Friday, January 26, 2007
Someone I know sent me an article the other day - about the weight of an employee being in inverse proportion to their career and remuneration growth. Instantly I felt myself filling up with hot rage, drowning in so much anger and outrage. Most of it was directed towards myself for associating with someone who would forward something like that to me. But I was admittedly shocked that a person's weight would affect their professional lives in such a significant manner. I don't buy that productivity BS about fat people being more prone to disease and therefore time away from work. Thats like justifying that women should be paid less because of the possibility that they will at some time avail themselves of their maternity leave. I don't think the productivity benefits based on an employee's potential health condition is a serious consideration with employers. However I do beleive one's appearance has a lot to do with opinions made on the so called dispassionate professional level. Being overweight is associated in most minds with a weak will, sloppiness, lack of personal pride and discipline. While I do not personally subscribe to that view, I can see why that opinion might exist and how it can influence a person's ability to make a favorable FIRST impression. But shouldn't someone's proven track record of hard work and talent be sufficient to overset the effect of the prejudice? But then that is the nature of prejudice - it is never reasonable and therefore can hardly be reasoned away with logic. If even a friend cannot see the forest for the trees, maybe reforming a close-minded associate from work is close to impossible. The sad part is that most likely the author of the article and the 'friend' that sent it would congratulate themselves if they knew that I went an extra half hour at the gym, skipped another meal - afterall its just tough love right? What it really translates into for me is another time I cry in the shower, another person I cannot trust to look at me and see any quality in me beyond my weight. What is boils down to is in all the planes you exist on - among friends, with a lover, in a boardroom - nothing can make up for an imperfect body.
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5 comments:
Ok…first of all the person who sent you that article is NOT YOUR FRIEND…cause he/she obviously haven’t seen the real you.
I have seen how you look, how people look at you and respond to you…I have seen how you look when you go to work and how your co-worker responds to you.
Does this person who forwarded the article knows how smart and loving you are, how people look up to you and how everywhere we go people flock around you just because they are impressed at the way you carry yourself and the way you look!!.
Man….seriously these days there is no weight given to a person’s personality, good heart and intelligence and you would think that educated men and women these days would realize that. Well maybe people are so used to being around empty-headed-bitchy-snobbish--but nice body woman that they get so damn narrow minded.
Whatever it is…YOU GO GIRL!
You are right about the track record part. But there are 2 things
1. Plus size guys also receive the same response (I know) It is not restricted to females
2. Many times your talk / work influences a lot of people who dont meet you often enough for them to have a clear idea about your track record. Their first impressions tend to stick
I have known the difference when I was larger and I walked in to a meeting and when I had trimmed down..
Now I am back to being plus size again and I can notice the difference again.
Very sad ..
AN dont take the article so seriously trust yourself not the so called stats. The onus on proving them (the stats, the world, your "friend")wrong is on you, its only the cynical few who love sticking to facts for people like US, kick their asses should be the mantra !!!
As for looks if someone cant accept you the way you are, they certainly are not worth the trouble. Sure you don't make as much money as Marilyn Monroe did but then you slept more peacefully and with much less controversies than she did.
Like i said once, I have always been interested in people but i have never liked them all and was never loved by all...
Hold your head high and see how such so called stats are rendered useless, good luck !!! :)
Could this have been the case where the person who forwarded it to you did so unwittingly? Mindless of what she/he was doing? Coz I thought there were always ppl who send stuff for no reason. For what its worth, Ive seen your snaps(on orkut), and I think you look pretty, no reason why you should let such stuff get to you.
Ok, so, everything about this blog was right to the point except for this, "What it boils down to is in all the planes you exist on - among friends, with a lover, in a boardroom - nothing can make up for an imperfect body." Says who? Hey, its the company that matters and how do u choose company, that I guess u know better than anyone else. But yeah, "There are very few who can the forest for the trees", isn't it your choice to decide who that very few are in the case of you own forests?
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