Earlier this week a trip to Duane Reade went from a gum-buying excursion to a "Come on, really??" moment. On the newstand above the gum racks was the latest issue of People Magazine with a bikini-clad Melissa Joan Hart declaring her recent victory over the 42 pounds she's shed.
Just as I was thinking, "Wow, good for her! She looks great." I caught sight of the small print below a pre-weight loss picture of her in which she actually described herself as "horrifying". Really, Melissa? The weight in the corner of the before photo is 155. Melissa is 5'3" tall. That means that "horrifying" photo is of Melissa at the exact same height and weight as, well...me. Should I be horrified?
Me at Melissa Joan's "horrifying" weight.
Our culture is absolutely weight-loss obsessed. And, as someone who has struggled with their weight forever and a day, I can say that our preoccupation with the bulge battles of public stars has been both helpful and hurtful. Seeing someone like Oprah gain and lose (and then gain again and lose again) gives me some solace. It proves that weight issues are not a problem of intelligence, of logic, or of resources, because surely her trainer, personal chef, and team of assistants at the ready could have cured her if that's all it took. But, when celebrities are "horrified" by their normal looking bodies, when they declare their weight is disgusting and gross and sad, they do such a disservice to the community of curvy women out there. Where are the celebrities who are willing to accept their bodies with confidence? With self-esteem? Where's the love for the bigger shapes, the bodies that many of us have even when following healthy lifestyles?
Here at Full On Style we surely do not want to encourage unhealthy bodies. Medical guidelines for weight should be followed no matter how good you feel about the size of your booty. We want everyone to make personal choices about how to take care of themselves, but there is such a lack of tolerance in popular culture for women with meat on their bones. At 5'3", 113 lbs. is actually underweight for Melissa, based on standard medical weight guidelines. Yet the cover is all exclamation points and celebration about that number. It's not realistic for most women, nor is it healthy for someone of her height.
I'm calling all celebs to the table and asking them to please stop bashing their bodies in public. Stand up for your right to be a little bigger and still have a career. Who ever said talented actresses only come in one teeny size anyway? Let's be our best selves, our healthiest selves. Let's embrace our curves and our healthy bodies, no matter if Hollywood is horrified by them or not.
Yay! I totally agree.
It might also be good to mention that sometimes, especially in magazine like this, quotes are taken COMPLETELY out of context. She may have said something like, "Paparazzi snapped a horrifying photo of me" (we all take bad photos sometimes, haha) and they chose to make it sound like she was talking about her weight.