So, there's a blog and blogger out there that isn't my cup of tea... but like a train wreck, it's just something that I can't turn away from. The media, the whining, the cupcakes, the not losing weight in YEARS.... it's just all strange to me.
I was blogging and not losing for a period of 2 months and felt like a jackass. Remember this little period of my life:
http://missapril-30before30.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-dont-even-want-to-push-publish-button.html
I don't understand blogging for years and not losing any weight. I guess when I say this community is a great support and good friendly cyber ass kicking when I need it - I mean it. If I wasn't utilizing it for that and being genuinely helped in the process, I would leave. My blog is much more than weight loss, there's a whole list of things I'm working on... however, that has become a primary focus. As much as I adore all of you, if I was blogging just to blog and talk about cupcakes and getting my nails done - I would find myself to be pointless and go out and live my life, posting not included. I'm rational like that though... not everyone is.
So anyhow, back to the train wreck that I can't stop watching......... It blogged about hating Southwest Airlines a few times now. I commented on the one in December, but I was quite careful with my words. I was very diplomatic because I know that only 'nice' comments are actually posted on this particular blog. Here is what I said, and really... I meant it (at the time):
December 1, 2011 at 10:39 am
, I’m sorry you had to experience this. I’m glad you are
speaking out about it in a public forum as awareness and action needs to
be taken.
The strange thing is that Southwest is my airline of choice. I only
fly Southwest and I fly a couple times a year. For work trips, I tell
them to book Southwest even though the airport is 4 hours away vs. the
one 2 hours away with other airlines. They treat me so well. I’m
always a little nervous when I get in line, but it’s mostly looks from
other customers. The agents are always very nice and treat me just like
everyone else, even at my highest weight of 333 to my weight when I
flew with them last week of 260.
http://missapril-30before30.blogspot.com/2011/10/some-observations-from-vacation.html
*That’s a post from my recent trip to Vegas. Item #1 talks about my
only interaction from SWA staff and he was so nice and discreet about
it.
Don’t get me wrong, , (or other readers)… I’m not trying to
invalidate your feelings or the gravity of the situation you experienced
with them. I think it just goes to show it is a ‘gamble’. Maybe
you’ll be treated well, maybe you won’t. Maybe you’ll be humiliated or
maybe you’ll be treated like gold. On that same trip, when I was
checking my bags – the lady said, “hey do you want some drink tickets? A
guy had free ones, but didn’t want them.” Extra perks for a fat white
woman like myself…. and you get the devil’s treatment. It is horrible.
They do need their whole policy revamped, solidified and followed with
consistency.
You’re a trooper to give them a second chance, I don’t think I could
if I was treated like you were. I hold grudges, big time. Kudos for
speaking out, fight the good fight with this. I wish you well!
Ok, so at that time, I was genuinely sympathetic over the situation that she had (again). We have all had those days as fatties (I can say that because I am one, suckas!).... rude looks from staff, a snarky comment from an employee somewhere, being laughed at by a complete stranger... it happens. I think it does seem to be a gamble with Southwest or with anyone else really, you may not be treated well. That's life, right?! That particular post went all over the place and started making allegations that maybe the blogger was treated poorly because she was a fat, white woman. Would they treat a large black woman the same? Puh-lease!!! That is taking the victim card way too fuckin' far, in my personal opinion. That's why I added how I got the free drink tickets as a fat, white woman.
So, today's post says she is suing SWA. Not for money, of course. For attention! :) In my personal opinion, which I'm entitled to have... remember? Don't say I'm wrong or insult me or I'll sue you for no money because you violated my constitutional rights........... What.The.Fuck.Ever. I'm not sympathetic any more, I'm annoyed.
So, here's my comment from today after the lawsuit announcement:
Southwest continues to be my airline of choice, from when I was well over 300 pounds to now and in the future. I have never had a problem with them. I commented on your last post about it and I'll say it again. If you were that apprehensive about it, maybe you shouldn't have used the vouchers in the first place?! I wouldn't have given someone a second chance if I was that upset about being treated poorly. There are plenty of other airlines out there, but some people just can't turn down a freebie. It was your choice to accept the vouchers and use them. It was also your own behavior that had you at the same size on the second flight, potentially opening up the same criticism. A clear policy would be nice, but the world doesn't revolve around the feelings of obese people (mine included). Some airlines don't even have a 'customers of size' policy, so at least SWA has tried to address the issue. If a traveler has concerns about fitting into the seat or facing humiliation, there is a reason for that - it comes down to personal responsibility. I don't think it's their policy that is the culprit, it's probably a matter of employee training - which all large corporations could use a little more of on their bad days. Who knows, maybe something good will come out of this?
