Click photo to enlarge
The illustration from Dr Dave Baldwin's book "Fitness to
Fly for Healthy Bastards" which was included in an Otago
District Health Board report on obesity management. Dr
Baldwin's book offered down-to-earth health advice for
aviators.
An illustration depicting the complications of obesity
was removed from an Otago District Health Board report on
obesity management after board member Judith Medlicott
described it as being on a par with a Nazi caricature of Jews.
The illustration, drawn by Bulls general practitioner and
aviation medicine specialist Dr Dave Baldwin, was from one of
his two books on men's health.
It was reproduced in the Otago Daily Times in August
in conjunction with an interview with Dr Baldwin.
Afterwards. the newspaper received several requests from
people who wished to use the illustration for educative
purposes because they appreciated its light-hearted approach.
Mrs Medlicott, in a letter tabled at the
Otago and Southland community and public health advisory
committee meeting held in Invercargill yesterday, said the
illustration brought fat people into ridicule and contempt.
It implied fat people were ugly, stupid, uncouth and
over-indulged in alcohol and unhealthy food, she said.
It was also in breach of the Human Rights Act because it
discriminated against disability.
Mrs Medlicott, who is not a member of the committee, said she
found it deeply offensive.
One of the authors of the report, Prof Barry Taylor,
apologised to Mrs Medlicott and any others who might have
been offended and agreed to remove the illustration.
He said it had been intended that the illustration would
supplement the text of the report and identify the
complications of being overweight, but he agreed that it
looked "somewhat uncouth".
He knew there were some well-dressed, significantly
overweight people and it did give the wrong impression.
Prof Taylor and fellow project team member Adele Knowles said
they would respond to Mrs Medlicott directly on the issue,
and a further question she raised about the outcomes of
bariatric surgery and mortality rates.
Dr Baldwin could not be reached for comment last night.
- elspeth.mclean@odt.co.nz
Obesity
I find people generalizing re overweight people offensive. Many larger people are beautiful and some skinny people are simply haggard and to my eye ugly - after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Judith Medilicott to my mind you are correct.
Obesity image
To liken Dr Baldwin's image to the style used by the Nazis against the Jews serves only to make any argument in favour of the image appear to support this ragime. Personally, I find the image to be more in the style of Spike Milligan, who fought against said Nazis.
Offensive or not?
Medlicott has the right to be offended. That doesn't make her right though.
Obesity ... a threat to everyone
Obesity is a growing problem and threatens everybody directly or indirectly with the cost of looking after these people as they grow older. While the picture is unrealistic it tells the story very well and it is super-sensitivity political correctness to object to it. The fat should not be criticised but everything should be done to prevent others being like they are.
obesity
The image doesn't offend me. I spend a bit of time at the hospital and I'm disabled (and fashionably thin . . .)
Have we lost-the-plot?
If anyone has ever seen reproductions of the caricatures Nazi Germany used to whip up anti-Semetic feeling in the 1930's, they would surely rate this effort around 2/10 on a scale of genuine offensiveness. What is it with this city, something in-the-water?
Obesity image labelled offensive
Another example of political correctness run amok...
Obesity image
I quote, "the illustration... was also in breach of the Human Rights Act because it discriminated against disability." Since when was being fat a 'disability'? How offensive to people with real disabilities. People with disabilities they cannot control. Disabilities they have no choice about. Disabilities that do not respond to a calorie controlled diet. Disabilities that do not allow them to walk, swim or cycle.