Originally Posted by dd992emo
Aren't they all just words? I'm a little heavy and if I choose to be offended by the word "fat", that's a choice on my part. You can say words describing people of color, heavy people, people who don't get around as well as you and I, people of different orientations...blah, blah, blah. But they're all just words.
Life's a b*tch, wear a helmet...oops, b*tch is derogatory, isn't it?
I didn't intend to sound like I was being critical or judgmental. It was just an observation. Still, got flamed. But that's life on F/T.
I, too, hate the endless "politically correct" labels. Sometimes what "they" come up with is worse than what it's meant to replace. I still think that calling someone "fat" is derogatory, but think "p.o.s." is ridiculous. Unfortunately I have no solution, nor would I suggest one at the risk of the scorch marks I'd probably receive here. I just know that look on the face of my best friend when someone refers to him as "fat". Maybe it's all in the tone and context of use. Maybe some people are more sensitive than others. Maybe the teasing he got as a child was excessive. But maybe we need to start seeing people more for what they are and less for what they look like. As I noted, I'm sure the OP didn't mean any offense.
Moving on to the next discussion: How to solve the world's problems. Film at 11.
And to keep this on topic, I also agree that the airlines need a real policy on the subject. It's obvious that some people take up more space than others and, IMHO, it's a matter of safety and comfort for all pax.