The Sun reports on the latest controversy over women's body image: Lardy Kate? Fat's a laugh.
That's right, Skinny Gossip, a pro-anorexia website thinks a Sports Illustrated cover model is "fat" and "lardy." Of course we've all jumped on the bandwagon in shock and disgust about the comments and rightfully so.
I mean, Upton is obviously not fat and so, yes, it is quite easy to get in an uproar and point out the obvious: pro-anorexia or thinspo websites are sad and twisted! Many women strive to be stick-skinny! But that's not even what men really find sexy! Kate Upton is voluptuous, but not fat!
I'm glad that Upton laughed off the comments: "I'm not going to starve just to be thin. I want to enjoy life, and I can't if I'm not eating and miserable," she said, according to the Sun.
But now everyone's celebrating Upton like she's some kind of a hero and fighter for young women's body images?
Umm, come on. This woman is a supermodel; do you really think she gives one hoot what some pro-ana blogger says about her? Let's get real. She's busy rolling in her SI cover girl gazillions and laughing all the way to the bank.
There was no bravery or courage in saying what she did. She's a lingerie model. They're supposed to be "full-figured," which is simply a way of saying curvy in all the right areas -mainstream sexy.
There are plenty of women who say those exact same words everyday: "I'm not going to starve just to be thin. I want to enjoy life, and I can't if I'm not eating and miserable," but who are much curvier. Are they celebrated as setting a fine example for young women needing role models though?
No, they, the real women of the world, are criticized by society every day for not being the "right" kind of "fat."
But what bothers me more is that now the media gets to sit back and point out how they, too, were outraged at a woman being called fat. Look at us! We're so pro-woman! Don't call poor Upton fat!
Sure, when it's easy and they're supporting a supermodel. But what about when it really matters? Will the media be there when it's time to support real women wearing bikinis instead of listing five-thousand ways to get rid of fat before summer? Or by using so-called "plus-sized" models in mainstream magazines?
Not to mention, if there are women out there who really do see a SI model as "well-marbled," what does their idea of the ideal body type tell us about the society we have created? Are we so used to seeing sickly-skinny models that one with a teensy bit of flesh is seen as fat?
Is it really true what the advertisers and marketing mavens tell us - that women want to see "perfect" models without any fat because that's something to aspire to? That's what makes the clothes hang best? That's perfection?
I challenge that notion - women want to see women who look like themselves reflected back at them. Women want to love themselves. And for many women to fully be able to do that they need a little encouragement; that's all.
It's been said before and hopefully it will be said again and again - women need to see all sizes of women celebrated in society every day.
Follow Sheila Hageman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SheilaMHageman
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This sentence is, in my opinion, part of the problem concerning the discussion of weight/health. How do you define "fat"? Is it morbidly obese? If it's a person who looks overweight according to current cultures, they might be healthier then you. I know people who would be called "fat" by others who are healthier then some "skinny" people.
"And there is no reform that republicans or democrats can introduce to the health bill that will make it better if Americans don't stop stuffing their mouths with donuts."
Yes, people need to start eating better (and not just Americans -- we Canadians eat as badly as you do!) but people need to become more active; we need to get out of the habit of spending hours sitting at work followed by more sitting in the car followed by more sitting in front of our TV/computer. We need to start biking more, walking more, just plain old moving more.
What I disagree with quite strongly is you use of the term 'real women'. I'm 29, size 4/6 with a 30DD bust. Am I not a real woman because I happen to have the kind of figure that's considered 'desirable'? does this mean i don't suffer hangups just like everyone else? No. it doesn't.
Throughout history one shape or another has been considered attractive at some point, to have images of this cultural (and transient) construct portrayed in the media is no more wrong than to celebrate a funny style of writing. Will I cower under my desk because I wasn't blessed with the kind of wit that will have my colleagues falling off their chairs? No, I won't. Will i rack my brain every night thinking of funny remarks I can littler my conversation with? (no... mostly because we all know that the Alan Carr approach to comedy doesn't work) but back to the point. Let's all be happy with what we have and be generous enough to celebrate those fortunate to have what we all wish we did!
So my main point really is that, yes, we really need to celebrate ALL women's bodies--fat, thin, more or less culturally "desirable" or what have you.
We are all "real" women and let's find ways to celebrate that fact!
What you said was that “they,” the “much curvier” women, are the “real women of the world.” People like you, who reinforce this dichotomy (inadvertently or not), are part of the problem. Until we stop comparing women or valuing what they have to say based on their size, we won’t all be able to see ourselves as worthy, acceptable, and REAL. Which we all are!
Your annoyance that Kate Upton stood up against being called “fat” (and got attention for it) is indicative of the same problematic outlook. You say that the stand she took required “no bravery or courage.” First of all, how the heck do you know? You think you know that it was easy just because she’s skinny (again, attributing some kind of value or validity of opinion based on size)? More importantly, why does it matter if it took great courage? What she said was positive for all women, and that’s better than her not saying anything. As you said, “women want to love themselves,” and just “need a little encouragement, that’s all.” Oh, but not if that encouragement comes from Upton, right? She’s not “real.” Ugh.
Want to contribute to women’s improved body image as a member of the media? Then stop using and enforcing comparisons based on our bodies. The term “real women” (which is even in the title of your article) suggests that there are some “not real women,” which reinforces the idea that some of us, due to our body type, are not OK. The words thrown into the last sentence of your piece don't fully set that straight. Not cool.