Pregidous

Noun -an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason

I have a friend who I view as extremely prejudice. When talking about a gay person she will use the term "Those people", a lot. Different ethnic back round then her own, again they become "those people". I always wondered if she viewed everyone who isn't exactly like her as some form of alien being ? Never thinking to myself, because she is thinner then I, that I also fell into a "different" category.
Yesterday when she made her annual phone call and heard I had a cold, she asked what I was taking for it (she knows about the surgery) and added "surely there is something YOU PEOPLE can take for a cold..." aaaaaah IT happened!!! I have now become a category along with people of different sexual orientation and different color...I , who was once in the category of an out of control fat person, am now a Bariatric alien.
I have heard a lot of heartbreaking stories along the way, people who can not take planes because the seats are too small, the need for seat belt extenders, having special chairs brought out in a restaurant because the "normal" chair is too small, not being able to fit behind the wheel of a car, so many stories that even though they never happened to me, I certainly could relate. Right before surgery I found myself avoiding booths because it seemed they have gotten a bit tighter over the past few years, same with arm chairs...Manufacturers must be conserving on wood because those arms aren't as wide as they used to be.
It annoys me when I see a TV commercial that has a need to depict laziness or slovenly behavior...they will always use a heavy person. It's as though skinny people are never lazy, never chew with their mouths open, never become depressed etc... Next time you watch TV and see the APPLE computer commercial please note the size of the "outdated" windows computer to the size of the Apple person...That kind of says it all. If you want to depict something negative, use a fat person.
So not only have I become one of "those people", because I took a step to improve my life and became an alien. But I am also a "negative image" as long as I remain fat..Sheesh that could almost depress a person if it wasn't so bizarre and outrageous.
There is no doubt that we are victims of extreme prejudice. If we are heavy, we are out of control eaters that should be able to lose weight simply by dieting. Wouldn't it be nice if it were all that simple and uncomplicated. Having the surgery puts you yet in another new category. You are now a fat person who decided to take the easy way out, rather then diet. We aliens that have had the surgery know that is not true, not by a long shot...There is nothing simple in making the decision to having surgery and there is nothing simple about the aftermath. As long as man has an opinion there will be prejudice, it's unavoidable. If you are reading this and you are not obese, count your blessing and say "there but for the grace of God go I", change starts with you.....Wouldn't it be nice to start the New Year in a positive mode and with a more open and accepting frame of mind? Don't judge what you do not understand.......(guess you can tell that my "friends" remark touched a very raw nerve)