Comments on: Read ‘Em http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:58:22 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Melissa http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75840 Melissa Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:43:49 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75840 I'm not surprised to hear this type of study is being done. I teach a college level human sexuality course, and I've reviewed all of the major publishers' textbooks. They are very careful to include photographs and drawings of people of all ethnicities, ages, and sexual orientations engaged in sexual activities. But, there is not one image of a fat person in any of those textbooks. Not one. Because who would have sex with a fat person, right? Nor do fat people masturbate, I suppose. I guess it's time to contact the publishers... I’m not surprised to hear this type of study is being done. I teach a college level human sexuality course, and I’ve reviewed all of the major publishers’ textbooks. They are very careful to include photographs and drawings of people of all ethnicities, ages, and sexual orientations engaged in sexual activities. But, there is not one image of a fat person in any of those textbooks. Not one. Because who would have sex with a fat person, right? Nor do fat people masturbate, I suppose.

I guess it’s time to contact the publishers…

]]> By: ricki http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75489 ricki Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:14:54 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75489 Sadly, I'm not at all surprised about the bake sale banning. We are not a people good at nuance. If some folks have issues about certain foods, then it turns into "everyone must be PROTECTED from those foods from their own good." (Like Prohibition, which we all know worked SO well). I'm a college prof, and we are using a new non-majors bio textbook this year. An "issues oriented" one. I didn't choose it and I hate it with the intensity of a thousand flaming suns because EVERY chapter has this "issue" in it that is about how badly messed up we are. The "nutrition" chapter was just horrible; I hope I didn't have any eating-disordered students in my class because *I* found the chapter "triggering" and *I* don't have a disorder... I wish we could just SHUT UP about "good foods" vs. "bad foods" and "obesity crisis" and all that damn stuff for a WEEK. Just a stinking week. I'm already bracing myself for the OMG do you know how many calories are in that Thanksgiving dinner "news" stories. I'm even sick of hearing about "moderation" because all too often it seems to be a code word for "Deny yourself anything you enjoy." Sadly, I’m not at all surprised about the bake sale banning. We are not a people good at nuance. If some folks have issues about certain foods, then it turns into “everyone must be PROTECTED from those foods from their own good.” (Like Prohibition, which we all know worked SO well).

I’m a college prof, and we are using a new non-majors bio textbook this year. An “issues oriented” one. I didn’t choose it and I hate it with the intensity of a thousand flaming suns because EVERY chapter has this “issue” in it that is about how badly messed up we are. The “nutrition” chapter was just horrible; I hope I didn’t have any eating-disordered students in my class because *I* found the chapter “triggering” and *I* don’t have a disorder…

I wish we could just SHUT UP about “good foods” vs. “bad foods” and “obesity crisis” and all that damn stuff for a WEEK. Just a stinking week. I’m already bracing myself for the OMG do you know how many calories are in that Thanksgiving dinner “news” stories.

I’m even sick of hearing about “moderation” because all too often it seems to be a code word for “Deny yourself anything you enjoy.”

]]> By: slythwolf http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75479 slythwolf Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:46:57 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75479 I wonder if the difference in reported rates of heterosexual intercourse is statistically significant? Because if it is, we could be looking at a possible slight connection between being straight and being fat. Which I personally would find kind of interesting. I wonder if the difference in reported rates of heterosexual intercourse is statistically significant? Because if it is, we could be looking at a possible slight connection between being straight and being fat. Which I personally would find kind of interesting.

]]> By: emi http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75469 emi Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:23:58 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75469 volcanista, I respectfully disagree with the idea that sugar-water drinks and foods like potato chips are nutritionally equivalent to/equally healthy as 100% juice and cheese and crackers. Apple juice and kool-aid may have similar macronutrients (all sugars), as do chips & cheese/crackers (carbs/fat) - and i agree that there is no intrinsic problem with sugars/carbs/fats - all are needed for healthy bodies. However, kool-aid (or soda, etc) provides just sugars, whereas apple juice provides sugars along with vitamin C and whatever other good things are in apples. and i do think it's fine for kids to have less-nutritious foods some of the time. however, i think that nutrient-dense foods are important for health. If kids (or anyone!) get TOO high a proportion of their intake from foods like chips, cookies, etc, they won't get enough nutrient dense foods to remain healthy. How high is too high is, of course, arguable. volcanista, I respectfully disagree with the idea that sugar-water drinks and foods like potato chips are nutritionally equivalent to/equally healthy as 100% juice and cheese and crackers. Apple juice and kool-aid may have similar macronutrients (all sugars), as do chips & cheese/crackers (carbs/fat) – and i agree that there is no intrinsic problem with sugars/carbs/fats – all are needed for healthy bodies. However, kool-aid (or soda, etc) provides just sugars, whereas apple juice provides sugars along with vitamin C and whatever other good things are in apples.

and i do think it’s fine for kids to have less-nutritious foods some of the time. however, i think that nutrient-dense foods are important for health. If kids (or anyone!) get TOO high a proportion of their intake from foods like chips, cookies, etc, they won’t get enough nutrient dense foods to remain healthy. How high is too high is, of course, arguable.

