Why it still acceptable....

[DWGal210]

...to critize people about their weight?

As you can tell, this really bothers me. I saw online today pictures of Kevin Federline in his swimming trunks (ex-hubby of Britney Spears) that they ran with some very unflattering comments. OK, yes, he is heavier than he was a year or so ago. But come on?! This is news? It's not only on the gossip websites, it's on so-called news sites as well.

It just kills my that in this day and age, we are still being snarky and mean to people about their weight. I mean, you don't know the situation - perhaps he has a health issue, and the meds he is taking make him gain weight. I myself am in this boat right now; a medication (that I am no longer taking) made me gain quite a bit of weight in the last few years. Or maybe he is stressed from his divorce, etc...my point is that you don't know, and shouldn't judge.

No wonder kids (and many adults, too) suffer from eating / body image disorders!! According to the media, we're all supposed to be a size 2 with no cellulite, not a blemish on us, and looking red carpet ready the moment we spring out of bed.

Now I am all for being healthy and taking care of yourself for health reasons - but I guess it just makes me sad that even in 2009, it's still acceptable to be mean to someone just because of the way they look.

Sorry just had to vent.

 

[Rafiki31]

I agree with you, it should not be news. I mean seriously, how offensive is it when someone like Jon & Kate's -Kate and Jennifer Love Hewitt are called fat? It makes the covers! And most of us would kill to look like them.


Its a VERY shallow world in which we live.

 

[SharpMomOfTwo]

I don't like that either.

I also don't like it when they call people like Reese Whitherspoon one of the curvier celebrities. I mean come on - shes thin!!!! I was reading a Us magazine one day, and they were commending this one "DWTS" person because she went from a "curvy size 2" down to a "0" I'm a size 6/8 - I must be a cow!!!!!

 

[a1tinkfans]

well if people stopped buying the trash mags and commented/complained to the editors about these type things, things would change a bit...its all about the almighty dollar.

All I know is, its nice to see them "picking" on a male this time

Seriously though, life is too short to get bothered by what "others" think of you anyway! Ignore them and enjoy EACH day!

 

[DWGal210]

I agree with you, it should not be news. I mean seriously, how offensive is it when someone like Jon & Kate's -Kate and Jennifer Love Hewitt are called fat? It makes the covers! And most of us would kill to look like them.


Its a VERY shallow world in which we live.

Shallow is the perfect world - I totally agree with you.

For example - you may or may not have seen things about Kelly Clarkson and the discussion on her weight. With the way they talk, you would think she was very heavy. I saw her with my own 2 eyes last week at a concert, and she looks great. Put on a great show, and honestly - if you can move and groove around that stage and still be able to sing live, you're not doing too bad. Sure, she's not as thin as she was when she won Idol, but for goodness sake! I mean, she is probably tipping the scales at 140 MAX. Whoa, Kelly!

I also remember the hulla-baloo over Jessica Simpson not too long ago. The gal put on a pair of high waisted jeans and all of a sudden, she's being written up in the mags! Good lord - she's a woman and has curves, she's not shaped like a 9 year old boy! And let's be honest and just say the high-waisted look is not for everyone.

Ugh - it just makes me mad.

 

[DWGal210]

well if people stopped buying the trash mags and commented/complained to the editors about these type things, things would change a bit...its all about the almighty dollar.

All I know is, its nice to see them "picking" on a male this time

Seriously though, life is too short to get bothered by what "others" think of you anyway! Ignore them and enjoy EACH day!

You're right 100%. If people wouldn't buy the mags or complain very loudly, they would stop printing those things.

And you're also right about life being too short, I totally agree; it just burns my biscuits.

 

[Binnie]

The problem is that it's still socally acceptable to mock people for their weight. The media is part of it, clearly, but there's just more stigma attached to being Pooh-sized than there is to mocking someone who's Pooh-sized.

 

[eliza61]

What's really sad is that this is the message we send to our young ladies.

 

[tazdev3225]

I agree with you all. I am getting older and can not keep my weight down the way I did when I was younger. My mom, no lightweight either, keeps telling me that I have fat legs and big arms so I shouldn't wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. My DGD is 9 months old and has big baby thighs. My mom says she should be on a diet because she'll be a fat adult. What a person weighs or looks like shouldn't be anybody's business. We are sending the message to our kids that bean pole skinny is the only way to look and the only way someone will care about you. Wrong message.

 

[TinklednPants]

I'm in good shape. I watch what I eat and exercise. I don't make fun of overweight people nor do I think it's acceptable to do so.
But on the other hand.....Americans in general are becoming sooooo out of shape.
I don't think that should be "normalized" either. Just because the majority of people are overweight doesn't mean that being fit shouldn't be the goal.
....if that makes any sense.
So while I'm not for criticizing people....I'm also against the push for the plus size models in advertising. Plus size shouldn't be the goal.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

I think with Kevin F though, it's one of those things where people think he's just become as trashy as they always thought he's been.

