امروز ۱۸ جولای زادروز نلسون ماندلاست. مرد بزرگی که تمام عمر با ستم و نابرابری جنگید، به خاطر احترام انسانی مبارزه کرد و با تحمل سختی‌های بسیار موفق شد بساط تبعیض و آپارتاید را برچیند. ماندلا هم مانند گاندی به دنبال برابری و برادری همه انسان‌ها بود: این که همه در زندگی از فرصت‌های برابر برخوردار باشند و گروهی خود را برتر از بقیه ندانند و این برتری خیالی را به آنها تحمیل نکنند.
ماندلا سال‌هاست که از میان ما رفته است اما هنوز تبعیض و آپارتاید به شکل‌های دیگر در زندگی ما آدم‌ها نمود دارد از جمله تبعیض و نگاه تبعیض‌آمیز نسبت به آدم‌های چاق: درست است که بساط تبعیض نژادی برچیده شده اما نوع دیگری از تبعیض که آن را “تبعیض وزنی” اسم گذاشته‌اند، با قوت تمام در دنیای امروز در روابط بین آدم‌ها حاکم است. اگر شما یک سیاهپوست بودید و در آفریقای جنوبی چهل یا پنجاه سال قبل زندگی می‌کردید از احترام اجتماعی بی‌بهره بودید. باید نگا‌ه‌های توهین‌آمیز سفیدها را تحمل می‌کردید و دم برنمی‌آوردید؛ امروز هم یک فرد چاق هر جای دنیا که باشد از احترام کمتری برخوردار است. پیش‌داوری‌های منفی متعددی درباره چاق‌ها وجود دارد مثل تنبل بودن، بی‌اراده بودن، جذابیت نداشتن، کنترل نداشتن بر خود و… چاق‌ها به شکل گسترده‌ای از تبعیض و بی‌احترامی رنج می‌برند و این معضل، دامنه بسیار فراگیری دارد. چاق‌ها در خانه و اداره، در کوچه و خیابان‌، در تاکسی و اتوبوس و مترو، در لباس‌فروشی‌ها و حتی در مهمانی‌ها و جمع‌های دوستانه با نگاه‌ها و نیش و کنایه‌ها و الفاظ استهزاءآمیز هدف قرار می‌گیرند. تبعیض در روابط فردی، محیط‌های کاری و آموزشی و مراکز درمانی افراد چاق را نشانه می‌گیرد. بررسی‌ها نشان داده افراد چاق کمتر برای استخدام انتخاب می‌شوند و نسبت به افراد لاغری که توانایی‌های مشابه دارند، حقوق کمتری دریافت می‌کنند. پزشکان احترام کمتری به بیماران چاقشان می‌گذارند و اهمیت کمتری برایشان قائل می‌شوند. Of course, the reverse is also true, that is, patients trust and refer to obese doctors less. School teachers pay less attention to their fat students and sometimes join in their ridicule. It's not even better in court: Yale University research shows that if you're a fat woman, you're more likely to be convicted in court. Obese children experience a similar situation and are less accepted among their peers. When the researchers showed other children pictures of several children, including a fat child, and asked which one they disliked the most, the fat child was disliked the most. In one study, children preferred to play with disabled children rather than obese children. It is interesting that even parents punish or exclude obese children more. All these behaviors lead to rejection and social isolation and low self-confidence in obese people.
Worst of all, these encounters and discrimination increase the possibility of a person staying fat and getting fatter. When you attack someone because of their obesity, you become the cause of their obesity and early death.
This is the story of fat people around us. They are victims of a continuous hidden violence. We treat them this way. Did you know?
□ - Why do you want to lose weight?
This is a question I sometimes ask my clients You may find it interesting and of course sad that many times this simple question brings them to tears. The dignified and reasonable lady, who was looking at me openly, breaks down and has tears in her eyes. Then, his heart starts to hurt and he talks about the disrespect he has seen and experienced in the alley, street, house and office from strangers and acquaintances. Some of these bitter stories date back to years ago, but still not a bit of their bitterness has diminished and their memory comes down like a whip at the moment of remembering.
Many of my clients consider the humiliating behavior of their relatives as the reason for their visit to lose weight. The disrespect of a white person to a black person is bitter and heavy, but the disrespect from a wife and friends should be more bitter and heavy. If your brother or wife ridicules you, it is definitely more painful than not having the right to ride the white bus, because now you receive this disrespect from your closest relatives.
□ What should be done?
Let's start with ourselves. Let's put aside self-conceit from today and have an accepting and human look towards all people, including fat people, and see them beyond their appearance. This is the goal that Mandela fought for. Let's accept people as they are and respect them. Respect human dignity. Respect the human gem. Respect human dignity. Let's end weight discrimination like racial discrimination. It is true that this hidden apartheid arouses less hatred but inflicts deeper wounds on the body and soul of its victims. Let's not forget this important lesson of Mandela that the one who hurts and the one who is hurt are both victims. Let's free ourselves from the prison of prejudice and small-mindedness. Let's hand in hand build a world where, as Mandela said, all people can walk with their necks held high, without fear in their hearts, with confidence in human dignity and respect.
□ Mandela has passed away and left us a better world.
May we also leave a better, fairer and more humane world for future generations.
We have a long way to reach that ideal point like Mandela, but maybe we can take the first step today: in our first encounter with a fat person.

Author: Dr. Farid Zaker - internist and designer of Sibita weight loss program