MIssissippi Law Would Ban Obese People from Eating at Restaurants

Click below to download the text of Mississippi House Bill 282, which would prohibit restaurants from serving individuals defined as obese by the State Department of Health guidelines.

DOWNLOAD FILE

A summary with a link to the complete text is also available here. MHB 282 is currently before the State Legislature. The author admits it is unlikely to pass but that he is bringing attention to the issue of obesity.

This could be useful for a discussion of our views of fat people, how it is ok to ridicule or openly stigmatize fat people in a way that is not acceptable for other social characteristics, and the way fat has been turned into a sign of a weak character (i.e., a fat person just doesn't, or won't, have the self-control to stop eating).

Thanks for the tip, Kelly V.!

Posted by Gwen Saturday, March 29, 2008 at 12:16 PM Labels: , , , , ,  

3 comments:

  Mafoo

March 29, 2008 at 1:16 PM

"fat has been turned into a sign of weak character"?

I think it has always been seen as a sign of a weak character, we just encounter that prejudice more now because, well, more people are obese now than ever in history. There is also a degree of obesity acceptance as never before. The western world has never dealt with the degree of wide-spread prosperity as we seemingly are forced to do now. There will always be reactionaries.

  Anonymous

March 29, 2008 at 1:56 PM

I hate to admit it, but I'm a fatty (hopefully not for much longer). I have a phobia of eating or being near food in public, partly because of constant ridicule.

Anyway, denying food to obese people isn't going to help anything. What's going to stop them from just going to the grocery store and buying a ton of ice cream or something? Humiliating or offending someone who is addicted to food is just going to make them eat more.

  John Jones

March 29, 2008 at 4:52 PM

It's definitely an interesting issue. Check out the discussion here.

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