]]> By: Bekbek http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75468 Bekbek Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:16:34 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75468 Rina: I agree with you that younger children will hear "good" food and "bad" food, but I don't think that problem ends with age. All sorts of nutrients are sold to adults as good or bad, for example, rather than referring to cholesterol as high density/low/density...it's good and bad. Marketing is easier when you keep it simple, and the fact that nutrition is such a money industry means it is larded through with marketing, and school (not to sound like a conspiracy theorist) is the first step to teaching people to jump like good little consumers. Rina: I agree with you that younger children will hear “good” food and “bad” food, but I don’t think that problem ends with age. All sorts of nutrients are sold to adults as good or bad, for example, rather than referring to cholesterol as high density/low/density…it’s good and bad. Marketing is easier when you keep it simple, and the fact that nutrition is such a money industry means it is larded through with marketing, and school (not to sound like a conspiracy theorist) is the first step to teaching people to jump like good little consumers.

]]> By: Chiken http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75464 Chiken Tue, 11 Nov 2008 21:54:44 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75464 Was my elementary school really strange in that parents never, ever brought in cupcakes for birthdays? I think it's really odd that that class is routinely stopped to hand out treats for such individual celebrations. Was my elementary school really strange in that parents never, ever brought in cupcakes for birthdays? I think it’s really odd that that class is routinely stopped to hand out treats for such individual celebrations.

]]> By: Talespun http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75457 Talespun Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:41:27 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75457 As my kids have passed through school in a town near Berkeley and with some of the same freakishness about food, I've been lectured by other parents for allowing my girls to have peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I've watched as other children bringing lunch to school have had parts taken away for being 'inappropriate' food. I've watched as the teachers are told there are to be no parties at all for any reason in classes. I don't think it's right or proper for the school to police home-brought lunches in any way. Is this not invasion of privacy? The worst so far was at my special ed daughter's annual conference. I have twin daughters in high school now and one is thin (who gets called anorexic although she's not) and one is fat (who gets called the usual fat stuff). The fatter one is the special ed girl and she is also a girl who absolutely eats very well. She loves veggies and fruit juice and all sorts of 'good' foods, yet because of her health issues that made her a special ed student in the first place she's got a messed up metabolism. So as I explain all this to the Jr. High PE teachers, I watch as their faces go blank and when I am finished explaining that her fatness is not inherent in poor eating habits, they start up again, chastising me for teaching and allowing her poor eating habits, for not putting up a treadmill for her to walk on 12 hours a day and that she will have diabetes by 20 because of junk food and my poor parenting and by the way she's terrible at PE and if only she wasn't fat all her troubles would magically go away. And no she can't be in special ed PE because her only problem is she's FAT and that's all your fault you horrible little parent. And that includes her bad balance sprung from almost constant ear infections as a wee one but probably caused by fatness but was really caused by a cleft palate. She's not good at PE... oh my god... end of the world. Thankfully she has gone on to high school now and so far the PE teachers there are much less into Basic Training. They called ME and asked if she could be in adaptive PE as it was slower and she'd enjoy it more and I thanked them heartily for understanding finally! And yes, I agree that America (at least California) is definitely on the fast track down the 'All pleasures are EVIL' slope. We're not allowed to enjoy anything at all. As my kids have passed through school in a town near Berkeley and with some of the same freakishness about food, I’ve been lectured by other parents for allowing my girls to have peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. I’ve watched as other children bringing lunch to school have had parts taken away for being ‘inappropriate’ food. I’ve watched as the teachers are told there are to be no parties at all for any reason in classes. I don’t think it’s right or proper for the school to police home-brought lunches in any way. Is this not invasion of privacy?

The worst so far was at my special ed daughter’s annual conference. I have twin daughters in high school now and one is thin (who gets called anorexic although she’s not) and one is fat (who gets called the usual fat stuff). The fatter one is the special ed girl and she is also a girl who absolutely eats very well. She loves veggies and fruit juice and all sorts of ‘good’ foods, yet because of her health issues that made her a special ed student in the first place she’s got a messed up metabolism.

