Many readers may remember Maria Kang, the mom of three who sparked outrage across the Internet last month when she wrote on Facebook that no one has an “excuse” for not working out. Kang, who has struggled with bulimia in the past, is a former pageant queen and fitness competitor who founded the nonprofit Fitness Without Borders in 2007.

The “fit Facebook mom” was back in the news again this week, after she posted more provocative opinions about obesity on Facebook. Responding to a Daily Mail article about plus-size women posing in lingerie, Kang wrote:

“The popular and unrelenting support received to those who are borderline obese (not just 30 to 40 lbs overweight) frustrates me as a fitness advocate who intimately understands how poor health negatively effects [sic] a family, a community and a nation.”

The post quickly went viral. But within hours of publishing the comments, Facebook removed the post and de-activated Kang’s account, claiming that her remarks constituted hate speech. Since then, Facebook has said restricting Kang’s access was an error. And while they can’t reinstate the post, the company encouraged Kang to republish it. On Facebook, Kang wrote she was “sorry but not sorry” for offending people with her perspective; on her personal website Kang says we make a mistake when we “normalize being unhealthy.”

At a time when movements such as fat acceptance and “health at every size” are growing in popularity, the debate around Kang’s comments is especially relevant. It raises important questions about how society perceives people of every size, and what “good health” really means.

Photo: Facebook

Do you think there’s any truth behind Kang’s comments about societal perceptions of obese and overweight people? Or is she totally off-base and guilty of hate speech? Weigh in below and let us know where you stand in the controversy.