Carleton University has students and some faculty upset over a decision to remove scales for its gym because, according to one students, “scales are very triggering” for people with eating disorders. Some asked if mirrors would be next. However, that decision was already made in one dorm in Bucknell University where mirrors were covered in an effort to promote “body positivity” and “self-love.” Various schools have similarly adopted “mirrorless Mondays” to combat eating disorders and triggering episodes.
Students and some faculty have launched a campaign #bringbackthescale” while Bruce Marshall, manager of wellness programs at Carleton, “we will weigh the pros and cons and may reconsider our decision.”
One approach would be to leave it up to individual students on whether they want to use a scale but not remove scales because some students could be “triggered.” Indeed, Marshall indicated that the decision was not based on any complaints over the presence of mirrors in the gym.
It seems that from speech restrictions to equipment removals, universities are increasingly allowing those with heightened sensitivities to dictate conditions on campuses. I think that campaigns to address eating disorders are laudatory and important. However, blocking mirrors for other students or removing scales is not, in my view, a logical or fair approach to this very real problem.
What do you think?
I hope these overweight students don’t overlap with the demographic which is upset about a “cheeto haired” president.
I also hope these kids find the guidance they need to become productive members of society.
Fat doesn’t matter if you can do your job. Merit!
Ya know, I didn’t read the article until after- and realize my comment about the president is slightly off. Although it’s not like there isn’t precedent for foreigners harping on US politics.
Steg said, “Fat doesn’t matter if you can do your job. Merit!”
Tell that to the Hooters waitresses and flight attendants who had perfect attendance records and excellent job performance, yet were fired because they were too heavy (fat, whatever). They lost their lawsuits …
Merit doesn’t matter unless employees can CYA by having compromising photos of their boss in a vault somewhere …
Hooters waitresses are, to a degree, performers. If you’re heavy, you’re not right for the part, and your job performance is non-excellent.
WELL this falls into my opinion zone of “employer has the right to run their business as they see fit”.
They OUGHT to be allowed to say “no fat chicks will be hired”. Let them air their preferences, and those who find it objectionable shall go elsewhere for tits and wings.
Ya know, that whole ‘freedom’ thing again. PERHAPS a business will open with a sign, “ONLY fat chicks will be hired,” and we will see the market compete for share.
They don’t say it outright, but the metric for Hooter’s gal’s merit is attractiveness. You ought to be able to state your preferences outright, and run your business to your liking.
Looks like the insanity, prevalent in the US, has now spread to our neighbor to the north–Canada. Like a cancer, this insanity, fostered and nurtured in the US, has metastasized. And silly me. . .I thought that the Canadians, in general, were far more astute and civilized to fall for this load of crap. Oh, that’s right–I forgot about its pretty boy, know-nothing, airhead prime minister. It appears as though Canadians do, in fact, have a fondness for loads of crap.
Sorry, dropped the word, ‘eye’
I think it’s once again, a policy of a few people thinking they are more “kind” and “thoughtful” of those poor creatures beneath them. The creatures do not know better so the few in charge will make the decisions. There is evil lurking and eventually young people will be thoroughly programmed.
So very much agreed, this is just beyond flipping absurd. Whither the grownups? I guess the good news is, because they can’t look anything in the in life, these annoying kids probably won’t live into old age. 😛 Hopefully the rest of us still have some good years left after that.
I confess. I do get ‘triggered’ at the doctor’s office when I get on the scale. But the clinic never offers to take the scale out of the room, or skips the data grabbing monstrous procedure.
No really, maybe we should have mandatory 2 year military service for our young people like Israel,
that way they could ‘de-flake’ them and use it to get them into shape.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Fifty years ago life was tougher for college age adults in America. Take the case of Sam Stone for example. The song is by John Prine. He was out singing in Saint Louis last night.
“Sam Stone”
Sam Stone came home,
To his wife and family
After serving in the conflict overseas.
And the time that he served,
Had shattered all his nerves,
And left a little shrapnel in his knee.
But the morphine eased the pain,
And the grass grew round his brain,
And gave him all the confidence he lacked,
With a Purple Heart and a monkey on his back.
[Chorus:]
There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where all the money goes,
Jesus Christ died for nothin’ I suppose.
Little pitchers have big ears,
Don’t stop to count the years,
Sweet songs never last too long on broken radios.
Mmm….
Sam Stone’s welcome home
Didn’t last too long.
