When my friend was in med school, the service organization had a tradition of doing a parody musical every year to raise money for the children's hospital. It was sold to me as gentle mocking of the med school faculty, the experience of being a med student, etc. A significant percentage of the med students participated, especially the first years - maybe 100 out of a student body of 600-700? An even more significant percentage attended.
I think about it every time I read about doctors and anti-fat bias because the one year I went (mid 2000s), there were essentially two jokes. First, rectal exams are hilarious. And second, our hospital is going to make so much money because we just built a cardiac center, and the people of our state - especially the women of our state - are fat and going to need so much care. There were fat suits. There was dancing in fat suits. There were "fat" patients who didn't realize that they were fat, or that all their issues could be solved by not being fat, or that their doctors thought they were gross because they were fat.
I remember being so angry, but also being ashamed of my anger? Because I'd already realized that I was bigger than pretty much all the female med students I'd met, and if I "couldn't take a joke" it would be because of my size. And because no one else seemed to have a problem with what was happening on the stage.
But I think about that auditorium of current and future doctors laughing at their fat patients every time this comes up. Because it wasn't just that they were being taught that fatness was a disease to be treated. They were being taught - at the flagship institution in my state and one of the top universities in the country - that fat people were something to laugh at.
Love, love, LOVE this so much, and adore both of you!!! You do so much hard work to make it easier for us! xoxo
My mom definitely thought she was doing the right thing when she enrolled me in Weight Watchers as a kid (I was in 8th grade, and she made my 6th grade sister go, too!), but as the only kids there, it was a horrible experience that I still think about. She felt bad that I was being mistreated because I was fat, but after word got out that I was in Weight Watchers, it was even worse! Parenting is hard, and we don't want our kids to hurt. She figured it would stop if I lost weight, and the at-home diets hadn't worked, so maybe something "professional" which promised so much would. It didn't. I lost some weight to begin with, but I ended up gaining it all back again. Then my dad was mad at me not only for gaining the weight back, but for wasting the money that was spent on the program :(
Yes. Love this. My best friend desperately needs a breast reduction surgery, as she has had excruciating back pain for much of her adult life. She is ten pounds overweight per her BMI chart, so she's crash dieting to make weight (is she a high school wrestler or a wife and mom?) so she can get this life-changing surgery. Of course, were she getting a bariatric surgery there would be no "anesthesia risks." My coworkers son just died from complications of a stomach-stapling surgery. WHAT THE FUCK.
Loved this episode! The discussion of the plus sized mom’s credibility with her straight sized daughter really hit home because that’s something I worry about often in my relationship with my 12 year old.
I also loved Aubrey’s butter recommendation of Taskmaster. We’ve watched most of the seasons as a family with my two tweens. I will note, however, that the explicit language became much more frequent as the series went on. We decided to shrug it off and continue watching, but I could see other parents making a different call. My kids definitely picked up some new terminology.
When my friend was in med school, the service organization had a tradition of doing a parody musical every year to raise money for the children's hospital. It was sold to me as gentle mocking of the med school faculty, the experience of being a med student, etc. A significant percentage of the med students participated, especially the first years - maybe 100 out of a student body of 600-700? An even more significant percentage attended.
I think about it every time I read about doctors and anti-fat bias because the one year I went (mid 2000s), there were essentially two jokes. First, rectal exams are hilarious. And second, our hospital is going to make so much money because we just built a cardiac center, and the people of our state - especially the women of our state - are fat and going to need so much care. There were fat suits. There was dancing in fat suits. There were "fat" patients who didn't realize that they were fat, or that all their issues could be solved by not being fat, or that their doctors thought they were gross because they were fat.
I remember being so angry, but also being ashamed of my anger? Because I'd already realized that I was bigger than pretty much all the female med students I'd met, and if I "couldn't take a joke" it would be because of my size. And because no one else seemed to have a problem with what was happening on the stage.
But I think about that auditorium of current and future doctors laughing at their fat patients every time this comes up. Because it wasn't just that they were being taught that fatness was a disease to be treated. They were being taught - at the flagship institution in my state and one of the top universities in the country - that fat people were something to laugh at.
I love Aubrey Gordon and am addicted to Maintenance Phase. Great interview. Thank you.
You two are the best. What a joy to listen to two of my fav podcast people together!
This was such a joy to listen to! Love both you and Aubrey. Definitely need more!
Love, love, LOVE this so much, and adore both of you!!! You do so much hard work to make it easier for us! xoxo
My mom definitely thought she was doing the right thing when she enrolled me in Weight Watchers as a kid (I was in 8th grade, and she made my 6th grade sister go, too!), but as the only kids there, it was a horrible experience that I still think about. She felt bad that I was being mistreated because I was fat, but after word got out that I was in Weight Watchers, it was even worse! Parenting is hard, and we don't want our kids to hurt. She figured it would stop if I lost weight, and the at-home diets hadn't worked, so maybe something "professional" which promised so much would. It didn't. I lost some weight to begin with, but I ended up gaining it all back again. Then my dad was mad at me not only for gaining the weight back, but for wasting the money that was spent on the program :(
Yes. Love this. My best friend desperately needs a breast reduction surgery, as she has had excruciating back pain for much of her adult life. She is ten pounds overweight per her BMI chart, so she's crash dieting to make weight (is she a high school wrestler or a wife and mom?) so she can get this life-changing surgery. Of course, were she getting a bariatric surgery there would be no "anesthesia risks." My coworkers son just died from complications of a stomach-stapling surgery. WHAT THE FUCK.
Loved this episode! The discussion of the plus sized mom’s credibility with her straight sized daughter really hit home because that’s something I worry about often in my relationship with my 12 year old.
I also loved Aubrey’s butter recommendation of Taskmaster. We’ve watched most of the seasons as a family with my two tweens. I will note, however, that the explicit language became much more frequent as the series went on. We decided to shrug it off and continue watching, but I could see other parents making a different call. My kids definitely picked up some new terminology.
Great episode! Must get her book