NationStates Jolt Archive

I was reading this (http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/2007/12/13/obese/index.html) blog post about this (http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/efan04004/) study.

What's curious is how discriminating this discrimination is. The 2004 study found that for white men their weight had no effect on their wages. And as African-American men got heavier, their wages actually rose. Black women with healthy weights earned more than their thinner counterparts and though heavy black and Latina women did experience a wage gap, it wasn't nearly as large as that of white women. So while some women and men can happily pinch an inch without fear of it decreasing their earning power, white women enjoy special treatment. Why would this be? The earlier study suggested the difference in white women's wages might be explained in terms of their own self-esteem, since according to previous research, white women's self-esteem is closely linked to their weight. But when they controlled for self-esteem, researchers found that the wage differential remained.

How come fat white women are disrespected so much? Is it because the white men in charge think women only exist to please them?

Some people will argue that fat is bad. Of course it is, but many people are fat because they have no self esteem. Cutting them down isn't a good way to help them lose weight. I don't think people who argue that fat shouldn't be accepted because it's unhealthy really care about the health of fat people. They're just trying to rationalize.

White trash, probably.

Rosie O'Donnell begs to differ. :p

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Wow, what an interesting study. I think this should be looked into more!

Probably the image associated with fat white women. The stereotype being fat spoiled ineffective Suburbanites who can't work and eat all day and aren't very pleasant to be around (that's not actually true, but it is an image I think comes to some peoples minds.) By comparison, black women who are fat are stereotyped as being above average in intelligence, attitude, self-esteem, and charming affectation, fat white men are stereotyped as wealthy, powerful fat cats, and fat black men are stereotyped as genial, harmless, and helpful, while by comparison their thinner counterparts are viewed subconsciously as threatening and likely criminals and malcontents, primarily because of criminal activity in inner cities from young black men. Of course, if you're well known by somebody this will become less of a factor.

That's the best explanation I can come up with. I may be wrong on some points or even all of this, but that's just the way it seems to be as far as I can tell.

Click Stand;13452028']How can they set up a control for self esteem. Is there some sort of Esteem-o-meter that I haven't heard of.

Self esteem runs so deep into our subconscious that it is nearly immeasurable without said device.

Well, you would have them do a little standardized test for it (which you could probably do a study on the validity of, but hopefully they reported that) and then they control for it with magical statistical tests. That is how psychology works. I learned it in a class and promptly forgot it all.

How can they set up a control for self esteem. Is there some sort of Esteem-o-meter that I haven't heard of.

Self esteem runs so deep into our subconscious that it is nearly immeasurable without said device.

Huh. I would have guessed Mexicans.

Huh. I would have guessed Mexicans.

Fat white women can't climb a fence.

Fat white women can't climb a fence.
Maybe not, but if that fence is between them and an All You Can Eat Buffet, they'll tear it down just to get through.

Maybe not, but if that fence is between them and an All You Can Eat Buffet, they'll tear it down just to get through.

Perhaps they should just walk *on top* of the glass ceiling. I guarantee a break-through.

Health care costs.

I don't know, fat white women seem to be the worst at carrying their extra weight.

Previous studies have shown that attractive people earn more than ugly people, so I'd assume it's related to that.

Click Stand;13452028']How can they set up a control for self esteem. Is there some sort of Esteem-o-meter that I haven't heard of.

Self esteem runs so deep into our subconscious that it is nearly immeasurable without said device.

Trust me, they've devised away, along with "empirical" measurements of life satisfaction and racist tendencies. The one on racist tendencies measures a persons reaction time (in milli-seconds) to faces of various races. It's crap. As you've guessed, there is no empirical way to measure these things. Half of modern psychology is utter bullshit. There's a reason it's not my major anymore.

Perhaps they should just walk *on top* of the glass ceiling. I guarantee a break-through.

Congrats on winning "the joke of the thread".

Your cheque is in the mail.