US surgeon general nominee is overweight

Could she still do a good job?  Or should she be ruled out, simply for being overweight and possibly obese?

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She looks overweight, not obese in the pics I've seen.  There were others, C Everett Koop comes to mind, he's a pudgy dumpling, but he's a man and I guess that it was acceptable, as I don't recall any mention of his lard ass.

I see the point, bagga.  Makes perfect sense to me.  Its never mattered before whether a doctor was overweight or not.  Now that its an African American woman, the republicans are all over it.  Wah!

We live in america...she should be free to decide how she wants to live.

The issue is lack of information and protection for people to make those choices (i doubt the nominee is uneducated on the subject).

As long as she isn't claiming that condition is healthy or doing her job poorly (as in not protecting the people) then its fine.

Pfft, if she's qualified, then power to her.  I'm sure that if she IS qualified, her job is super stressful and she probably doesn't have time to exercise!  Gah.  It's okay to be fat.. as long as you know there are health risks along with it.

Original Post by mspw:

I see the point, bagga.  Makes perfect sense to me.  Its never mattered before whether a doctor was overweight or not.  Now that its an African American woman, the republicans are all over it.  Wah!

I really hope people aren't caring because of her race.  I am sick of people saying that's why republicans are criticizing certain people.

I am not sure if she is actually obese, but from pictures, that is what I guessed.  I will change the thread title though.  

I think it is a concern if she is obese and not just overweight.  It is reasonably possible to be overweight but still physically fit, but very few people are considered obese yet healthy.  Either way, I don't think she is at a healthy weight.  As a surgeon general, she is supposed to be an advocate for healthy lifestyle choices which would be quite hypocritical in her current state.

I know that there are lots of hypocrites in US politics, but that's really a poor reason to excuse anyone.

Her overweight-ness has nothing to do with her job. An overweight doctor, for example, can still be the best in his/her field. He/She just doesn't look after HIMSELF/HERSELF. I'm overweight and I know fried foods are bad, I tell people fried foods are bad, and that information isn't any more incorrect than if a thin person said it.

Original Post by cptbunny:

Her overweight-ness has nothing to do with her job. An overweight doctor, for example, can still be the best in his/her field. He/She just doesn't look after HIMSELF/HERSELF. I'm overweight and I know fried foods are bad, I tell people fried foods are bad, and that information isn't any more incorrect than if a thin person said it.

I personally wouldn't go to an obese doctor...or one that I knew smoked.

Original Post by hotfuss:

I really hope people aren't caring because of her race.  I am sick of people saying that's why republicans are criticizing certain people.

 

 Republicans aren't really the most accepting party....

Lets see them support a gay black jewish woman...hahaha. Equality isnt really in the republican vocab....

Doctor, heal thyself ...

What, will hers be a "do as I say, not as I do" kind of administration?

I think it impacts a doctor's credibility to be at an unhealthy weight.  Or smoke, like hotfuss said.  So flame me.

Original Post by hotfuss:

Original Post by cptbunny:

Her overweight-ness has nothing to do with her job. An overweight doctor, for example, can still be the best in his/her field. He/She just doesn't look after HIMSELF/HERSELF. I'm overweight and I know fried foods are bad, I tell people fried foods are bad, and that information isn't any more incorrect than if a thin person said it.

I personally wouldn't go to an obese doctor...or one that I knew smoked.

My nutritionist in the UK was overweight/obese and she helped me lost 10 pounds in the short time I saw her/knew her and I learned a lot about nutrition. She just doesn't take her own advice.

Edit: Btw I agree if you're in the health field you should be HEALTHY. But if their weight doesn't effect their job performance then I usually don't care. I do question it in my head though.

Original Post by loriklorik:

Original Post by hotfuss:

I really hope people aren't caring because of her race.  I am sick of people saying that's why republicans are criticizing certain people.

 

 Republicans aren't really the most accepting party....

Lets see them support a gay black jewish woman...hahaha. Equality isnt really in the republican vocab....

eh, I gotta say, that isn't true for the republicans I know personally.  The most sexist and racist people I know are liberal.  I see "reverse" discrimination much more often than "normal" discrimination.

Original Post by cptbunny:

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Edit: Btw I agree if you're in the health field you should be HEALTHY. But if their weight doesn't effect their job performance then I usually don't care. I do question it in my head though.

so, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, so to speak?  Don't you think other's will feel the same?  Is that the kind of person we want representing american health policies (good thing we don't want her to represent the average american...she would probably need to gain weight for that)?

Original Post by hotfuss:

Original Post by cptbunny:

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Edit: Btw I agree if you're in the health field you should be HEALTHY. But if their weight doesn't effect their job performance then I usually don't care. I do question it in my head though.

so, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth, so to speak?  Don't you think other's will feel the same?  Is that the kind of person we want representing american health policies (good thing we don't want her to represent the average american...she would probably need to gain weight for that)?

Anyone who wants to represent american health policies, should try to get healthy too. She can still do her job and lose weight (several of us here are doing it!). In fact, losing weight while doing her job will have an even better impact on the people because they can see that it IS possible to lose weight heathily while working a busy job. I'd say it'd be pretty motivating.

A surgeon general who says smoking can lead to lung cancer and puts it on the sides of cigarette packs, but smokes himself, is kinda... hypocritical.

But I think the only reason this particular person is being "picked on" is because she is female. Unfortunately.

