Yes, I think there is way too much empasis on how one looks. Growing up I don't ever remember looking at myself or someone else one way or the other weightwise, beautywise, etc.. I do remember seeing people with port wine stains over half of their faces, and I was curious, but never negatively affected by it.
Now if someone were a bully, ill mannered, or something of that ilk, that was different sometimes. Those of different religious or ethnic upbringing, physical handicaps, weight, clothing, etc., didn't seem to affect the interactions that I saw with others in school. Maybe I was lucky enough to grow up in an area that included all races/religions and economic levels, and that meant integration from an early age on, with people that may not have looked/dressed/eaten like others sometimes for whatever reason.
It almost seems like a cliche, but as each generation comes along, while tolerance is being preached, anything outside of the "norm" weightwise, dress wise, etc., appears to further isolate and cause a "stigma" for those involved. Seems like we're going backwards in many areas instead of being more enlightened, open, and accepting of the differences around us. Loving and respecting a person for reasons other than the clothes they wear, their weight, etc.