It is unfair that Weight articles end up being about a minor bit of cellulite on a size 4 actress, but at the same time this is something that they've porbably gone into their careers expecting. Not to mention most of them don't even pay attention to the tabs anymore anyways. Pepole need to remind themselves when reading these articles that they are comparing their own average weight to someone who is essentially paid a huge salary to maintain a certain look through constant dieting and exercise. I'm sure it also makes some people feel better about themselves to realize these characters playing out in the tabs aren't completely flawless and airbrushed 24/7.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

I'm also against the push for the plus size models in advertising. Plus size shouldn't be the goal.

I don't think it's a bad thing when "plus size" in modeling and marketing is constituted by anything above a size 0. "Real size" should be a better ideal, like sizes 6-10. But those are, by current industry standards, plus sizes themselves.

 

[tonilea]

Here is the hard thing about food addictions, you can't quit eating. You have to eat to live. You can and should cut back and eat less, but things are different than for any other addiction. If you are an alcoholic or drug addict, you can actually avoid your addiction - stay away from drugs and alcohol and people who use them. On the other hand, food is everywhere! Constantly advertised on TV. Think about it. What places do you go where there is NO food?

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'm in good shape. I watch what I eat and exercise. I don't make fun of overweight people nor do I think it's acceptable to do so.
But on the other hand.....Americans in general are becoming sooooo out of shape.
I don't think that should be "normalized" either. Just because the majority of people are overweight doesn't mean that being fit shouldn't be the goal.
....if that makes any sense.
So while I'm not for criticizing people....I'm also against the push for the plus size models in advertising. Plus size shouldn't be the goal.

I thought models were there to show us clothing. If someone is selling plus-sized clothing, why wouldn't they use a plus sized model? They're not using these women in health books as models of how to look.

 

[rie'smom]

Here is the hard thing about food addictions, you can't quit eating. You have to eat to live. You can and should cut back and eat less, but things are different than for any other addiction. If you are an alcoholic or drug addict, you can actually avoid your addiction - stay away from drugs and alcohol and people who use them. On the other hand, food is everywhere! Constantly advertised on TV. Think about it. What places do you go where there is NO food?

I guess that would be when gastric bypass or the lap band could be considered.
Not that I think every overweight person should consider these surgeries except maybe for the food addicted because as you posted, you cannot avoid food.

 

[TinklednPants]

Here is the hard thing about food addictions, you can't quit eating. You have to eat to live. You can and should cut back and eat less, but things are different than for any other addiction. If you are an alcoholic or drug addict, you can actually avoid your addiction - stay away from drugs and alcohol and people who use them. On the other hand, food is everywhere! Constantly advertised on TV. Think about it. What places do you go where there is NO food?

I agree. But (medical conditions aside) you don't just wake up obese. It takes years of effort. And it will take the same years of effort to reverse it.
But I still feel it is "healthy" to promote the healthy body.


ETA: for the alcoholic....alcohol is incredibly advertised on TV and "everywhere" too....especially here in the Keys!

 

[Liberty Belle]

I think with Kevin F though, it's one of those things where people think he's just become as trashy as they always thought he's been.
It is unfair that Weight articles end up being about a minor bit of cellulite on a size 4 actress, but at the same time this is something that they've porbably gone into their careers expecting. Not to mention most of them don't even pay attention to the tabs anymore anyways. Pepole need to remind themselves when reading these articles that they are comparing their own average weight to someone who is essentially paid a huge salary to maintain a certain look through constant dieting and exercise. I'm sure it also makes some people feel better about themselves to realize these characters playing out in the tabs aren't completely flawless and airbrushed 24/7.

So being overweight is trashy?

 

[paintnolish]

I feel bad for women...they gain a few lbs. and they are fat. They lose some, then they're too skinny. They can't win!

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

No. Being overweight is not necessarily trashy. But with Kevin, who was infamous for wearing wifebeater tank tops, super saggy jeans, and trucker hats while married to one of the possibly richest pop stars of the time, yes. When he dumped his pregnant girlfriend to marry Britney and impregnate her twice, only to later divorce her when she was already at a low point, yes. He was and is Trashy, and letting himself go the way that he has makes people feel that he's just confirming a feelign they've had about him all along.

If he was a classy (not trashy) guy, his gaining of the weight wouldn't even be news, because his acts of goodness to humanity or his own family would overshadow the weight he'd actively gained.

 

[redlight]

I agree that we shouldn't criticize Kevin for his weight. There are lots of other things to legitimately criticize him about.

If he was a classy (not trashy) guy, his gaining of the weight wouldn't even be news,

They still pick on Kelly Clarkson, who seems like a genuinely nice person.