My guess is that it won't be published, but I could be wrong. I just don't know how much more clear the SWA policy could be - and I don't think it's the policy. It's employee training. So how would you make the policy more transparent than it is? You can't set a 'weight' limit. What if you're a big, muscular football player so you hit the weight limit? That isn't fair. You can't really set a more specific inches limit that would make any sense. What if you're the same football player who has broad shoulders and touches the top part of the next person's seat - do they have to buy two seats? That isn't fair.
I had to get this out there, if you have any opinions or potential remedies... let me know. I generally don't engage in this back and forth with other bloggers, it's really not a picture of who I am.... but when enough is enough, I've got to say something to get it off my mind.
I just flew with SWA for my birthday trip to Vegas two weeks ago and it was fantabulous! I also used them for my Albuquerque trip in March and that was fabulous. I'm booking my July trip to Seattle with them. I am possibly going to DC early August and will use them. Umm.... Los Angeles in the fall, New Orleans for my 12/12/12 trip - yup.... Southwest all the way, baby!! :) Life isn't fair. Suck it up, buttercup!
Jeez, only three days in to my return to blog land and I'm up in arms about something - go figure. Now, back to our regularly scheduled awesomeness!! :)
It's so ironic that I just deleted this blogger off of my blog roll yesterday because she wasn't inspiring me anymore. You did mention her name in the post above, but I knew who you were talking about before you said it. I know we all go through things in life and I tried to stick with her, but in the end I just chose not to read the blog anymore. I am at a point in my weight loss journey that I want to be inspired by other blogs I read and unfortunately it's just not the case right now. Maybe that will change in the future, but you have the choice to delete the blog too, it will probably make you feel better. :-)
ReplyDeleteI tend to give bloggers a little slack when they blog for years without losing weight. I won't criticize or condemn, though I will offer suggestions from my own experiences. Then I quietly walk away. Generalizing here: sometimes readers assume that everything the blogger writes is *everything* about themselves/their private lives (omitting certain things that would better explain the problems with not being able to lose weight, for example) and sometimes the blogger hasn't yet dug deep enough to find out where their problems lie and try to find ways to place the blame elsewhere. It's happened to most, if not all, of us at one time or another.
ReplyDeleteOn the issue with the airlines, policies are enforced by individuals and individuals will use their *own* discernment when enforcing those policies. I've never had issues with needing to purchase an extra seat when flying but I still get nervous before I check in. Although I'm obese, my fat is mostly in my butt and abdomen; other folks have their fat in their hips and thighs. An agent with big hips might figure the passenger will fit in the seats fine because they would fit fine; a smaller agent would question that. Then again, the passenger sitting next to the obese person may complain that they were uncomfortable or the passenger may not. Too many variables and the obese passenger needs to remember that the airline has to take EVERYONE's comfort into account and that makes it impossible to answer why one agent let her go by and another didn't.
Sorry this is so long but I have a problem with obese people who believe the world should change for *them* because "the majority of the population" are obese.
I wish her the best of luck and I'm in total support of what she's doing. I've never experienced what she had to go through but from what I read it must have been really humiliating and no body deserves to be treated that way. I can't even begin to imagine how many people get treated this way across the globe but I'm pretty sure it's a hell of a lot.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happens in this lawcase, whether she wins it or not, I think the awareness of the case will definitely make airline companies think about how they treat their customers.
At the end of the day, if they don't treat their customers right, they'll lose business. This is also a good opportunity for airlines to target those who don't travel on planes because of their fear of how they'd be treated. If they can gain the trust of these non-fliers then this could be a win/win situation for everyone.
Good luck to her.