I wouldn't leave my doctor because she has acne, and is treating my acne. Or a nutritionist because they're overweight. I always assume they don't take their own advice. Their advice is still great, it just makes it HARDER to believe because they're not doing it too.

Original Post by cptbunny:

Original Post by hotfuss:

Original Post by cptbunny:

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Anyone who wants to represent american health policies, should try to get healthy too. She can still do her job and lose weight (several of us here are doing it!). In fact, losing weight while doing her job will have an even better impact on the people because they can see that it IS possible to lose weight heathily while working a busy job. I'd say it'd be pretty motivating....

Interesting idea...what if she DOESN'T lose weight?  Is she fired?

Original Post by cptbunny:

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A surgeon general who says smoking can lead to lung cancer and puts it on the sides of cigarette packs, but smokes himself, is kinda... hypocritical.

But I think the only reason this particular person is being "picked on" is because she is female. Unfortunately.

I wouldn't leave my doctor because she has acne, and is treating my acne. Or a nutritionist because they're overweight. I always assume they don't take their own advice. Their advice is still great, it just makes it HARDER to believe because they're not doing it too.

Interesting idea...what if she DOESN'T lose weight?  Is she fired?

...

A surgeon general who says smoking can lead to lung cancer and puts it on the sides of cigarette packs, but smokes himself, is kinda... hypocritical...

Sorry, but how is that different from an obese surgeon general that says being obese is not healthy?

"But I think the only reason this particular person is being "picked on" is because she is female. Unfortunately."

I honestly doubt it, and really hope not.  There have been other female surgeon generals...or at least one other.

"I wouldn't leave my doctor because she has acne, and is treating my acne. Or a nutritionist because they're overweight. I always assume they don't take their own advice. Their advice is still great, it just makes it HARDER to believe because they're not doing it too."

Which, in my mind, means she won't be able to do the job as well as someone with the same qualifications, but is at a healthy weight.

Original Post by cptbunny:

A surgeon general who says smoking can lead to lung cancer and puts it on the sides of cigarette packs, but smokes himself, is kinda... hypocritical.

 

 It's not hypocritical... by smoking, he isn't saying that the lung cancer isn't true. He is just accepting the risks and choosing to act in a different way with his personal life.

Laws and policies and protections are a mental game... not a physical one.

By refusing her the job because of those reasons, you are saying that whoever takes the job should be less free than the rest of the country. You are saying that they don't have the right to choose how to live .... I see that as a major problem when the issue has no impact on their ability to perform the job....

Basically, its like not hiring someone to do office work because they are fat. Would you like it if you were fired because you gained a few pounds or chose to live at a heavier weight?

Original Post by loriklorik:

Original Post by cptbunny:

A surgeon general who says smoking can lead to lung cancer and puts it on the sides of cigarette packs, but smokes himself, is kinda... hypocritical.

 

 It's not hypocritical... by smoking, he isn't saying that the lung cancer isn't true. He is just accepting the risks and choosing to act in a different way with his personal life.

Laws and policies and protections are a mental game... not a physical one.

By refusing her the job because of those reasons, you are saying that whoever takes the job should be less free than the rest of the country. You are saying that they don't have the right to choose how to live .... I see that as a major problem when the issue has no impact on their ability to perform the job....

Basically, its like not hiring someone to do office work because they are fat. Would you like it if you were fired because you gained a few pounds or chose to live at a heavier weight?

I would understand if it was affecting my work negatively.  I probably wouldn't like it(no one LIKES to lose a job....unless they were about to quit anyway), but I would think it was fair.

I don't think its saying she doesn't have the same liberties, its saying she is not qualified for the job.  

I am arguing that it DOES impact her ability to perform the job.

And I think it IS hypocritical for a doctor or surgeon general that smokes to say....smoking is unhealthy..Americans should not do it.  Many people find it hard to trust hypocrites, even if what they say is true.

Well, she may be a "full figured woman", but I sure haven't seen any pictures of her in which she struck me as being obese.   As for her ability to fulfill the role, that remains to be seen - and to claim otherwise would be to pre-judge.

Personally, I'd put more stock in Queen Latifah's health advice than Calista Flockhart's, but that's just me.

Original Post by splitrail:

Well, she may be a "full figured woman", but I sure haven't seen any pictures of her in which she struck me as being obese.   As for her ability to fulfill the role, that remains to be seen - and to claim otherwise would be to pre-judge.

Personally, I'd put more stock in Queen Latifah's health advice than Calista Flockhart's, but that's just me.

This photo makes her look obese to me.

Yes, we would be pre-judging her.  We will be "pre-judging" her on her career and everything else she has done in the past to assume she will preform similarly to how she has in the past.  

I think an underweight candidate would be similarly controversial.  

How will being overfat affect her day to day job performance?  We're not asking her to run the Boston Marathon or come in first for the Ironman.  We're asking her to be a bureaucrat who sits on her lump making, hopefully good, decisions all day. 

Original Post by jewelsmcblah:

How will being overfat affect her day to day job performance?  We're not asking her to run the Boston Marathon or come in first for the Ironman.  We're asking her to be a bureaucrat who sits on her lump making, hopefully good, decisions all day. 

eh, did you read the thread so far, or do you just think the points I (and a couple others)made are invalid?  I really don't want to go through and re post them.  To sum up my view for ya, I think it would be hypocritical...and a lot of people don't trust hypocrites....thus it would be hard for her to be an advocate for healthy choices.