Rob Ford was elected mayor of Toronto, Canada's largest city, in November 2010. I did not vote for him and honestly, to use an expression coined my by SIL, I would rather eat a shoe than vote for a person like him.In his skivvies, Ford probably does look a lot like the picture above. On TV, he often seems out of breath and sweaty--he's probably not in particularly good shape. Of course, I would NOT suggest Ford go on a diet. In keeping with the principles of health at every size (HAES), I suspect this ex-football player could do with a more nutritious diet and more physical activity. Of course, any changes would be Ford's decision, and his alone, to make.
But whatever Ford's health status is, this clearly photoshopped picture is totally unacceptable and smacks of fat prejudice, pure and simple.
The decision to vote for (and support) a candidate should be based on whether one does or does not agree with the candidate's platform, not on his or her weight. Rob Ford will certainly not get my sympathy vote in the next election. However, despite the fact that Now Magazine has written some excellent analyses of Ford's terrible policies and shortcomings, it has crossed the line with this picture and dealt the Ford opposition a terrible blow. For shame!