Biggest Weight Stories of 2010

Since I linked yesterday to Jezebel's Photoshop Hall of Shame gallery, I thought I'd also share this link to their "The Biggest Weight Stories" of 2010. Jezebel does a great job of covering both the social injustices committed against fat folks and a balancing of health-related articles or health-trend pieces. They are very balanced on this--they have a strict anti-body-snarking policy, but they aren't HAES fundamentalists. Most of these articles, we at FFFB linked to or discussed ourselves during 2010, but they all bear re-hashing.

Photoshop's Hall of Shame

Checkout Jezebel's gallery of the Best & Worst of Photoshop's Hall of Shame HERE. I don't know why every time I see these side-by side comparisons, I'm still shocked. Its all fake people! But how "they" (they being the overlord masters of the image industry) choose to photoshop individuals is culturally significant. Take, for example, the lightening of Gabourey Sidibe's skin or the cinching of Christina Hendricks' waist or the air-brushing out of wrinkles or even smile lines. These things don't happen in a vaccuum and it isn't just about air-brushing out a pimple or a scar--its erasing race, body-type and age. Let's not also forget that in many instances, the photoshopping of images produces non-human bodies--limbs missing bones, limbs missing period, necks incapable of holding up oddly large heads, etc. In order to "idealize" these people are made into cartoons.

Must Read

Check out this article by Jezebel's Tasha Fierce regarding the under-representation of women of color among the recent bevy of plus-sized features in mainstream women's fashion magazines. Its well written, thoughtful and honest. Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

Clothing Store Owner Can't Fit Into Her Own Stock!

The Times of London Online has an article up with Belle Robinson, the owner of the boutique clothing store, Jigsaw in London. Its subtitle suggests a message of uplift and support for "normal" sized women: "The chic Jigsaw owner, Belle Robinson, explains why not being sample size is less important than loving your life."

That's great, sample sizes (0's or 2's) are unrealistic and unhealthy for more women (not all, I'm not being a skinny-bitch hater here). Here's the crux of the issue, Jezebel uncovered that Jigsaw only offers sizes up to a UK 14 (US 12) and that Ms. Robinson is a size UK 16 (US 14). Her own boutique doesn't carry clothing that would fit her and yet she's trying to impress upon Times of London readers a message of body self-acceptance? Cognitive dissonance much?

The difficulty finding stylish clothing that respond to many body-types is just the kind of experience that helps to reinforce to women who wear 10's, 12's, 14's, 16's, 18's and gasp beyond the sense of comfort in our own bodies. I am not suggesting that Jigsaw change its business model and become a plus-sized boutique, but about about integrating a few more sizes (say, up to 24?) into your stock. Most certainly, integrate a size 16-18! Seriously, self-hatred sucks--get over it! And please, don't give me your body acceptance speech without first, oh, I don't know--accepting your body and the bodies of women like you into your shop.