ARTICLES I'VE FOUND

So I looked up scholarly articles on fat culture and in this one particular article it discussed how a woman's self-image is tied into our appearance. The messages we see in the media are both overt and subtle messages in terms of our appearance. Women are in a constant uphill battle because from early on girls are taught that the single most important aspect of being female is our outward appearance. When we look at media images on t.v. we see cosmetic after cosmetic ads and slender models squeezed into clothes that are a size or two smaller than their actual size which conveys the message that we need to spend all kinds of time and energy to be beautiful at any cost. It's natural for females to compare ourselves to the dominant image portrayed in the media. So with this being said where does that leave women who do not fit within these images?

THE BIGGEST LOSER

I love to watch reality t.v. and one of the shows that I watch on a regular basis the Biggest Loser. The reason I love to watch this show is because it is so inspiring and I am such an underdog advocate. There isn't one show that I've seen that I haven't cried while watching it. Last week's show was about teaching the contestants how workout outside and not having to be dependent on a gym. One image that I saw on the show was of some of the contestants outside playing in the mud and getting completely drenched in mud. They said they were having fun but I don't think it was the best image to show on t.v. If someone who may be critical of the fat community were flipping through the channels and saw this image it would perpetrate the view of fat people looking like sloppy pigs. I think that during the editing process it was purposely shown to objectify the contestants. I think to maintain the integrity of the show that scene should have been left out. It just makes me leery about t.v. programs such as these that advertise that they are 'helping' people.

IDEALIZED PICTURE OF HEALTH

So Jessica Simpson has been in the entertainment news lately because she was pictured performing at an outside concert (in Florida??) and she appeared to have gain some poundage. Now the media will not leave the poor girl alone because of her apparent weight gain. Society views it an unforgivable sin for women to gain weight. Do we internalize the pressure to stay thin? Also, why are men given a pass and women are not? Is that fair? Also, if Jessica Simpson goes from a size 4 to say a 12 would she be less happy? Will her quality of life actually decrease? Will she be pressured to exercise (based on society feedback)? Will her career actually suffer? Will she begin to exercise because she wants to be 'healthy'? What is healthy? Are we all supposed to maintain a smaller size to be considered healthy? Can we not be a size 12 and be considered healthy?

INCEPTION

Is the quality of life for those who do not fit into the 'ideal' decreased. What is the ideal? Well what images do we see portrayed in the media, news, t.v. & print? I'm watching the Bachelor andfind myself wondering if society will ever progress to the point where we will see a bachelor with a little girth? Or when we see a full figured Bachelorette? The Grammys were on last night and on the red carpet I saw a never ending parade of small waisted women, thin little legs, cut arms, huge smiles & mega confidence. Some women seemed rather happy and proud of themselves that they managed to fit into their size zero ensemble. Concerning the women present, the red carpet rhetoric were how this person and that person had a gorgeous body. Also, I heard continuous comments of how great of shape some of the performers and stars were in. But my question is what about those in the larger community? Are they unhappy because they are not model perfect? Do they want to be? I don't know. .... Do you have to be in an 'ideal' perfect package in order to have a fulfilling life?