Oprah Winfrey says she was treated differently for being overweight: There's stigma
Oprah Winfrey talks about weight stigma. Photograph:( Instagram )
Story highlights
Oprah Winfrey candidly addresses weight stigma and her personal struggles during a panel discussion, highlighting societal biases and sharing her views on self-acceptance.
Oprah Winfrey candidly addresses weight stigma and her personal struggles during a panel discussion, highlighting societal biases and sharing her views on self-acceptance.
Oprah Winfrey, the renowned media mogul, recently hosted a candid panel discussion titled "The Life You Want Class: The State of Weight" on Oprah Daily. During this thought-provoking conversation, Winfrey delved into the global obesity and weight crisis, a challenge that affects a staggering 2 billion adults worldwide. She was joined by a panel of experts, including obesity specialists Dr Fatima Cody Stanford and Dr Melanie Jay, psychologist Dr Rachel Goldman, and Sima Sistani, the CEO of WeightWatchers.
During the panel, Oprah shared her personal journey with weight stigma and the challenges she has faced. She opened up by revealing, "You all know I’ve been on this journey for most of my life. My highest weight was 237 lbs. I don’t know if there is another public person whose weight struggle has been exploited as much as mine over the years."
The media icon continued, discussing her recurring battle with weight, saying, "You all have watched me diet and diet and diet because my body always seems to want to go back to a certain weight."
Winfrey also shed light on the societal treatment of people based on their weight, saying, "This is a world that has shamed people for being overweight forever. And all of us who’ve lived it know that people treat you differently, they just do."
She went on to recount her experiences with weight stigma, particularly while shopping. Winfrey explained, "It’s that thing where people are like, 'Let me show you the gloves. Would you like to look at the handbags? Because we know that there’s nothing in here for you.' There is a condescension. There is stigma."
The TV personality also shared her perspective on the concept of accepting one's body as it is, stating, "Shouldn't we all just be more accepting of whatever body you choose to be in? That should be your choice. Even when I first started hearing about the weight loss drugs, at the same time I was going through knee surgery, and I felt, 'I've got to do this on my own.' Because if I take the drug, that's the easy way out."
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