Discrimination can be in many forms. Sometimes its overt and sometimes insidious (I can use big words today but needed spell checker's help) and sometimes hidden away. But now health discrimination based on weight? That's taking it a bit too far.
A chef from South Africa was told by New Zealand authorities that he was too fat to live there. He has been there for six years and has lost 66 pounds since arriving. He now weighs 286 lbs which is not healthy unless he was really, really tall. Upon renewing his annual work visa, he was told his weight would cause health problems and they didn't want him. A little ironic since obesity is a big problem with 30% of New Zealanders being obese....
This is clear health discrimination. So what if I decided to move to New Zealand with my health background? Would I be welcomed? I have many more health problems than being fat. I would be a burden to any health care system....
So seriously New Zealand. Really? If 30% of your population is obese maybe its time to work on your national health guidelines instead of singling out a chef who has actually lost a fair amount of weight.
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Now on to happier news. I always wonder if anyone reads my blog and anyone cares about what I write. But apparently people do read it and do care. I am honored to say my blog was just named as one of the top 24 breast cancer blogs of 2013 by Healthline. I have a perky new label on the right and you can read about all the other blogs which also named here. I recommend following them to keep up on some great stories with coping with breast cancer.
2 comments:
todo lo que debes saber sobre la quimioterapia aqui:
http://es.shvoong.com/medicine-and-health/radiation-oncology/2382193-la-quimioterapia/
Hi Caroline! First of all, congratulations to you and your blog for the recognition. The answer is a resounding 'YES', people do care about you and what you write. I hope you will continue to write about your experiences, feelings and thoughts and inspire people through your writing.
I share the same opinion with you about the chef in New Zealand. It is indeed pure discrimination! I didn't know before today that they have one of the highest obesity rates in the developed world. This definitely should be addressed from a national level and I don't think it's fair to single out this man. Thanks for sharing the article!
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