A sweeping controversy has erupted over this picture of two overweight women in wheelchairs -- and its bold caption
The most controversial post on Reddit Wednesday morning was a picture of two women in wheelchairs sitting in front of a little boy — also in a wheelchair — watching a basketball game.
At first glance, nothing about it seems too exciting, but the title accompanying the picture that Imgur user Stink3y3 posted was, "Being fat is not a disability."
According to Stink3y3, the picture was taken when he took his disabled son to see the Harlem Globetrotters at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri for the park's Star Spangling Banner Festival. When the pair got to the accessible seating section, two women were already in the front row.
"I'm sorry, but being obese is not a disability," he wrote on the picture. "The ladies blocking my son's view [...] are both rolling around in power chairs that they rented today from the venue."
He said he could tell their power chairs were rented because each had a number on the bottom of the chair.
A spokesperson for Silver Dollar City confirmed to Business Insider that the power chairs or electric conveyance vehicles (ECVs) pictured were rented at the festival. "We provide these rentals for the convenience of guests who request them and we do not question the guests regarding the nature of their need for the ECVs," the spokesperson told us.
"Of course I don't know their medical diagnosis," Stink3y3 wrote. "However, note the numbers on the bottom of their power chairs. These were rented the day of the event from the venue. These women didn't come to the park in a chair, which tells me that their 'condition' is not one that requires a more permanent solution for mobility."
The Reddit user said that he just wanted the women to be more considerate and "let the smaller kids move to the front."
The picture is already gaining a lot of attention after only being posted on Tuesday and at the time of this post has over 8,000 comments on Reddit and 2,000 comments on Imgur. Commenters on Imgur and Reddit are very divided over the image and accompanying commentary.
Many commenters insisted that Stink3y3 should have just asked for the women to move out of his son's way, while others were saying that people blocking your view is just a part of going to a sporting event.
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
There were plenty of commenters, however, that took Stink3y3's side.
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
Still other commenters accused Stink3y3 of fat shaming the women, arguing that it was impossible to know why they needed to be in the scooters in the first place.
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
Comment from discussion Being fat is not a disability..
"So, in summary: You didn't talk to them, they didn't block the view, you don't know if they're disabled, but you enjoy internet fat-shaming," one Imgur commenter also wrote.
Though obesity is currently not recognized as a disability, there is some serious discussion in the medical and legal communities over whether or not it should be. There are "obesity-associated disabilities" that are medical problems asociated with being overweight, and research shows that people who are already disabled are more likely to become obese than the general population.
Stink3y3 later updated his original post to say that he and his son had fun the rest of the day at the festival.
Business Insider had reached out to the Imgur user and will update if we hear back. You can read the full transcribed photo caption from Imgur below (emphasis ours):
My son's in a wheelchair so this is a common occurrence for us. Get tickets to a fun event for the kids. Load my son in the van, load his wheelchair, unload his wheelchair upon arrival, unload my son, get him seated in the wheelchair, and finally arrive at the "accessible seating" section only to find this.
I'm sorry, but being obese is not a disability. The ladies blocking my son's view (oh and I'm sure they're SUPER stoked for that front row view of the Harlem Globetrotters /sarcasm) are both rolling around in power chairs that they rented today from the venue.
So in the future, when you're at an event and you see the accessible seating area - just remember that there are probably some kiddos in there who's parents just want to give them the opportunity to experience live events in much the same fashion the kids without special needs can.
Please be considerate and let the smaller kids move toward the front.
[edit #1] Of course I don't know their medical diagnosis. However, note the numbers on the bottom of their power chairs. These were rented the day of the event from the venue. These women didn't come to the park in a chair, which tells me that their "condition" is not one that requires a more permanent solution for mobility.
[edit #2] In most cases, I would simply maneuver my son in front of folks like this as he's much smaller and wouldn't impede anyone's view. In this case though, the accessible seating area was very small and clearly an afterthought at the event. Moving him to the front would have required me to inconvenience/move a lot of folks and just wasn't worth it. The show, used nearly all of the floor space so luckily the action that was blocked by the women in front of him was limited.
[edit #3] Yes, this was at Silver Dollar City in Branson, MO and yes we he had a great time regardless! http://imgur.com/gallery/gI2tPdr
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