Teh One Who Knocks
04-08-2015, 12:12 PM
By Sean Kelly - Opposing Views
http://i.imgur.com/JpkXdUR.jpg
A morbidly obese woman in England said she can’t work because of her weight, and instead lives off government benefits that amount to more than a nurse’s salary.
Rochelle Coulson, 21, said her weight caused her to develop sleep apnea — which she claims makes her a danger to the public and therefore unable to maintain a job. Coulson was diagnosed in 2012, and said she can involuntarily drift off to sleep for up to six hours. Her weight gain, a shocking 182 pounds in four years, was a result of eating due to “boredom.” She now weighs 448 pounds.
“I would love to have a job, I didn't choose to be like this. But I can't. I'm too dangerous. I can't do anything if I'm falling asleep the whole time,” she said.
Coulson said she’s had a lifelong battle with her weight, though it got significantly worse within the last four years after moving away from home and being diagnosed with depression. Now living off of money from the government, Coulson earns £18,712, around $27,800, per year. Doctors have urged her to lose weight, though she demanded the help of a state-funded worker to write meal plans before attempting to get healthy.
Coulson’s story garnered criticism from groups like the Taxpayers’ Alliance, which criticized the young woman for using government assistance as a “comfort blanket.” Coulson soon fired back, defending her situation.
“I was taught never to judge a book by its cover because, if you do, you'll never know the truth inside that book,” she said. “People say 'you're fat, you're ugly' but I don't care about my looks. People day in, day out tell me 'you're fat and you need to lose weight' but don't you think I already know that?"
http://i.imgur.com/JpkXdUR.jpg
A morbidly obese woman in England said she can’t work because of her weight, and instead lives off government benefits that amount to more than a nurse’s salary.
Rochelle Coulson, 21, said her weight caused her to develop sleep apnea — which she claims makes her a danger to the public and therefore unable to maintain a job. Coulson was diagnosed in 2012, and said she can involuntarily drift off to sleep for up to six hours. Her weight gain, a shocking 182 pounds in four years, was a result of eating due to “boredom.” She now weighs 448 pounds.
“I would love to have a job, I didn't choose to be like this. But I can't. I'm too dangerous. I can't do anything if I'm falling asleep the whole time,” she said.
Coulson said she’s had a lifelong battle with her weight, though it got significantly worse within the last four years after moving away from home and being diagnosed with depression. Now living off of money from the government, Coulson earns £18,712, around $27,800, per year. Doctors have urged her to lose weight, though she demanded the help of a state-funded worker to write meal plans before attempting to get healthy.
Coulson’s story garnered criticism from groups like the Taxpayers’ Alliance, which criticized the young woman for using government assistance as a “comfort blanket.” Coulson soon fired back, defending her situation.
“I was taught never to judge a book by its cover because, if you do, you'll never know the truth inside that book,” she said. “People say 'you're fat, you're ugly' but I don't care about my looks. People day in, day out tell me 'you're fat and you need to lose weight' but don't you think I already know that?"