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FAT SHAMING: HOLLYWOOD IS NOW BEING ACCUSED OF GLAMORIZING OBESITY

It appears that Hollywood can’t seem to win. Controversy began swirling a few days ago when ultra candor Joan Rivers outwardly fat shamed actress Lena Dunham saying that she’s giving people the message to “stay fat and get diabetes”.
Is hollywood glamorizing obesity

 

It appears that Hollywood can’t seem to win. Controversy began swirling a few days ago when ultra candor Joan Rivers outwardly fat shamed actress Lena Dunham saying that she’s giving people the message to “stay fat and get diabetes”. While glamorizing skinny girls on television puts forth a motion for craze dieting, eating disorders and self-image issues, does the reverse have the same effect?

It’s certainly a relief to see all kinds of body sizes integrated into television these days. Most of us now realize that just because a model looks great in a picture doesn’t mean she’s hasn’t been altered in some ways via Photoshop or plastic surgery. All these scary Photoshopping videos of before and after (Lena Dunham included on the cover of Vogue) shows that anything is possible for a picture perfect photo. The important lesson we learned from these exposés are that there’s more than meets the eye even in Dunham’s case.

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Rivers quoted on her show “Fashion Police”: I'm saying if you look the way you look, Lena -- and that's fine and you're funny -- but don't say it's okay that other girls can look like this. Try to look better. Try to look better!"

In Dunham’s defense, it’s important to keep in mind that she plays a woman who suffers from mental illness on the HBO show GIRLS and at one point struggled with day-to-day life. Let’s just say that dieting probably high on her priority list. Dunham’s character was also on medication for her obsessive-compulsive disorder diagnosis, which traditionally have been linked to weight gain. Furthermore, the show also casts members that are petite.

I think the true message behind the show is what is real may not be perfect and everyone is a work in progress.  While the show attempted to focus in on the character’s mental illness, the link to her weight gain may not be that explicit.  It is rare that anyone who is significantly overweight feels great about it. Every year, consumers spend billion of dollars on the diet industry. Self-image is selling well and we’re not likely to see a decline as long as we overindulge. Most people will agree that engaging in healthy eating habits and exercise is far more important than letting a scale define your self worth.

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So why do we eat the way we do? For one, processed foods are far more readily available at a lower cost. We’re often using the path of less resistance and over indulging rather than engaging in self-control. Our relationship with food is also an important factor. According to author David Bedrick, weight problems often stem from lack of control in other areas of life other and eating is rather a form of happiness to avoid looking at the issue at hand.

Whether dieting is a result of vanity or an attempt to fit in, the truth is there’s real health risks associated to being overweight or underweight. It’s not rocket science when it comes to looking and feeling good. You are what you eat and we all have a choice.

Amy Yew is a registered clinical counselor and relationship therapist. Tell us what you think and submit any questions you have to amyvancouvercourier@gmail.com. You can also tweet your thoughts on Twitter @AmyYew.