Comments on: The Tyranny of Beauty

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:08:59 +0000

acd – I have no trouble reconciling the two posts. Gabby is too fat by all standards and she will drastically shorted her life if she stays this fat. And, the creators of that show ended up having the skinny guy exploit the “fat girl” for a green card.

There is no contradiction in observing that some people are alarmingly fat, and decrying the forces that cause girls to starve themselves to death.

By: acd

acd — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:49:53 +0000

I find this post hilarious in light of your more recent post declaring that Gabourey Sidibe is TOO FAT for her role as some skinny white guy’s girlfriend…surely the casting directors, producers, and everyone else involved in giving her a paycheck for portraying a fictional character are doing something wrong!

If you could publicly reconcile those two posts– which came from real places, I know– then that’d be a real accomplishment. I feel alot of post-feminist-types are all for body acceptance when it fits into their still-narrow-but-slightly-wider conceptions of what’s okay and what’s not. We’re still mired in the society we bemoan, whether we like it or not or know it or not.

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:55:24 +0000

Anorexia isn’t about being pretty to fit into ~society’s tough standards~. For some, perhaps most, it’s about control. Someone above mentioned they wanted to be childlike – innocent. It’s possible they were abused and wanted to regress into a childlike state. Either way I’m pretty sure it has little or nothing to do with The Evil Media.

It’s incredibly stupid and lazy to just blame everything, including extensive psychological disorders, on “the media” and “society.” Beauty standards have existed since long before any kind of Western media came about. I’m sure the women with bound feet in China and neck stretchers in Africa would kill for such ~awful~ beauty standards that we apparently have no choice in.

By: Rackk and Ruin

Rackk and Ruin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:53:06 +0000

I’m sure that many women out there who are larger than me would envy my shape, but that doesn’t do a damn thing to stop ME from envying those thinner than I. I’ve never done anything unhealthy to lose weight but I do think about being skinnier way more often than i’d like. over the past two months i’ve actually been eating responsibly, getting frequent exercise, and i’m feeling great for it. I wish that these twins could snap the fuck out of it and realize that life is too short for their bullshit. but it’s just not that easy.

By: Eliza

Eliza — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:13:16 +0000

*need to be beautiful

By: Eliza

Eliza — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:12:47 +0000

As someone who has been diagnosed with an ED, I wish people would just shut up about everyone’s bodies and focus on something that actually matters. The media conflation of disordered eating with eating disorders trivializes a mental illness on par with the self-distortion of schizophrenia. Why have a real beauty campaign at all? How about, WE REMEMBER YOUR BRAIN AND YOUR SMILE AFTER YOUR BODY ROTS. Stop telling women they’re beautiful no matter how they really look. They still hear that they need to be beauty. They just need better cultural priorities.

By: Elena Abaroa

Elena Abaroa — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:19:53 +0000

But, dont you think that in this case (the twin sisters) the begining is it not just about “the ideal of beauty”? I mean they wanted to not grow up, they started starving theirselves at 11 because they didnt want to look women, they wanted to be kids for ever… I have a friend who had anorexia for the same reason, she didnt care much about weight, she wanted being a child forever… (sorry for my English).

By: Elena Abaroa

Elena Abaroa — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:14:55 +0000

Amazing post Sister Wolf, IÂ´m totally agree with you.

By: Roz

Roz — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 11:28:46 +0000

I definitely agree on the hypocrisy of the Daily Mail – berating ‘celebs’ on their appearance one minute, and then publishing articles like this the next. However, I find the whole premise of the piece a little disturbing – apart from them being identical twins, why does this merit being news? I know we’re talking about the DM here, where anything goes, but this is a story based all around a horrendous psycholoical disorder. All I can wish the twins is the best wishes that they can start on the road to recovery, but does telling a tabloid help?
I love the idea of a “You Look Fine” campaign – as I definitely agree that everyone should feel comfortable and confident in their own body – whatever size, colour or height. However, talking as an ex-model (I left the industry because I had serious back surgery), I hope that the 2% could be included in the drive for celebration too. I’m not glossing over the fact that there are models with eating disorders – as has been noted many times – but there are people who are naturally slender and tall too. Although I much prefer to be praised for my writing rather than my looks, I feel just as ‘real’ as any other woman. The scar on my back is now just as much a part of me as my height.

I thought you might be interested in this article written by a swedish blogger (and ex model herself) – http://accordingtoannika.blogspot.com/2011/06/thin-girl-vs-real-girl.html

By: Witch Moma

Witch Moma — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 13:09:05 +0000

i can’t believe this pic & love the idea of “You Look Fine.”