures, and types of people can breed the distrust and fear that makes a bully.

Until we change our attitude and the attidue of society toward people of larger size, this study and others like it are just going to prove what most of us know already.

People are cruel.

[Paul]

I did not get too much of this treatment in school... I was not only the biggest but the tallest as well. Not that it did not happen, because it did. Just not as much of it as I have heard from other people. Of course, the intimidation factor probably helped keep down the teasing once I got bigger than them.

Bullying is horrible, and can lead to major depression and even suicide in children. The ones that tease and bully have no shame, they are not taught by their parents to respect others, and they face no consequences for their actions when they do wrong.

Until parents go back to being parents, I don't see much chance of things changing in the near future.

[Kim, Proud Queen of the Fat and Fabulous!]

I think that some,not all, but some of the bullying comes from kids who are insecure or who are trying to control the world around them because they come from oppressive homes themselves. It does NOT give them the right to do it, nor does it excuse the behavior. Parents need to let go of the "not my child" syndrome and own up to the behavior of their children.

[A.]

I wasn't the "fat kid" while in school but I was picked on by others because I was the shy, quiet kid with greasy, stringy hair (All hail learning about the differences in hair care products) and her nose in a book. I do, however, think that humans on the whole are conditioned to fear that which is different, and we are conditioned as to what is "beautiful". If Cristy Brinkley, Tyra Banks and George Clooney are beautiful then Rosie O'Donnell, Roseanne Barr-Arnold and John Candy are all NOT beautiful. Poor Oprah Winfrey and Kirstie Alley don't even stand a chance.
It is so sad that "FAT" is the last leagal discrimination...thank the Goddess it is just to keep us healthy. <>

[Kim, Proud Queen of the Fat and Fabulous!]

As I have said before, "FAT" is a 4 letter word in our society.