rebuke?

[Defy V]

This reminds me of a story I told my husband today about my dad who when he was a teenager saw a homely girl at a dance and decided to ask her to dance. In response, he (the homely "girl") said, "No way!"

It's funnier when my dad tells the story.

[Dragon Lady]

Also pregnancies. Just assume obesity unless they are explicitly clear.

Actually, please don't. I'm normally fairly slender (though I do have some extra pounds thanks to Dragon Baby) and am currently very obviously (in my opinion) pregnant. And I wear maternity clothes that emphasize the baby bump. And it always throws me for a loop when I mention off-hand that I'm pregnant and the person returns with, "You're pregnant? I had no idea!" I know they don't mean it rudely or anything, and I'm never offended by it, but my first thought is always, "Really? You think this giant lump on my stomach that I am emphasizing with my choice of clothes is fat?! Thanks. Really, thanks."

Your best bet is just to assume nothing until they are explicitly clear. Don't mention anything either direction until the other person brings it up. Then just act as though that's what you had thought all along. (Though, if it really is obesity, walk with obvious tact. Don't nod and say, "Oh yeah. You are fat. That was my thought, too." Because that would be horribly awkward and offensive. Just sayin'. Just in case it needed to be said.)

[Craig Jessop]

Not to sound creepy, but I've found a good indicator of pregnancy vs. obesity is to look at the legs. Fat legs=fat person. Skinny legs=skinny person. This method obviously isn't perfect, but it's fairly accurate. Most of the time. And I will still never ask a woman the question.

Story time.

On my mission, I was with my least favorite companion in some 15 story apartment building elevator. The elevator stops around the 7th floor and a black woman gets on. For the record, I never thought she was pregnant (her belly was way to soft looking, not to mention the rolls), but my ever tactful companion turns to her and says...

"so... pregnant?"

Just like that. No previous conversation, no contextualization. Nothing. Just a two word question.

She freaked. FREAKED. Apparently she had six kids by thirty-five, and there was no way she was going to have any more. She got off the elevator before we did.

When we walked outside I just about fell over in hysterical, hysterical laughter. My comp was TICKED, and couldn't understand her reaction or mine. When I told the sisters in the district, they had a similar reaction. He still didn't get it.

He's not married yet, either.

[Imogen]

Not to sound creepy, but I've found a good indicator of pregnancy vs. obesity is to look at the legs. Fat legs=fat person. Skinny legs=skinny person. This method obviously isn't perfect, but it's fairly accurate. Most of the time. And I will still never ask a woman the question.

Story time.

On my mission, I was with my least favorite companion in some 15 story apartment building elevator. The elevator stops around the 7th floor and a black woman gets on. For the record, I never thought she was pregnant (her belly was way to soft looking, not to mention the rolls), but my ever tactful companion turns to her and says...

"so... pregnant?"

Just like that. No previous conversation, no contextualization. Nothing. Just a two word question.

She freaked. FREAKED. Apparently she had six kids by thirty-five, and there was no way she was going to have any more. She got off the elevator before we did.

When we walked outside I just about fell over in hysterical, hysterical laughter. My comp was TICKED, and couldn't understand her reaction or mine. When I told the sisters in the district, they had a similar reaction. He still didn't get it.

He's not married yet, either.

this peach of a man isn't married? color me shocked...

[Yarjka]

Not to sound creepy, but I've found a good indicator of pregnancy vs. obesity is to look at the legs. Fat legs=fat person. Skinny legs=skinny person. This method obviously isn't perfect, but it's fairly accurate. Most of the time. And I will still never ask a woman the question.

I can see how this method would work if everyone were skinny...but how does this method hold up when overweight people can also have babies?

[Marduk]

You know, if I'm put in power, the overweight won't be allowed to breed. Just sayin'.

[Defy V]

You know, if I'm put in power, the overweight won't be allowed to breed. Just sayin'.

Well, by the end of the third trimester, most pregnant women are overweight, so there goes the population of the world.

[Craig Jessop]

Not to sound creepy, but I've found a good indicator of pregnancy vs. obesity is to look at the legs. Fat legs=fat person. Skinny legs=skinny person. This method obviously isn't perfect, but it's fairly accurate. Most of the time. And I will still never ask a woman the question.

I can see how this method would work if everyone were skinny...but how does this method hold up when overweight people can also have babies?

Like I said, it's not a perfect method...

[Yarjka]

You know, if I'm put in power, the overweight won't be allowed to breed. Just sayin'.

Skinny people married to the overweight as well? Or do a skinny and a fat equate to a normal?

[Marduk]

No, the skinny would be forced to find another skinny to mate with. The overweight could then raise the child.

[Yarjka]

No, the skinny would be forced to find another skinny to mate with. The overweight could then raise the child.

This seems fair.