This sort of struck me the other day, when I was visiting a friend I hadn’t seen in quite a while. Along the conversation, she offered to make some tea, to which I agreed, since I love this beverage. However, when she asked “how much sugar” and I answered “none”, the next reaction was: “Oh, why that? Are you on a diet?”
It’s not that I feel insulted or anything, but I’ve been wondering. Since I can still be considered pretty much overweight, did her question have anything to do with this fact? Did it seem logical that I “had to be on a diet, due to my weight”? Is such a question asked to thin people too, or can they basically get away with it, just because they don’t have extra (and very visible) pounds to drop? Or is it that dieting is such engrained into our society nowadays that it’s assumed that everyone must be on one?
I guess that what puzzles me the most is the following fact: why will people think of a diet, instead of what is evidence made flesh–that, all that simply, I don’t like the taste of sugar in my tea?
January 21st, 2006 at 16:20
No, I don’t believe that a thin person would have been asked the diet question, but the questioner still would have asked something given her propensity for sugar in her own tea. People naturally question what they perceive to be different. I’m sure, in her mind, tea without sugar is a horrid idea, and doesn’t understand why anybody would willingly choose it. But that doesn’t change the fact that her perception of you, or your extra pounds rather, dictated the way she chose to question your preference. It was a judgment, but one of the like that we all commit on a daily basis, IMO.
Beverly
January 27th, 2006 at 08:33
I think now days alot of people diet. Could be fad, real need to, self esteem, ect. In a group of 10 people probably atleast 6 of them are dieting, were recently dieting, or are atleast watching what they eat.
January 29th, 2006 at 00:18
No, I don’t believe they would be and I would be offended.
February 13th, 2006 at 07:06
hmm well I’m a skinny person and I don’t really notice these types of questions. However, the other day, I was eating a bag of veggies (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, etc.) and one of my co-workers jokingly asked if I was on a diet. I think making healthier eating decesions in general make people stop and think… and maybe re-evaluate their own choices! Her next comment was “I should probably start eating healthier…” or something to that effect.