Items

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  2022-01-18

  Is ‘fat positivity’ healthy or dangerous? COVID puts the question in stark relief

  This is a news story from New York Daily News by Cathy Young. This is an opinion piece questioning what body positive activists have been claiming about obesity and COVID, with many claiming weight has little to no effect on recovering from COVID. Quoting the CDC, Young says that obesity puts people at greater risk of dying from COVID than those of normal weight. Other parts of this opinion piece deal with the language surrounding the body positive movement, and how there is no distinction made between listening to medical advice and getting harassed. The author says that this is a major issue because it makes it so people reject sound medical advice at the expense of their own health. She says that while outright harassment is cruel, genuine concern and wanting people to improve their well-being is not. There is also criticism towards feminist writers in this article, such as Kate Manne, a philosophy professor from Cornell University, that claims all dieting is "morally bad." Young acknowledges that dieting can be unhealthy, but it is not unhealthy in and of itself. She thinks that if you have realistic goals, maintaining a healthy weight is not impossible. At the end, Young explains that this body positivity movement is destructive towards people, and that those struggling with weight issues should be met with compassion, but not "acceptance." This essay shows some of the social impacts of COVID. With some people reporting weight gain during lockdowns, it is easy to see why body positivity would be encouraged as a result. Though, since obesity puts one at higher risk for more complications with COVID, or any other disease for that matter, it should not be encouraged, in my own opinion. It is one thing to be shaped differently, it is quite another to accept being obese when it poses many health risks.
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  2022-03-10

  Politics wrecked America’s response to COVID. Don’t let it put transgender kids in danger, too

  This is a news story from The San Francisco Chronicle, written by Stephen M. Rosenthal and Diane Ehrensaft. This is an opinion piece comparing the government response to COVID and the politics surrounding it to ruining the response. The authors warn that following politics over science is dangerous. It later goes on to talk about the anti-trans legislation being passed through different states, such as: Idaho, Texas, and Florida. The authors believe that science proves that trans kids have no real threat from puberty blockers. A study is also quoted, where it says that gender affirming care for trans youth is linked to lower instances of depression. The point of this article is not so much about COVID itself, but fear of what was done during the peak of COVID being repeated on other types of legislation, and in this case, using politics over science with trans kids.
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  2020-11-19

  Canadian Mink Farms Should Be Shut-down due to Covid-19

  As minks have shown the ability to contract Covid-19, many countries have attempted to cull mink populations. This opinion piece covers the topic of Mink farms in Canada, suggesting that the federal government should take the opportunity to end the practice during the pandemic. This is due to animal rights abuses, decline in the industry, and possible new mutations. Hamer states, "If the Canadian government is serious about building Canada’s economy back better and more resilient, it should help this declining industry transition."