So as I explain all this to the Jr. High PE teachers, I watch as their faces go blank and when I am finished explaining that her fatness is not inherent in poor eating habits, they start up again, chastising me for teaching and allowing her poor eating habits, for not putting up a treadmill for her to walk on 12 hours a day and that she will have diabetes by 20 because of junk food and my poor parenting and by the way she’s terrible at PE and if only she wasn’t fat all her troubles would magically go away. And no she can’t be in special ed PE because her only problem is she’s FAT and that’s all your fault you horrible little parent.

And that includes her bad balance sprung from almost constant ear infections as a wee one but probably caused by fatness but was really caused by a cleft palate.

She’s not good at PE… oh my god… end of the world. Thankfully she has gone on to high school now and so far the PE teachers there are much less into Basic Training. They called ME and asked if she could be in adaptive PE as it was slower and she’d enjoy it more and I thanked them heartily for understanding finally!

And yes, I agree that America (at least California) is definitely on the fast track down the ‘All pleasures are EVIL’ slope. We’re not allowed to enjoy anything at all.

]]> By: volcanista http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75435 volcanista Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:45:10 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75435 emi, the problem is that there's basically no evidence that the things you list as being okay to eliminate/discourage are really any less healthy than other foods. I definitely agree that kids should be shown and encouraged to eat a variety of foods. But sugars? fats? Those are nutrients, and thus, high-fat, high-sugar foods are by definition nutritious. Same with sugary drinks - sugars are nutrients. Most kids do need and burn sugars, and growing bodies need lots of fats (as with everything, barring allergies, food intolerances, etc.). Most of us were not damaged by eating sugars (and loads of sugary drinks) as kids, as far as anyone can tell. But yeah, I'm with everyone on the whole encourage-variety-in-food-and-stop-policing-shit thing. Also, man, now I wish I were fatter, because I'd totally get more ass. emi, the problem is that there’s basically no evidence that the things you list as being okay to eliminate/discourage are really any less healthy than other foods. I definitely agree that kids should be shown and encouraged to eat a variety of foods. But sugars? fats? Those are nutrients, and thus, high-fat, high-sugar foods are by definition nutritious. Same with sugary drinks – sugars are nutrients. Most kids do need and burn sugars, and growing bodies need lots of fats (as with everything, barring allergies, food intolerances, etc.). Most of us were not damaged by eating sugars (and loads of sugary drinks) as kids, as far as anyone can tell.

But yeah, I’m with everyone on the whole encourage-variety-in-food-and-stop-policing-shit thing. Also, man, now I wish I were fatter, because I’d totally get more ass.

]]> By: summer http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75434 summer Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:05:14 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75434 Re: Bake Sales: Where is the American pleasure gene? We always view everything through a "medicinal" viewpoint. We view exercise as medicine, food as medicine even sex as medicine(it will make you live longer!). Whatever happened to doing things for the pleasure of it. It is no wonder why we have such a twisted relationship with food and exercise and sex, because we forgot to just stop and enjoy it. To be quite honest I sometimes have debated taking up smoking just to have a good vice under my belt(I know I am crazy). I think sometimes we might be a happier country if we let ourselves have a few more vices. Life is too short to worry about bake sale cookies! Re: Bake Sales:

Where is the American pleasure gene? We always view everything through a “medicinal” viewpoint. We view exercise as medicine, food as medicine even sex as medicine(it will make you live longer!). Whatever happened to doing things for the pleasure of it. It is no wonder why we have such a twisted relationship with food and exercise and sex, because we forgot to just stop and enjoy it. To be quite honest I sometimes have debated taking up smoking just to have a good vice under my belt(I know I am crazy). I think sometimes we might be a happier country if we let ourselves have a few more vices. Life is too short to worry about bake sale cookies!

]]> By: Liza http://kateharding.net/2008/11/10/read-em/#comment-75425 Liza Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:30:41 +0000 http://kateharding.wordpress.com/?p=2163#comment-75425 Somehow I missed that memo about no one wanting to fuck a fatty... Anyhoo...I'm all for teaching kids healthy eating habits, but I must say...UP DOIN IT RONG. Besides, there's nothing like an ill-shaped, over-frosted, lumpy 25-cent cookie from a bake sale. Nuttin' Somehow I missed that memo about no one wanting to fuck a fatty…

Anyhoo…I’m all for teaching kids healthy eating habits, but I must say…UP DOIN IT RONG. Besides, there’s nothing like an ill-shaped, over-frosted, lumpy 25-cent cookie from a bake sale. Nuttin’

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