I know everyone’s super busy with holiday and year-end stuff, so let’s just get right to it and see what caught my eye in the news this week.
Michelle Obama sweating it out on The Biggest Loser.
First up is our First Lady, Michelle Obama. You’re probably familiar with her various health initiatives, from planting a garden at the White House to encouraging people to move more and drink more water. Oh, wait. Not all people, which would be reasonable and smart. I mean fat people. A lot of people have taken Mrs. Obama to task for focusing her initiatives on fat kids instead of all kids, and I am on board with that task taking. There are plenty of skinny kids who sit on their butts playing video games and eating junk food; the fact that they are thin doesn’t make them automatically healthy. So anyway, Mrs. Obama has, for the second time, paired up with The Biggest Loser, I show I used to totally love but now see for what it is: a fat-shaming humiliation fest. Over at TIME, Abigail C. Saguy wrote a memo to Michelle. In reads, in part:
Meanwhile, there is growing evidence that our widespread societal anti-fat bias is taking a toll. Yale researchers have shown that weight discrimination in the United States has increased dramatically in the past decade and is now comparable to rates of reported racial discrimination, especially among women. Heavier women are less likely to be hired, to earn a higher salary, to marry, or to marry a higher-earning spouse compared to their similarly qualified thinner peers.
The First Lady has tremendous influence. What a shame that she’s chosen to “fight the war on obesity” in conjunction with this show, instead of creating programs that encourage healthy behaviors for people of all shapes, sizes, and ages.
Up over the border in Canada, a high school decided to put on Hairspray. Two girls were chosen to share the lead role of Tracy Turnblad. They are both thin, and will be wearing fat suits in the show.
This is Ricki Lake, who was appropriately fat back when she
starred as Tracy in the (first) movie version.
Of course the school is saying the parts were cast based on talent, but I’m sorry, this is like the one role in practically the history of ever that’s literally supposed to be played by a fat girl because that is like one of the two major points of the story and oh yeah aren’t like 50% of us obese so you’re seriously telling me that there weren’t any talented fat girls in that school?! When I was growing up, I loved this movie, because I got to see a fat girl sing, dance, and get a handsome boyfriend. I couldn’t see that anywhere but in this movie. This decision is just ridiculous, and honestly offensive.
Next up: Jennifer Lawrence. She’s completely lovely, isn’t she? I adore how she says what she’s thinking, regardless of what Hollywood and the media (and, I imagine, her publicist) expect of her. She’s had quite a bit to say about body image and size over the past year or so, most of which I have really liked. The other day, she gave an interview to Barbara Walters in which she talked about the F word (the three-letter one). Jennifer said:
…the media needs to take responsibility for the effect that it has on our younger generation, on these girls who are watching these television shows, and picking up how to talk and how to be cool. I mean, if we’re regulating cigarettes and sex and cuss words, because of the effect they have on our younger generation, why aren’t we regulating things like calling people fat?
How I felt when I heard about the interview.
A lot of people agree with Jennifer, that the word fat has become to mean such terrible, mean things that we really ought to stop using it. I have a hard time articulating why that idea upsets me, but it does – a great deal. There is obviously more to me than my fat, but it is a part of me, and making the word unspeakable feels like making part of me unmentionable. There a lot of people who think it’s terrible that I call myself fat, that I use the word at all – because almost no one understands that I’m using it as a neutral descriptor. Well, I’m going to be stubborn about this and keep using it in that way, and hope that it catches on and one day we all use it as casually as we use the word “tall.” I know it’s a long shot, but I believe in the right-ness of it, so very much.
I’m starting to ramble, so I’ll quit. For a couple of very insightful and less rambly commentaries on Jennifer’s interview, check out Melissa McEwan at Shakesville here, and Ragen Chastain at Dances With Fat here.
I truly believe that one day we will look back at this period in history and be totally embarrassed and ashamed that we, as a society, were so obnoxious and arrogant about what a body should look like. One day, our sons and daughters will be so used to seeing a crazy awesome variety of bodies on the TV and in the media, including fat bodies, that they won’t think twice when they see that same crazy awesome variety in real life – and they will have the vocabulary to talk about all bodies with respect and decency.
Sure, world peace is a great thing to wish for, but as for me, I’m gonna wish for body acceptance, and work my way up from there.
