Thumbs up to United Airlines

There have been a lot of news articles lately about United Airlines and their choice to make obese people pay for an extra seat while flying on their airline. I think that United Airlines, and all the other airlines that are currently doing this, deserve a big thumbs up. I think it is horrible how everyone has to keep accommodating to obese people, so that they feel “normal” or like they fit it. Truth is…they don’t. They don’t fit into tiny airplane seats, movie theaters or theme park rides. Does this mean we should make all seats bigger so they can enjoy all of these? No, because then we are telling them it is ok to weigh a lot, and we will keep expanding with their waist line.

I am sure there have been times where you have sat on an airplane next to someone overweight and it was the worst experience ever. I know that the seats on airplanes aren’t that big, but they are cozy enough for 3 adults to sit next to each other. An argument for the obese people saying that it is unfair to make them pay for an extra seat because obesity is a disability, or disease, something they can’t change. The problem with that argument is that obesity is a lifestyle and can be changed. If they still want to fight and say that it can’t be changed, then tall people need to have more leg room. It isn’t their fault they are tall, so why should they have to pay extra?

A quick story to show my frustration on this topic: One day I was at work (I work at a physical therapy office and see a lot of overweight people with many joint and back problems) this grumpy obese lady comes in. I greet her and walk her back to her room. On the way to her room, pushing her walker she says “Can’t they make these halls bigger for G—sakes!” I could not believe my ears. Does she really think it’s easier to tear down our walls to make a bigger hallway than to lose weight?! That’s when I realized how much we do accommodate for obese people and now they are starting to complain when they don’t get their way.

There have been so many accommodations already for obese people, such as larger blood pressure cuffs, larger hospital beds and gowns, larger coffins and hearses (its true, Google it) and furniture. If we keep making things bigger to appease the obese, then we are telling them it is ok, and that we can keep making things bigger for them.

I don’t hate fat people. If people are healthy and still overweight, I have no problem with that. But when people have become so fat that they are a health hazard, and then I do not sympathize for them. Obese people will frequently get handicap stickers for their cars…why? So they don’t have to walk as far? They are the ones that need to park miles away to walk off some of their weight!! And they are taking up spots for people who truly need them, like paraplegics and quadriplegics.

Also, obese people seem to complain about discrimination at work. Well, if I were hiring someone and my choices were a young healthy 25 year old, or an obese 25 year old, I would choose the healthy one. There are so many health issues that go along with being obese, and as an employer, I wouldn’t want to have to deal with that.

So, moral of this blog is that I am glad Americans are starting to realize that we can’t just keep accommodating to obese people. For far too long, we have been willing to change for them, and it has given them the signal that it is ok, and we accept it. If obese people don’t want to pay extra on an airline, then lose weight. If obese people want to feel comfortable in a movie theater chair, then lose weight. If obese people want to go to theme parks, they need to lose weight. This may be blunt, but it is true. Obesity is life threatening and needs to be taken seriously, more specifically by those who are obese. With all the bariatric surgery these days, it has become more and more simple. There should be no more excuses.