I'm not trying to be cynical, I'm truly not (see Kate Winslet icon -- she's known for being against model thinness), and I apologize in advance if I don't address this with due sympathy. I certainly don't think it's okay that so many women's self-esteem has driven them to eating disorders, but...
I have an issue with this message being presented in this way against the larger backdrop of obesity rates. 37% of American adults, and 17% of American children (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/health/14obese.html), are obese, which we all know contributes to so many health issues, not limited to diabetes and heart disease.
Now, I know that the video is promoting "your health ideal," for which I will give the Tri Delts the benefit of the doubt that they don't mean it's any more okay to be overweight than underweight. But again, but: for years there has been a campaign that implies big is beautiful, too, and the fashion industry is catering more than ever to the plus-sized crowd. (I mean, they really have to, don't they, when so much of the adult population is fat? How else will they sell clothes?) This is occurring even to the extent that clothing manufacturers have actually started cutting sizes larger to accommodate our growing population. (Big problem for those of us who were already in the smallest sizes and have nowhere to go! Though I solved this problem by having a baby to spread out my hips. :P)
All that to say...while I do acknowledge that body image is a struggle for women, is the Barbie doll ideal really so much of an issue anymore? Don't we all know that models and magazines are unachievable goals? Hasn't that message been presented for a long time now?
If we can't tell someone honestly that something makes them look fat (you know, in a tactful way), that's just one more area where we're being PC instead of tackling the root of a problem. Which is that we're incredibly unhealthy in his country. And that needs to be changed from the individual's lifestyle choices all the way up to the government's subsidy of corn which renders so much of our food nutritionally null...
This is so much more of an issue than self-esteem. Why don't women use more of our empowerment to make some real change, not just in the way we talk about ourselves? And if we're going to talk, let's talk about how to achieve our "healthy ideal," not just leave it as some nebulous idea that makes us feel better about ourselves instead of making us better.
I am sorry if this isn't the kind of comment you were going for. It's a soapbox of mine. And I'm getting off now.
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Date: 2010-04-08 11:59 am (UTC)I have an issue with this message being presented in this way against the larger backdrop of obesity rates. 37% of American adults, and 17% of American children (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/health/14obese.html), are obese, which we all know contributes to so many health issues, not limited to diabetes and heart disease.
Now, I know that the video is promoting "your health ideal," for which I will give the Tri Delts the benefit of the doubt that they don't mean it's any more okay to be overweight than underweight. But again, but: for years there has been a campaign that implies big is beautiful, too, and the fashion industry is catering more than ever to the plus-sized crowd. (I mean, they really have to, don't they, when so much of the adult population is fat? How else will they sell clothes?) This is occurring even to the extent that clothing manufacturers have actually started cutting sizes larger to accommodate our growing population. (Big problem for those of us who were already in the smallest sizes and have nowhere to go! Though I solved this problem by having a baby to spread out my hips. :P)
All that to say...while I do acknowledge that body image is a struggle for women, is the Barbie doll ideal really so much of an issue anymore? Don't we all know that models and magazines are unachievable goals? Hasn't that message been presented for a long time now?
If we can't tell someone honestly that something makes them look fat (you know, in a tactful way), that's just one more area where we're being PC instead of tackling the root of a problem. Which is that we're incredibly unhealthy in his country. And that needs to be changed from the individual's lifestyle choices all the way up to the government's subsidy of corn which renders so much of our food nutritionally null...
This is so much more of an issue than self-esteem. Why don't women use more of our empowerment to make some real change, not just in the way we talk about ourselves? And if we're going to talk, let's talk about how to achieve our "healthy ideal," not just leave it as some nebulous idea that makes us feel better about ourselves instead of making us better.
I am sorry if this isn't the kind of comment you were going for. It's a soapbox of mine. And I'm getting off now.