People discriminate against others because of anything and everything -- I really think it's their own insecurities showing.

When I was in school, I was the "Pollack" (my mother is from Poland, and I grew up in a small German-American community in mid-Ohio), daughter of a factory worker (and fairly poor), an egg-head (smart), and skinny (really, really skinny).

I responded by becoming proud of every one of those traits (reverse snobbery?!).

However, when I hit my teens I got acne really bad -- and that was one thing I was unable to shake off -- and the ugly taunts still bother me -- to this day, I feel unattractive.

I guess my point is, discrimination hits everyone at some point -- and it's how we react to it that makes the difference. Be it weight, race, gender, intelligence, national origin, whatever -- if we're content with the "difference" then no one can really bother us -- but when we're unhappy with it, then it's misery.

I had no problem getting jobs when I was overweight -- but then I was intelligent and hard-working AND I KNEW IT -- I think my attitude always carried me. Many times I got job offers and/or promotions over my slimmer counterparts -- but I was better at the job and I never felt otherwise -- I never felt that my excess weight had anything to do with my work ability.

But I still have problems posing for a picture or meeting people in a social situation ... I still feel ugly, and not a person anyone wants to deal with socially....