For the next few weeks I will be mostly focusing on house repair and moving, so blog posts will become short and sweet, usually doing headlines.
And this week we have a dozy courtesy of the State of North Carolina who like Alabama is making you pay extra in health insurance just because you are fat. Even if there is nothing wrong with you.
Plans like these who punish you for supposed bad behavior can be a dangerous slippery slope not just with health care coverage but your privacy. I have said this before. The media, the government etc always claim being fat isn't healthy, yet do what they can to block fat people from health care and services.
And the Fat Studies Reader is almost out! And a nice write up in Publisher's Weekly (Scroll down to get to the review).
That is ridiculous. I'm fat, and I do martial arts. Guess which thing puts me in hospital more often!
Posted by: Anna | October 12, 2009 at 07:42 PM
Frustrates me. I'm fat; I have low cholesterol and great blood pressure. I go out hiking or walking most day. I eat more healthy than most people. But because someone decides what size is OK, I'm penalized.
Posted by: Tracy | October 16, 2009 at 02:24 AM
What I've noticed most is the lack of mentioning those that suffer weight issues not from eating but from medical issues like thyroid disorders, cancer, and so on.
The second issue that I can see is the possibility of discrimination followed by a whopper law suit. Calling it a "fat tax" is an open invitation for a suit.
It would be better to refer to these items as a "sweets tax" or "luxury foods tax" which is also more applicable to the intent.
Posted by: Mar Matthias Darin | October 17, 2009 at 06:48 PM