Yeah I read about that too, and while I am sorry she encountered a rude gate agent, she needs to sit in a chair and measure the width of her arse when seated. If the seat is 17" (which is standard...some are 17.5"), and her rear is more than 5" over that (you can squeeze a bit between arm rests but not much), she needs to buy another seat. My rear is 21" when seated...(I just pulled out the tape measurer and sat on it), but thankfully I travel with my itty bitty husband who doesn't mind if spill over a bit...ha!
ReplyDeleteMy husband told me the story of a flight he was on where these two very large ladies who were friends bought seats A & C on a flight that had 3 seats per side. Since he was standby, the gate agent gave him B, and he had to squish between them (he's 135lbs...itty bitty). He was so uncomfortable, and they said "we bought these seats thinking they wouldn't sell the one in between us". Wrong!... the whole flight they were munchin' on chips and getting stuff all over him because their arms were all up in his space too.
"Normal size" passengers deserve the same rights and comfort as the obese passengers...it's only fair if you can't fit in the seat, buy another one, or splurge on first class and get a wider seat.
I think by suing them she is going to force them to start measuring people's rears, or have a seat you have to sit in like they do for the carry on luggage to make sure you can fit. But I do agree that at the least, they need to better train the customer service reps/gate agents.
Welcome back! We've missed you!!
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ReplyDeleteShe's a joke. How many times is she going to remind her readers that she's "lost over a hundred pounds!" Yeah...great....but you still weigh twice as much as you should and you haven't made progress in over a year and all your posts are about traveling, nail polish and cupcakes so....
ReplyDeleteThe lawsuit is probably just a gimmick to recapture her rapidly diminishing readership. It appears she has gone the route that all trains eventually go, which is to only publish cheerleader rah-rah comments and never ever engage in any discussion that questions her motives or her behavior or her complete drop of the weight-loss ball. And anyone who takes her health and intelligenced seriously can only play along with this girl's lies and bragging for so long.
I haven't brought myself to read it yet (I am doing a 30 day trainwreck detox along with my Paleo 30 day! LOL) but I'm sure it's a treat!
I feel like I am going to have to bite my tongue. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteI don't agree that a lawsuit is the answer to what I think is really a problem with how SWA manages the issue. Yes, if you're large, two tickets should be purchased. However, there are more diplomatic ways of handling the issue at the gate. I guess what I disagree with is the vitriol with which this blogger is treated. I don't agree with her on most issues, and have stopped reading her blog for other reasons, but I do respect her for the fact that she has lost over 100 pounds, kept it off and developed a commitment to exercise. The last thing I would do is call her a "train wreck." It is so disheartening to see name calling when we all know how difficult and maintenance can be. I'm also not going to sit in judgment of the fact that she has not lost weight in the past year. Given the fact that I have been over 100 pounds overweight for 15 years and only this past year lost 80, I know how challenging this all is. But by the grace of God go I.
ReplyDeleteRead this, it will tell you a lot about this blogger:
ReplyDeletehttp://wantingwhatiget.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/fat-woman-gets-feelings-hurt-by-southwest-airlines-says-its-really-an-economic-issue-because-30-of-americans-are-obese/
Scroll down and read the comment from "Kenlie's ex-friend".
Norma and I have exchanged our views about this blogger whose revenues seems to come from blog sponsorship and lawsuits. That's fine but be honest about it! She will avoid any comment or question about how she makes a living or pays for all her travelling...and there is no "Kenlie Tiggeman" (or whatever she claims her name is) who shows up as a "Political Strategist" when googled. Why she perpetuates this charade is an interesting thing to ponder.
I agree with Norma that the latest post is a mere attempt to assuage her blog sponsors, as her numbers are dropping (much faster than her excess pounds) and she needs to show hits per page to keep her money rolling in. Again, there is nothing wrong with making money off of writing (I do it for a living--not blog writing but academic writing), but she seems to feel that her source of revenue is something shameful.
She's obviously a person in great pain to have arrived at the weight she is at, and to so openly lash out at anyone whose viewpoint differs from hers. (I saw her completely inappropriate and anger-filled response to your comment.) That kind of reaction only comes from years of self-hate. I'm sure when she turns off her laptop, she's no longer the bouncy fat girl she claims to be. There's a deeply troubled woman there, a very sad indeed.
I know her family, they are very greedy people and constantly telling sob stories so people and corporations can feel sorry for them and give them free stuf.
ReplyDelete