burqas:

we were in class and there was a knock at the door. people had come from to talk to us about OneMatch: the stem cell and marrow network. they’re always looking for donors. we all got pamphlets and I was very interested in signing up. I figured because I’m not eligible to give blood, the least I could do was get them to swab the inside of my mouth. upon asking some questions and opening the pamphlet, I saw that there was a height/weight requirement chart. the chart states the ‘maximum’ weight for each potential donor of each height if they want to even be considered.

the chart can be seen here as a pdf file.

this really upset me, but it didn’t surprise me. these people spent upwards of twenty minutes preaching and essentially begging us to join and become potential donors because of how desperately they’re needed in the system (especially non-white males) and yet they turn people away. perfectly healthy people. just because of their weight. there is nothing physically wrong or abnormal about me. my cholesterol is normal, my blood pressure is perfect every time I go to the doctor. and yet the have the gall to beg and plead for donors. they are turning away thousands of potential donors with that weight requirement.

this is thin privilege. this is fatphobia. I don’t really know how else I can clearly state that.