It’s nobody’s business, y’all

So apparently Paula Deen has had Type 2 diabetes for three years and has only just gone public with this.

Considering her show is based around butter, high fat, and high carb food, lots of  people are are putting their Judgment Hats on.

My take on this:

1) Paula Deen was under no obligation to come forward with the fact that she has Type 2 diabetes. It’s her health, what goes on with her health is between her and her doctor of choice. It is nobody else’s business, full stop.

2) Fat shaming is bad. I am not going NEAR the comment sections of any postings of this news story, because they will likely be filled with two main things: fat shaming and misinformed Type 2 shaming. And probably a big helping of “lol, only fat people get diabetes.” These are things that make me want to flip tables.

3) There is nothing wrong with high fat/high carb food IN MODERATION as a diabetic. If you are eating it 24/7 without lower fat/lower carb alternatives thrown into the mix, you’re probably going to have some problems. But what a diabetic eats? It’s their business, not the business of every single non-diabetic who happens to know they have diabetes. Seriously, if you know a diabetic, don’t ask them “Are you allowed to eat that?/Should you be eating that?” It’s none of your business and it gets really old really fast.

4) Apparently she’s also doing more health conscious, diabetes-friendly versions of her other recipes. This is a good thing. Apparently she may be getting some money from adds that link to a site with info for a drug that is used to treat Type 2. People are kind of pissy about that last bit. Because she’s making money off something she wasn’t being honest about. Again, no one with diabetes is obligated to disclose to the public that they have diabetes (it is a good idea to disclose this medical fact to teachers, school officials, and employers so they will know what to do if you pass out or something; also, if you let them know, you also should let them know that diabetes is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which means a diabetic cannot be discriminated against because of their diabetes).

5) I don’t really care how Paula Deen handles her own diabetes. I’m glad she’s handling it, and it’s no one else’s business how she handles it.

6) I am just annoyed that, because Paula Deen is Paula Deen, there is likely to be an influx of diabetes-used-as-a-punchline-ness. Diabetics do not need this, and the only people who, in my opinion, have any right to debate Deens diabetic reveal are people with diabetes. They live with it everyday, and they have to deal with the way the media handles anything to do with the disease. If there are diabetics who are pissed at Deen for knowing she had Type 2 and continuing to push her high fat/high carb food, then I totally understand their anger/annoyance. Non-diabetics? Not their business.