Thin privilege is getting the “at least you’re not fat as well” speech from doctors.

I’m a naturally thin person who suffers joint pain and stiffness as a result of developmental hip dysplaysia (DDH). For the past six months or so I have also been underweight as a result of another medical condition.

Every time I see a doctor about my hip pain I get a little speech about how it will all be OK because I don’t weigh much so it won’t get worse as quickly as it would in a larger person. (I have no idea if this is true or not, it’s just something I get told a lot. Even if it is true, weight loss would not fix the underlying issue and treatment would still be needed.) Of all the doctors I have seen since being diagnosed, all but one have mentioned my weight in this context.

I also hear similar things from other people with my condition. Every time I’ve spoken to someone else with DDH in person they have either commented on my weight, or mentioned that doctors have commented on their weight.

I hate to think how this would play out for someone who is considered to be “too large” by doctors. It’s taken me twelve years to get even the promise of treatment and I wasn’t asked to do anything difficult or impossible before other options were considered. Good luck to anyone who has been asked to lose weight as a “treatment” for DDH or related conditions. I hope you find a doctor who takes you seriously and doesn’t get hung up on weight loss.