Comments on: Perspectives of Women and the Media http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/ But by the grace of God, I am what I am. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:04:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Buffy http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3605 Buffy Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:50:36 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3605 Interesting article. Jennifer Love Hewitt had a fabulous figure in that photo, I haven't got a clue why anyone would call her fat. Regarding the BMI photos, I think they were misleading. Whether or not the people were obese or overweight etc was down to their statistics. However, we were seeing them with clothes on and if clothes are chosen carefully they can hide a multitude of sins. Equally if not chosen with care they can accentuate all your worst features. Those airbrushed photos were an eye-opener. I have seen the odd celebrity and been shocked how lined and drawn they usually look in the flesh! Some of the airbrushing shown was frankly unnecessary and just made the person look unreal and freakish. Interesting article. Jennifer Love Hewitt had a fabulous figure in that photo, I haven’t got a clue why anyone would call her fat.

Regarding the BMI photos, I think they were misleading. Whether or not the people were obese or overweight etc was down to their statistics. However, we were seeing them with clothes on and if clothes are chosen carefully they can hide a multitude of sins. Equally if not chosen with care they can accentuate all your worst features.

Those airbrushed photos were an eye-opener. I have seen the odd celebrity and been shocked how lined and drawn they usually look in the flesh! Some of the airbrushing shown was frankly unnecessary and just made the person look unreal and freakish.

]]> By: Sue http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3604 Sue Sun, 09 Dec 2007 17:43:12 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3604 The problem, I think, is that the words 'obese' and 'fat' have such negative connotations. Yet they're just physical descriptions, like 'tall' or 'red-haired', and shouldn't have value judgements attached to them. The BMI simply illustrates some statistics, and suggests that people who are very thin or very fat are likely to have health problems (though not necessarily). It doesn't mean they're any less valuable as people, or that their shape is due to any fault of their own. Genetics has a lot to say in our body shape, as does our diet during childhood. Also, some very heavy people are healthy, as are some very light folk... and that's fine. If people focused more on living healthy lifestyles, and eating for maximum nutrition for their own benefit, rather than worrying about what they look like, there would be much less of a problem. The media, of course, is very much to blame in the way that heavier folk are seen negatively. Nevertheless, it's statistically true that someone who is medically obese is more likely to suffer health problems than someone who is within the average weight range. It's a bit like the statistics that say someone with a lot of cancer or heart disease in their family is more likely to suffer those illnesses. So it's wise for someone in that category to take more care (eg not smoking, eating fruit and veg, avoiding saturated fat, taking regular exercise, etc). Surely the same is true of people who are clinically obese. The problem, I think, is that the words ‘obese’ and ‘fat’ have such negative connotations. Yet they’re just physical descriptions, like ‘tall’ or ‘red-haired’, and shouldn’t have value judgements attached to them. The BMI simply illustrates some statistics, and suggests that people who are very thin or very fat are likely to have health problems (though not necessarily). It doesn’t mean they’re any less valuable as people, or that their shape is due to any fault of their own. Genetics has a lot to say in our body shape, as does our diet during childhood. Also, some very heavy people are healthy, as are some very light folk… and that’s fine.

If people focused more on living healthy lifestyles, and eating for maximum nutrition for their own benefit, rather than worrying about what they look like, there would be much less of a problem. The media, of course, is very much to blame in the way that heavier folk are seen negatively.

Nevertheless, it’s statistically true that someone who is medically obese is more likely to suffer health problems than someone who is within the average weight range. It’s a bit like the statistics that say someone with a lot of cancer or heart disease in their family is more likely to suffer those illnesses. So it’s wise for someone in that category to take more care (eg not smoking, eating fruit and veg, avoiding saturated fat, taking regular exercise, etc). Surely the same is true of people who are clinically obese.

]]> By: Lifewish http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3603 Lifewish Sun, 09 Dec 2007 11:47:26 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3603 It's weird that appearance issues for guys tend to be completely different. We're less messed-up about weight, but I'm convinced that most guys that make the magazines are abusing at least one steroid. It’s weird that appearance issues for guys tend to be completely different. We’re less messed-up about weight, but I’m convinced that most guys that make the magazines are abusing at least one steroid.

]]> By: Tasha http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3602 Tasha Sun, 09 Dec 2007 02:37:55 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3602 According to their BMI I would probalby be morbidly obese. Yes, I am overweight but not morbidly obese! Frankly the only ones I agreed with were the underweight ones cuz IMO 1/2 the normal ones were underwight to and thats not cuz I am heavey its cuz that is just not healthy. According to their BMI I would probalby be morbidly obese. Yes, I am overweight but not morbidly obese! Frankly the only ones I agreed with were the underweight ones cuz IMO 1/2 the normal ones were underwight to and thats not cuz I am heavey its cuz that is just not healthy.

]]> By: techskeptic http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3600 techskeptic Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:24:52 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3600 frac, my link didnt work: http://techskeptic.blogspot.com/2007/10/ot-great-atheist-videos.html frac, my link didnt work:

http://techskeptic.blogspot.com/2007/10/ot-great-atheist-videos.html

]]> By: techskeptic http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3599 techskeptic Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:24:06 +0000 http://www.mandikaye.com/2007/12/08/perspectives-of-women-and-the-media/#comment-3599 Amanda, check out the last video that I posted <a href="http://techskeptic.blogspot.com/2007/10/ot-great-atheist-videos.html" rel="nofollow"> here</a>. Its from the Dove self esteem fund. It really make an impact of what you are talking about here. Amanda,

check out the last video that I posted here.

Its from the Dove self esteem fund. It really make an impact of what you are talking about here.

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