He went to work when he’d spent his last dime
And Sammy took to stealing
When he got that empty feeling
For a hundred dollar habit without overtime.
And the gold rolled through his veins
Like a thousand railroad trains,
And eased his mind in the hours that he chose,
While the kids ran around wearin’ other peoples’ clothes…
[Chorus]
Sam Stone was alone
When he popped his last balloon
Climbing walls while sitting in a chair
Well, he played his last request
While the room smelled just like death
With an overdose hovering in the air
But life had lost its fun
And there was nothing to be done
But trade his house that he bought on the G. I. Bill
For a flag draped casket on a local heroes’ hill.
[Chorus]
I wonder if Mr. Marshall appreciates his play on words. What’s next? Remove basketball nets because they offend (or “trigger?) short people? Close barbershops because they trigger the bald? Folks wonder why college is so expensive. Take the featherbedding out of the administration and costs come down. BTW I thought Trigger was the name of Roy Rogers’ horse. The horse probably had more sense than some college administrators.
Carleton is now on the feces list.
(music- to tune of the Blame Game.
Weeny weeny bo beanie
banana fanna fo steamy.
If your kid is dumb and hasn’t gone lame.
Avoid the draft and get him a dame.
Its college , bollage, f fo holladge.
That’s the only rule which gives one dotage.
If all these poor emotionally scarred individuals keep getting “triggered” how is it that I have never heard about any of them spontaneously exploding? Maybe they have defective triggers…
”Maybe they have defective triggers…”
hey, there’s hope!
1. I hate scales they are depressing. The best way is do your clothes fit or not. The only diet worth mentioning is four words. Eat less, Excercise more. Feel sorry for yourself. Get over it. See all these fabulously beautiful people dying like flies this last year? It’s a disease called snowflakeitis. and like stupidity the only sure cure is death.
They spend too much time linking words together to make excuses for their shitty lot in life without stopping to think the biggest problem in life is themselves. The weakness is ‘being weak.’
Really dumb!
Provide mental health counseling. As well as slimming advice…
It’s no longer a matter of what offends the public or society as a whole. The least significant are now the ruling class. Stomp your foot and cry, and it’s all yours.
Schools should ban mirrors so that vampires don’t feel out of place when they are the only ones who can’t see their own reflection.
As for scales, they should not be removed, and the school administrators must sing “Weight ’til the Sun Shines Nellie”.
My God, man up.
The school is doing these students a disfavor by even listening and the fathers of these “children” should hold themselves in shame for allowing their sons to become such sissies. Every generation before these students had more fortitude at 13 years old then these students have as adults.
Hi Darren,
This would make for an interesting article:
https://www.law360.com/classaction/articles/900548/sex-toy-maker-settles-vibrator-privacy-suit-for-3-75m?nl_pk=7800bbd4-6659-4d8a-a4c9-56dd52e39b52&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=classaction
I’ll take a look at it and if not already discussed I’ll see what I can do for next weekend.
I find reality very triggering. If someone could please suggest a way to block or prevent reality, I would be greatly appreciative.
Thanking you all in advance.
It’s called ‘social media’, though I don’t think you’ll enjoy the side effects of living in a world where no one is connected to reality.
This has become ridiculous, and it won’t stop until some Mentally Stable Adults stop it. These people have a Mental Illness and to FORCE the remaining citizens in this country to accept their sick beliefs is what has become Unacceptable. It’s about far more than what is fair or logical. To prevent slighting anyone, we’d have to sit deaf, dumb, blind and senseless so as not to offend anyone, and then our mere existence would become offensive. I’m not even getting into all those ridiculous accommodating pronouns….
It may sound insensitive but if students are this troubled by everyday items it would seem that they need a counseling and psychiatric care. Students without these issues also use these facilities. Why aren’t their needs, concerns or wishes being addressed. Maybe they need scales to watch their weight and keep healthy. I just don’t see how this is a rational regulation.
The students need leadership. They are young, naive and out of their element.
The ones that need psychiatric care are the faculty members and directives.
Bull and ****. We are talking about the most basic of coping skills. Two year-old children handle things better than these young ‘adults’.
Also agreed. Just 15 years ago, this type of behavior could get a person committed. What we have normalized in America is going to be our undoing.
I am really glad I predate triggering, micro-aggressions, being a snowflake, charges of cultural appropriation, safe spaces… and all related silliness
Is a fatty going to look any better because he/she doesn’t know their exact weight?
Fat is fat.