Paris (AFP)

A forum from the anti-grossophobia collective Gras Politique, signed by more than 170 associations, caregivers and individuals, denounces the "dangerousness" of Karine Le Marchand's next program for M6, which she believes risks "contributing to ambient grossophobia".

This column published on Médiapart comes before the broadcast on Monday of "Operation renaissance", produced and directed by Karine Le Marchand, which proposes to follow the path of ten obese people who are candidates for bariatric surgery, intended to reduce the stomach.

"Obese people are considered living dead as long as they do not succeed in losing weight", criticizes Gras Politique, which presents itself as "a collective of fat people", at the origin of the keyword #pasmarenaissance on Twitter and of a petition against the show which had collected more than 6,400 signatures on Friday.

In 2017, the controversy had already erupted when the broadcast project was announced.

Gras Politique had replied with a petition against him, revealing some spectacular staging envisaged by the production.

The association had seized the Superior council of audio-visual (CSA) to prevent the realization of the emission.

However, this cannot intervene before the broadcast of a program.

"While the fight against grossophobia is just taking hold (...) it is dramatic to propose such a program", "a false advertising showcase for bariatric surgeries" conceived without "critical point of view", nor "transparency concerning its financial and ideological foundations ", estimates the collective.

Weight loss is "the only way out (...) put forward", "even if it means leaving our physical or mental health there" and "to the detriment of the prevention of violence and inequalities or of the fight against discrimination suffered, "he laments.

According to Gras Politique, the show also includes "obvious ethical and financial conflicts of interest", citing in particular the links between Karine Le Marchand, godmother of the French Bodylift Institute, and its founder, a surgeon on the show.

The presenter is also pointed out for having taken a book from the show, a self-esteem method supposed to facilitate weight loss, without having "any specific skill in this area".

"I have absolutely nothing to reproach myself with, there is no conflict of interest," Karine Le Marchand told AFP.

The presenter specifies that she is the godmother, without compensation, of an institute dependent on the Hôpital de Paris Saint-Joseph, approved by sector 1 without exceeding fees, whose operations are covered by health insurance for the patients concerned. .

The host also said she was "not ashamed" of selling a "book that can be useful beyond weight loss."

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