There's a common perception that just because a person may be large and lovely, curvy and cuddly, they should be made feel guilty about being just that. Society at large, including the fashion industry and the media (all forms) either treat the plus-size woman with contempt or else ignore her completely. She is so often treated with disrespect, and is the butt of jokes - women's magazines and television sitcoms and movies derive great delight in making the plus size look stupid.
When it comes to the health professionals, then they seem to be intent on eroding whatever self-esteem a plus size woman may have - she's told she HAS to lose weight; she has to exercise more; she has to eat less; she should consider cosmetic surgery. In other words she has to meet their criteria of acceptability.
Yet, and I find this so contradictory, why is it that so many staff at our hospitals - doesn't matter if they are the major hospitals in capital cities, or suburban, country or rural hospitals - are plus size! Not only plus size but quite often more than plus-size. Of course there's probably a policy within the hospital scene that rejects discrimination when it relates to staff. But if that's the case then why is there discrimination against patients who are plus size? Doesn't make sense.
The original Aussie self-esteem initiative, born 1991, for ALL women.
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