And these surgeries sadly aren't even the tip of the iceberg for what fat people are forced to endure because of this horrifically fatphobic world that would rather fat people be dead than alive and happy.
This "medical device" literally locks a person's jaw shut so that they physically cannot open their mouth to eat. The person is supposed to survive on a "liquid diet," but that doesn't work. It's starvation enforced by locking a fat person's mouth shut. I also purposefully chose this photo instead of the photo of it actually in a person's mouth because that photo is disturbing and horrifying as fuck.
Some quotes about the device:
University of Otago Health Sciences Pro-Vice-Chancellor Paul Brunton called it "an effective, safe and affordable tool for people battling ob*sity."
In the study, the authors say that the main barrier to successful weight loss with dietary advice and restriction is "poor patient adherence." DentalSlim does solve that problem, as people will be forced to adhere while their jaw is bolted shut.
I'm not even going to explain how the word "ob*se" is a slur because people on this website who even claim to be progressive have shown me that we apparently can't handle critical thinking about "a medical term" being bigoted and discriminatory.
What's so wickedly disgusting about that second quote is that there is no scientifically-proven method of long-term, sustainable weight loss. No matter how hard a person tries, no matter how much "willpower" they have, they will gain back the weight. The failure rate of weight loss within 3-5 years is 95%. I don't think a 5% success rate would exist if weight loss actually was "that easy" and "just a matter of willpower and lifestyle changes!!!! uwu" So that second quote is saying that because human bodies physically cannot intentionally lose weight long-term, it's okay to pretend it's a fat person's fault and punish them by locking their jaw shut so they can never eat or speak for as long as they're forced to wear that device.
There's also jaw wiring surgeries:
And then there's this horror:
This is literally, in all senses of the word, medically-approved bulimia 2.0
I'm disgusted the name of this device is "Aspire Assist" because it literally means "Aspire to be skinny and we'll totally help you achieve that we swear just give us your money 😇" This cruel device is used to make the process easier for a fat person to throw up in a toilet after eating. Because, you know, eating disorders don't count if the person is fat, right? I mean, that's what my own OBGYN implied to me when I told her I had been severely suicidal for two months and was starving for 8-12 hours a day due to anorexia. Being told that I was doing a good job and to "just do it in a slightly healthier way. Intermittent fasting is good as long as it's due to choice and not mood 😊" when I was struggling not to die was incredible. And all because I'm a fat person with PCOS, which just makes her words extra disgusting because PCOS causes weight gain and prevents weight loss, making that 95% failure rate even higher for me. But as long as a fat person has an eating disorder that gets the job done, that's all the world cares about.
Inserting a tube into a fat person's stomach so they can throw up with the press of a button is a-okay in this world that oppresses fat people so horribly, and in far more ways than just surgery. Which, by the way, fat people have these surgeries FORCED on us. If we want something like knee surgery or top surgery or what have you, we're told to somehow beat that 95% failure rate and to do so by literally mutilating our bodies if we have to. I will never forget the person who told me about their twin brother who needed an organ transplant and was told they wouldn't give it to him unless he did one of these surgeries. He refused and died because his doctors didn't value his life enough to give him an organ transplant while having a fat body. The NHS also decided a great way to save money was to not allow fat people medical care like surgeries until a fat person magically lost weight.
I implore everyone to read this post about the plethora of ways in which fat people's oppression is deadly and horrid. Not even supposedly "progressive" people talk about fat people's oppression. In fact, I have been harassed by "progressive" people who get angry that I dare to point out that fatphobia is a real form of oppression that is not lesser to other forms of oppression that people actually give a shit about. I have been told shit by "progressive" people like "You want to be oppressed so bad." Do you know how disgusting that is to say to a fat person who the world is actively trying to kill every day for daring to live with the body they were given and not conforming to the world's body and beauty standards?
Here is another post about the hypocrisies of people who claim fatphobia "doesn't exist" and other fatphobic rhetoric.
Here is a post that describes how much fatphobia runs rampant in the queer community. Now imagine how much fatphobia affects other marginalized communities as well.
Here is a post about how horrible diet culture is, which is mainly used to harm fat people and encourage fatphobia in the medical field and our societies.
Here is a post about how badly fat children are bullied yet are viewed in this world as the aggressors because their bodies are "intimidating."
And here is a podcast co-hosted by prominent fat activist Aubrey Gordon that debunks the wellness industry. She also has published two books about fatphobia and written articles online if you'd rather read than listen to a podcast. Though the podcast's website also has transcripts.
Please actually give a fuck about fat people. Stop using our bodies as your acceptable punching bags. Stop using our bodies as metaphors for evil and bigotry and "ugliness." Stop making all of your bigoted villains and corrupt politician cartoons and greedy CEO characters fat. Stop portraying police as fat people overeating donuts while you call those fat bigoted caricatures "pigs." Stop using Trump's fatness as symbolism and your "hilarious" "progressive" joke. Stop bullying fat children. Stop accepting fatphobia in progressive fields like social work. Stop selling progressive merchandise without plus sizes, and especially don't charge fat people extra to wear your damn "progressive" t-shirt.
If you do care about equality, then it's time to care about fat people instead of continuing to use us as the bottom rung of your ladder to the top. Fat people fucking matter.