Obesity stigma is so pervasive, strong and under recognized.

I read a fairly new study that documented overweight people are treated different! Dudd!
Before I tell you about this study, I want to tell you what the word "bias" came up as when I looked it up in an on-line thesaurus. It stated that “Bias” is also know as: prejudice, partiality, unfairness, preconceived notion, foregone conclusion.
The "International Journal of Obesity" published a study in July 2008 where they developed a tool for varying degrees of biases (prejudices) which targeted: obesity, homosexuality, and Muslims. The authors chose these because each are documented and widely known minority groups that are discriminated. The study stated that they used the terms “bias” and “prejudice” interchangeably (this is why I looked up the term).
I hate to admit it but I feel discriminated against sometimes because of my weight. Even some of my friends who are thin don’t seem to understand and I know they love me. Do you have these feelings sometimes that they just don’t get it?
Results of this study showed that obesity was the strongest bias, followed next by bias against homosexuals, and then Muslims. WOW! This is Unbelievable!
Laws and other protective policies have been put into place over the years to discourage — even punish — discrimination against race, gender, sexual orientation, and religion. The study pointed out the widespread documented evidence of weight bias in employment, educational, interpersonal, and in medical settings. However, no laws or protective policies are in place to discourage or punish bias against obesity. I am so thankful for Ultimate Loser in helping me in my efforts to shake this weight. Let’s pray that we are all winners and big losers of the extra weight and that we won’t need to worry about this anymore.
This study concluded that weight bias is significantly stronger than bias against homosexuals and Muslims; and that much more research is needed in the area of prejudice toward obesity and its causes and solutions.
I agree with the authors that "it is unacceptable that the obesity stigma is so pervasive, strong and under recognized."
I know that I recognize it and it hurts, and it is wrong, but I don’t believe that thin people recognize that they are bias against those who are not thin.
What are your comments or feelings on this? I would love to read your comments.
Cheryl