tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493934272462880672.post7208438255329787635..comments2023-09-22T03:57:35.700-07:00Comments on Diet Survivors Group: Open HouseDiet Survivors Grouphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09024463900654408973noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493934272462880672.post-62444339462166134492009-09-19T15:29:10.775-07:002009-09-19T15:29:10.775-07:00My day gig is that of a high school art teacher.
(...My day gig is that of a high school art teacher.<br />(I am an author/illustrator whose topic is positive art for the plus size majority) Our school has a zero tolerance policy for bullying, which includes teasing about size! AND our team of PE teachers includes several male and female teachers who are living proof of "fat & fit". (And our "drug counselor" also has training to deal with eating disorders.) Of course, we can't stop bullying 24/7, and the problem of cyber-bullying (on Facebook, texting, etc) is really awful and largely out of our control. But promoting healthy activity for all sizes is not as unusual as you may think!Elizabeth Patchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08304185616310601803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493934272462880672.post-24050090327050251032009-09-15T13:18:44.180-07:002009-09-15T13:18:44.180-07:00Bill and Debbie, Thanks so much for your comments....Bill and Debbie, Thanks so much for your comments. I just want to figure out what gets people to think size positively, and bottle it! Or better yet, maybe we can put it in the water supply and spread to one and all...Okay, I know I'm getting a bit carried away!<br /><br />In the end, as we embrace the message size diversity one teacher/doctor/citizen at a time, reason will prevail.Diet Survivors Grouphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09024463900654408973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493934272462880672.post-49999912139139958162009-09-14T21:51:29.645-07:002009-09-14T21:51:29.645-07:00What an inspirational message! I have not heard of...What an inspirational message! I have not heard of another teacher, especially a gym teacher, who spoke so supportively about size diversity and acceptance. Kudos to Mr. P!<br /><br />I wish more people would encourage self-esteem in one another instead of criticizing differences. Then people like Mr. P will be the standard instead of the rarity.Debbie Gross, LCSWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12445702448221628403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3493934272462880672.post-71325191469142432842009-09-14T17:22:23.588-07:002009-09-14T17:22:23.588-07:00Great blog! It is perfectly understandable how on...Great blog! It is perfectly understandable how one might expect a PE teacher to be fatphobic, since that seems typical of stories about fat kids' experiences in school. Yet, we should not judge every teacher based on the stereotype. This guy is wonderful, and he may be more aware of how unusual his approach is than he lets on. Teachers are under a lot of pressure to live up to "standards" that are propagated in schools, and someone in his position might well be apprehensive about getting a reputation as having a "permissive" attitude about obesity,<br /><br />I once complimented an MD for his sensitive and humane way he dealt with a partner of mine who injured her ankle in a fall when a flimsy gangplank broke under her weight. His response was to apologize to me for what he knew to be hostility of some of his colleagues in the profession towards larger patients.<br /><br />I have spoken with doctors who, after long experience with real patients, no longer hassle patients about their weight, say that they feel that if a fat patient could have lost weight permanently, they would have done so already!<br /><br />So your husband is right to ask the question he did.<br /><br />--Bill Fabrey<br />Woodstock, NYBill Fabreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09876367339666651900noreply@blogger.com