Friend Making Monday: Have You Ever Been Stereotyped?

Good morning, everyone! It's Friend-Making Monday today. I have only participated in this event once but I would like to do it every week. It's a thang where you answer some questions and then post a link to your answers back to the original blog that posted the question, which is this blog: All The Weigh.

And this question is a good one. It is ... 

Have you ever been the victim of stereotyping?  If so, will you elaborate?  What do you wish people thought of you as they notice you for the first time?

Wow, good one! Yes, I think I have been the victim of stereotyping. I feel this a lot, actually. I think people assume that I am a little less smart and not that capable, because of being overweight. I think people think that fat people are kind of dumb, and not with it. Like a big jolly old lady.

I may be fat, but I sure ain't jolly! Image by Katherine Scribbles

I felt this sometimes this when I was teaching, with a couple of my colleagues. They would not treat me as an equal, even though my knowledge base and teaching skill was as good as theirs.  I would sometimes be excluded from conversations where I should have been included. It wasn't everyone, at all, but some people who seemed especially image-conscious. I had to work harder to prove myself, I think, because of the weight.

I have also been stereotyped as not caring about nutrition and loving junk food. We were doing a fun survey with the kids for a project and one of the questions we all asked each other was what we liked better: a meal at McDonald's or a meal at a fine restaurant. We had to guess each others tastes. My colleague guessed that I liked McDonald's. Let me just say here that I detest McDonald's.

I used to sometimes feel it at the grocery store, too. People might see junk food in my cart and assume it was for me but I was actually the one trying to be healthy. The junk food was for my stepsons and my husband. My husband had never eaten a vegetable in his life until he met me. Now he's eating healthy!

I wish people could know that I am smart and a deep thinker and not lazy and that I know a lot about nutrition, even though I sometimes overeat. And that I have not always been overweight and I am not jolly!

And you know what? Those who know me, know this already. And those who make assumptions, well, it's your loss!

Well, this is such an excellent topic. I think weight stigma is a real impediment to losing weight sometimes. When we think people are thinking bad about us, it can lead to us closing up and not wanting to try. 

I have read studies that document that there is a definite prejudice in the workplace towards heavier people. I think it's wrong and is just like discriminating against someone for colour or gender. Great topic for FMM!

Now, if you want to take part, copy and paste this question, and the graphic and then go ahead and put a link to the All the Weigh blog. It'd be great if you could let me know, here, too, if you took part.

Okay, one more thing after my rant, ha ha! I actually did menu planning! 

Here's my menu plan for the week. I only plan dinners. Breakfasts and lunches are kind of the same everyday, pretty much. It could change a bit but at least it's a game plan. I will post recipes later if I have time but these are all my own recipes.

Menu Plan, Image by Bunky's Pickle

MENU PLAN FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Beef Stew w/ Toast

Tuesday: Chicken Stir Fry w/ Rice

Wednesday: Chicken/Beef Burgers with Fries/Salad

Thursday: Perogies w/  Low Fat Sausages & Onions

Friday: Healthy Chicken Fettuccine

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Tuna Salad/Hamburgers and Poutine

Okay, so there it is. On Wednesday, the chicken burger and salad is for me. The Burgers and Fries are for my gorgeous husband. And Sunday, same deal: salad for me and poutine and burgers for m.g.h.

Happy Monday, everyone. Have an awesome week!