Weight Loss or Deportation: New Zealand's Struggle with Immigration Laws
A South African immigrant is told by New Zealand's government to lose weight or face deportation along with her family.
Is New Zealand discriminating against overweight individuals by enshrining it in law? A puzzling situation has arisen for a South African immigrant named Mondale who moved to New Zealand with her husband and children in 2018.
It all began when Mondale received a strange text from the New Zealand government, presenting her with an ultimatum: lose weight or face deportation with her family. "At first, I thought it was a joke," she explains in a post on social media. "Why would they want to deport me because of my weight?"
As the story unfolds, and as she speaks with officials in the Ministry of Health, Mondale finds that it's no laughing matter. "They told me, 'Either you lose weight and balance your BMI, or you'll be deported from the country. New Zealand doesn't take responsibility for the risk of health problems,'" Mondale recounts. "I was explicitly told that my weight might place a strain on the public health system."
And so the struggle began.
The New Zealand government wasn't satisfied with vague promises like "I'll start someday"—they set her a weight loss target of no less than 66 pounds (30 kg).
"I had no choice but to start working out," Mondale recalls. "Of course, I also wanted to strengthen my muscle mass, that's important."
Months passed, and slowly but surely, Mondale met the coveted goal, shedding more and more weight until her family doctor confirmed she was on track.
"It was very strange and inappropriate for people who were complete strangers to suddenly discuss my weight issue. They truly made me feel like a criminal. I've always been a large woman, and I accept myself as I am; I don't understand why they can't," she smiles.
What else might make you do a double-take in astonishment? Here are
5 Strange Facts About New Zealand You Might Not Know:
1. How many sheep live in New Zealand compared to people? Hold tight: the ratio is 9:1 in favor of the sheep.
2. Have you heard of the hill with a name that's impossible to pronounce? Yes, indeed. In New Zealand, there's a hill named Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, and don't ask us who on earth came up with that name, because we have no idea either.
3. In New Zealand, in the city of Dunedin, there's a particularly steep street named 'Baldwin,' which is considered one of the major tourist attractions. Here's what it looks like:
4. Brace yourselves, because what you're about to read is completely true—though no one can explain how it happens: Another curious thing occurs in Dunedin, at the University of Otago: Inside one of the buildings is a large clock built in 1864 that has been running since its construction without anyone touching it or replacing the battery. Fascinating, isn't it? Thanks to this fact, students are frequently interrupted by tourists and other curious onlookers who come to see the miracle for themselves.
5. In addition to the English language spoken as the official language in the country, New Zealand has made sign language an official language as well, which is why it is taught in schools and kindergartens.
