The Ridiculing of Fat People.

Fat people suffer discrimination from all aspects of life. According to America Obesity Association, approximately 196 million adults in U.S are overweight. This could probably mean that about two thirds of the American population has gone through some sort of humiliation or made fun of by other people for being overweight. There are many stereotypes about fat people that are negative and not entirely true. This includes stereotypes that fat people are greedy, lazy, stupid, have no self-control and so on and so forth. These stereotypes degrade fat people because they destroy people's individuality and emphasize only on the negative qualities. However the most offensive stereotype around is that fat people don't mind it when people make fun of them. The character in "Snacks" is continuously being made fun of and treated unfairly by people around him. Although he keeps his feelings repressed, he clearly detests the constant teasing from his peers.

English: Drew Carey in his U.S. Marines uniform. S...

Cover of Dirty Jokes and Beer: Stories of the Unre...

Drew Carey in November 2008

In short, the story "Snacks" by Sam Lipsyte goes against the stereotype that fat people don't mind it when people make fun of them.

The stereotype that fat people don't take offense when people make fun of them completely disrespects people who are overweight. It is without doubt that fat people are constantly made fun of their entire life as long as they remain overweight. This continues to happen even though every man and woman deserve equal treatment in this country because society still thinks it is alright to ridicule fat people. The cause of this is media's role in portraying fat people in movies, comedy programs, talk shows and so forth as weaklings who do not fight back when people tease them. Thus, society assumes that fat people are not offended when people make fun of them.

People who are overweight have to live with stereotypes in...