Being overweight is a complicated issue, but people are unable to perceive the depth of the problem. They think that body fat is merely due to poor dietary choices.
Obese and overweight people are then held responsible for their condition. They are thought of as gluttons who have no self-control. This simplistic understanding of a very complex issue is the reason for so much fat-shaming and discrimination.
Women especially have to face much hate from people. In this day and age, skinny is always pretty. So, women who are overweight are not only then thought of as unattractive but also condition lack any self-control.
Consequently, the challenges and the problems that plus-sized women face are often trivialized. They also then internalize this hatred. They consider themselves responsible, and then hesitate to take care of themselves; whether it be visiting the best gynecologist in Lahore or even going out for a walk to the gym, they have to first wade the waters of shame.
There are many other challenges that obese women have to face when navigating the day-to-day.
Challenges facing overweight and obese women
Health issues
Obesity in general puts people at greater risk for health challenges, that can also put their lives in peril.
Women who are obese are more likely to have breathing problems. Obesity also puts stress on their heart, and they are more likely to have hypertension and heart disease.
Furthermore, obesity also puts a great strain on the joints. It can also increase the risk for certain cancers like breast, colorectal, stomach, etc. Obese women are also at risk for a stroke.
Livelihood problems
Women already are discriminated against when it comes to working since the opportunities available to them generally are lesser than those of men, however, the situation is even direr for plus-sized women.
They are less likely to be hired for jobs. Some like salespeople, waiting tables are always filled by women who generally are thin –another one of society’s double standards –so they are out of the race for many opportunities.
Lower rates of romantic relationships
While admittedly, even obese men have a lower chance of getting into romantic relationships, overweight women are even lower in the rung.
Naturally, when society has been telling you all the time that thin is pretty and pretty is what you should desire, overweight women are then left out of the equation.
Their confidence is shattered. Due to the discrimination they otherwise face in reality, they are less keen on making themselves more vulnerable by trying out for romantic relationships.
People and their judgment
Unfortunately, our society is not friendly to plus-sized people, which is why fat discrimination is present across the board. However, obese females are more likely to face public censure as opposed to their male counterparts.
Since the conceptualization of a woman always involves being thin, therefore, any woman who does not follow through with this stereotype then has to face greater criticism.
As a consequence, plus-sized women are then removed from the public discourse; whether it talks about fashion or those to do with sexual health, obsessed women are largely ignored.
Similarly, fat-shaming also causes people to ostracize obese women. People don’t want to be friends with them, companies don’t want to hire them, and men don’t want to marry them.
Reproductive health
Women who are obese or overweight women tend to have reproductive health problems. Since they don’t usually have regular periods, it then also becomes difficult for them to get pregnant.
Moreover, even when they do become pregnant, their challenges don’t end. Obese women are at a greater risk for gestational diabetes. They also have a higher risk of hypertension and the consequent preeclampsia.
Hence, the challenges to the reproductive health of overweight women are plenty, which is why they must be in consultation with an online gynecologist.
