Don't mind me here. Something has just been on my mind as of late, and I just wanted to get my thoughts out of my head for my own reasons.
Words can not possibly express how upset I was the other night watching "American Idol", when Simon told Vanessa that she needed to "lose a few pounds". I sat back and remembered last week when Ruben (a male contestant weighing in at approx 350lbs or so) performed, and Simon's comments were "YOU are what this contest is all about". No comments that he needed to lose weight to be a true American Idol. No comments about him not having the proper image. I found that to be highly hypocritical, since Vanessa is perhaps, at MAX, 20lbs overweight. She is not even what I would consider "plus-sized". She is merely volumptous. Why the double standard? Why are only women the focus of weight issues. Why must only women be told they must lose weight in order to be in the public eye?
Amidst all my discontent with that very topic, along comes Entertainment Tonight. Every night since Simon made that ridiculous comment, ET has paid a portion of their nightly broadcast to that very event, and other events in the past where Simon has said the same thing to other female contestants. They also have been interviewing Paula Abdul nightly on her view of the situation, given the fact she herself overcame a battle with bulemia, and she knows how damaging those kinds of comments can be to a female, and the risk factors involved if she takes such comments to heart.
Not only have they been doing that, but tonight they also interviewed several plus sized actresses and singers on how serious of an issue it is. Queen Latifa said she is a perfect example of how utterly stupid that nonesense is, and that you CAN be plus sized and still be successful in the entertainment business. Of course she also stated that to this date, she still is plagued daily by comments about her size and the need for her to 'lose weight'.
And as if ET had not impressed me enough with all the attention they were giving the issue, now they have brought on a new field reporter. None other then "Frenchie", the plus-sized African American contestant on American Idol, that was removed from the competition due to the fact that she had appeared on an adult website a few years back. Turns out being eliminated from the competition was the best thing that could have happened to her, for she now has found success through other forms of media. She may still get her singing career off the ground, though. Tonight she was interviewing the Dixie Chicks for ET, and they were quoted as saying that they have their own record label, and have yet to sign their first artist, and they have their eye on Frenchie.
Still it bothers me. Why must Calista Flockhart be the prime example of what females looking to be successful in the entertainment business should look like? Why must women be slandered about their weight to the point that it drives many of them to life threatening eating disorders? I look back at Karen Carpenter, Tracy Gold, Paula Abdul....none of them were EVER even slightly overweight, yet they were continually hounded on about not being a size zero. And they were driven to taking their own lives in their hands to fix a problem they did not have in the first place. I also look at Ann Wilson, and Carnie Wilson (no relation). They both have undergone the very dangerous stomach bypass surgery in recent years to gain the respect they had been seeking for so long. Why? Why were they belittled to the point of believing they had to do something so drastic just to be accepted. Their weight did NOT affect their talent. They were and still are gifted vocalists. Why did they have to lose weight to gain credibility as artists? Why can't a plus-sized woman be respected for her talents, REGARDLESS of her size?
I don't have any answers. I only know the very topic disgusts me, and plays it's role in how I live my own life. How often I myself debate with the idea of undergoing the very dangerous stomach bypass surgery myself, even knowing it carries a mortality risk of 6%. The fact that 6 out of every 100 people who have the surgery die is the ONLY thing that has caused me hesitation. My cousin and 2 good friends have all nearly died themselves undergoing the procedure. But yet I consider it. Just to gain respect from myself and society.
Why does society teach us that you must be below your ideal weight to be accepted? Well here's a newsflash for society. Big IS beautiful. ALL women are. Size bears no reflection of our minds, our personalities, our intelligence, or our talents. And THAT is what true beauty is all about.
Sorry for my rant. Carry on.
Mimi
Words can not possibly express how upset I was the other night watching "American Idol", when Simon told Vanessa that she needed to "lose a few pounds". I sat back and remembered last week when Ruben (a male contestant weighing in at approx 350lbs or so) performed, and Simon's comments were "YOU are what this contest is all about". No comments that he needed to lose weight to be a true American Idol. No comments about him not having the proper image. I found that to be highly hypocritical, since Vanessa is perhaps, at MAX, 20lbs overweight. She is not even what I would consider "plus-sized". She is merely volumptous. Why the double standard? Why are only women the focus of weight issues. Why must only women be told they must lose weight in order to be in the public eye?
Amidst all my discontent with that very topic, along comes Entertainment Tonight. Every night since Simon made that ridiculous comment, ET has paid a portion of their nightly broadcast to that very event, and other events in the past where Simon has said the same thing to other female contestants. They also have been interviewing Paula Abdul nightly on her view of the situation, given the fact she herself overcame a battle with bulemia, and she knows how damaging those kinds of comments can be to a female, and the risk factors involved if she takes such comments to heart.
Not only have they been doing that, but tonight they also interviewed several plus sized actresses and singers on how serious of an issue it is. Queen Latifa said she is a perfect example of how utterly stupid that nonesense is, and that you CAN be plus sized and still be successful in the entertainment business. Of course she also stated that to this date, she still is plagued daily by comments about her size and the need for her to 'lose weight'.
And as if ET had not impressed me enough with all the attention they were giving the issue, now they have brought on a new field reporter. None other then "Frenchie", the plus-sized African American contestant on American Idol, that was removed from the competition due to the fact that she had appeared on an adult website a few years back. Turns out being eliminated from the competition was the best thing that could have happened to her, for she now has found success through other forms of media. She may still get her singing career off the ground, though. Tonight she was interviewing the Dixie Chicks for ET, and they were quoted as saying that they have their own record label, and have yet to sign their first artist, and they have their eye on Frenchie.
Still it bothers me. Why must Calista Flockhart be the prime example of what females looking to be successful in the entertainment business should look like? Why must women be slandered about their weight to the point that it drives many of them to life threatening eating disorders? I look back at Karen Carpenter, Tracy Gold, Paula Abdul....none of them were EVER even slightly overweight, yet they were continually hounded on about not being a size zero. And they were driven to taking their own lives in their hands to fix a problem they did not have in the first place. I also look at Ann Wilson, and Carnie Wilson (no relation). They both have undergone the very dangerous stomach bypass surgery in recent years to gain the respect they had been seeking for so long. Why? Why were they belittled to the point of believing they had to do something so drastic just to be accepted. Their weight did NOT affect their talent. They were and still are gifted vocalists. Why did they have to lose weight to gain credibility as artists? Why can't a plus-sized woman be respected for her talents, REGARDLESS of her size?
I don't have any answers. I only know the very topic disgusts me, and plays it's role in how I live my own life. How often I myself debate with the idea of undergoing the very dangerous stomach bypass surgery myself, even knowing it carries a mortality risk of 6%. The fact that 6 out of every 100 people who have the surgery die is the ONLY thing that has caused me hesitation. My cousin and 2 good friends have all nearly died themselves undergoing the procedure. But yet I consider it. Just to gain respect from myself and society.
Why does society teach us that you must be below your ideal weight to be accepted? Well here's a newsflash for society. Big IS beautiful. ALL women are. Size bears no reflection of our minds, our personalities, our intelligence, or our talents. And THAT is what true beauty is all about.
Sorry for my rant. Carry on.
Mimi
