Today, a bit of creepy irony, courtesy of Janet Bloomfield’s JudgyBitch blog.
Yesterday, Bloomfield put up a post (archived here) with the title “Feminists borrowing from terrorists now?” The source of her outrage? The anger directed at the now-notorious “Are You Beach Body Ready” ads posted in London tube stations by a weightloss powder company called Protein World.
The ads’ detractors, many of them feminists, think that the ad campaign contributes to fat shaming. Some of these critics have — gasp! — written on the ads with magic markers to express their dissatisfaction, acts of minor vandalism that the company’s CEO indignantly denounced as “terrorism.” No, really.
The company has also, it claims, gotten a number of threats, including a bomb threat. That’s a lot more serious, and completely indefensible; bomb threats are indeed intended to terrorise.
The irony? When I went to take a look at Bloomfield’s post last night, this was the first comment left on it:
I’m sorry, but that’s pretty fucking creepy. And it’s now been up on her site for a day.
I’m not quite sure how Bloomfield figures that bomb threats are terrorism but a comment warning feminists that “I’ll have my vengeance” is fine.
Thanks, fruitloopsie, and I send my hugs to all who have been shamed as well. I kinda freaked myself out with how angry this made me, after all these years.
Thanks,Tracy. Hashi’s is a tough gig, but I think I found a way to get a LOT better! I take 45 mgs of porcine thyroid a day and, recently (a few months ago) added this wonderful iodine supplement twice a week. It has three different sources/types of iodine and also contains l-tyrosine. For the first time EVER my bloodwork came back as normal, across the board! And the left side of my thyroid went from a swollen mass to normal size! If you are interested, I can give you the specifics – name of product, where to get it online.
I was a folk singer and I lost my voice because my thyroid became so swollen that it actually put a bend in my trachea. I had to force air around it, which gave me ulcers on my larynx. Now, I can sing again! Yay! I am SOOOO happy! (See one silly granny doing the Happy, Happy. Joy, Joy. Dance!)
Men don’t grow up being told things like “a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.” Men aren’t expected to hang on to their boyish figures. Little boys don’t mimic their father’s diet tips and tricks. Even though women are not more likely to be fat than men, women and girls are more likely to diet and perceive themselves as fat and the diet industry targets us more. 90% of eating disorder sufferers are women. I could go on like this forever but I think everyone gets the gist.
Oh, they did, Paradoxical Intention, they did. (gag…hurl)
Yup, same old same old.
I really really dislike “Girls”, personally (can’t stand the characters) but if it’s giving misogynists a headache then woop! 🙂
I have grown to dislike body policing. I remember working with a very skinny woman who got comments about how she needed a sandwich.
So much of this. If I had a dollar for every time someone told me to eat a sandwich, I would have a lot of dollars. It was particularly hurtful from coworkers who ate lunch with me everyday and saw me eat a lot of sandwiches.
I think the body policing (for both fat and skinny people) is so infuriating because it infantilizes you. It is someone else telling you that you don’t know how to take care of yourself or that you aren’t doing it properly.
All hail the Blockquote Mammoth!
The second bit of my post is quoted from opium4themassses. My comment starts with “So much of this.”
It’s basic math. Fat people of any gender have their bodies policed. Women of every size have their bodies policed. Therefore, fat women get twice the body policing.
Ooh…My fave role of his was in Revenge of the Nerds! He is so talented!
I read years ago that men have to be noticeably overweight for their weight to be an issue (for other people).
Women just have to be women.
Although, as a gay man, I’ve seen other gay men who have body dysmorphia issues. I wonder what could be the connection? Is there some link between the male gaze and this issue? Are these rhetorical questions?
There was a just a controversy over this nightmarish onesie.
http://herscoop.com/files/2015/03/BS0104THI_a_new_grande-200×311.jpg
Wow, more grammar failure on my part yet again. Please ignore the extra “a” and my shame.
Robert,
I recall reading somewhere that a disproportionate number of male eating disorder sufferers are gay. So maybe yes on the male gaze thing?
Ah, that explains a lot. Thank you Weirwoodtreehugger.
I think the most ridiculous cases of calling a female celebrity “Fat” have to be the ones aimed at Christina Hendricks. Just. WHAT.
@M.
I had to google her, and all her pictures are big boobs on a normal size body with rather nice hips.
You know, Hollywood fat.
(Let’s see how my first imbedded picture goes.)
Nope.
Let’s try again.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/04/14/article-2604520-1D1CF36500000578-218_634x848.jpg
Yep, see? Totally fat. Not at all highly sexy and attractive.
…
Nope.
…
(Goddamnit she’s gorgeous. *3* Whoever called her fat really fucking doesn’t know what fat is, that fucker.)
I’ve seen people call Jennifer Lawrence fat too.
Banana Jackie Cake:
Sometimes (a lot of the times maybe?) calling a woman “fat” has nothing to do with her weight or appearance and everything to do with exercising power over her and “putting her in her place” as an object to be consumed. It’s not so much “this woman is overweight” as “you’re a woman, we have a right to criticize your body, and you better listen to what we say.” It keeps women worried about and focusing on their outward appearance not being “good enough.”
@sparky
Yeah, I know this too well. :/ I probably shouldn’t have said what I said the way I said it either, because fat=/=not gorgeous.
It’s just, damn, what fat are these guys talking about here?
Fucking Jennifer Lawrence is fat?
I think they’re equivalating “fat” as not being able to see all your bones through the skin.
Batman na Jackie Cake:
Sometimes, it makes me feel like banging my head against a wall. (I don’t recommend that. It hurts and accomplishes nothing but a headache.)
I have a similar body type to her, although she’s more nicely proportioned than I am. I’m not surprised people call her fat at all. She probably exceeds the acceptable 150 lb threshold. I know I do. Quelle horror!
@sparky
I am the Goddamn Batman na Jackie Cake.
*flips capes and walks into the night*