What gems has the media provided us on the subject of body image?

Biting the Hand

Kirstie Alley creates Fat Actress TV show and promotes book, How to Lose Your Ass... Now busy marketing her weight loss with Jenny Craig, her fat is more famous than she is.

To her credit though, she bit the hand that feeds her (har har), and used her Fat Actress show to turn the tables on the hypocrisy of the entertainment industry and tabloids. Too bad it was cancelled. It would've remained hilarious and honest no matter what size she was. She had other celebrities on the show talk openly about their body image, as well. Television producers can't handle the truth....think Ellen.

To the Producers of The Biggest Loser

At least they showcase people losing weight the hard way....not. They are now marketing a new gimmicky weight loss program to the masses. I guess touting hard work just isn't as profitable. And doesn't the irony of the title still set a certain tone for all overweight people? If you do win, you are still a "loser." Canada's Life Network's weight loss program, Keeping It Off, proves to be more relatable and realistic, with no cash prizes and no one gets voted off. Participants are motivated by their own reasons to lose weight. We see them in their own homes, in their everyday lives, evaluating themselves and the reasons for success or setbacks on their own terms. No wonder it has won so many awards.

 
Jonesing for the Truth

Star Jones refuses to state exactly how she went from doughnut to diva in the blink of an eye. You look great, Star, but no one out here in the real world attributes your insta-loss to the gym. It looks like you got another life changing "ring," but this time it was placed around your stomach. Now you're touting weight loss advice in your new book, Shine, where you tell readers to "answer some vital questions, truthfully." Okay, Star, you first.

 
Baby Fat

Heidi Klum's and Denise Richards' post baby bodies — what happened to that rule which states, "it takes nine months to grow a baby and nine months to lose the baby weight?" I guess my last child had the gestation period of an elephant. Does Victoria Secret have a nursing bra? And what happens if these media types don't lose the baby weight fast enough? Rumours erupt in the tabloids that they're pregnant again - "Oops, She Did it Again."

 
Young Starlets

Ashley Olsen becomes known as the "fat" twin. Lindsay Lohan lands the cover of Vanity Fair by revealing her affair with bulimia, and Nicole Richie (what's left of her) increases in fame in direct proportion to speed at which she decreases in size, currently promoting Gucci and Jimmy Choo. Unfortunately, by the time she attains superstar status, her only option will be modeling toddler size Gymboree.

 
Fat Suits

Tyra Banks and Vanessa Minnillo wear 350 lbs of layered latex to illustrate how fat people are discriminated against. How did the fake tears not melt all that makeup? Tyra, why didn't you just interview an overweight person? This was as insulting as Star Jones refusing to admit she went to Staples to check out some weight reduction supplies. Thanks ladies for finally pointing out to us what obese people have to endure. I wasn't aware of it before. Keep the stereotype alive, with the "thank goodness this isn't really me" conclusion to the experience.

 
Aging = Desperate

I'll stop whatever I'm doing, spend whatever it takes, to plump up that wrinkle. "Kids, I'm stopping payment on your RESPs. Mommy's payment plan at the anti-aging clinic comes first." Two things are true: death and taxes. Now there's a third (for women only) — aging before you die isn't acceptable. All women must look 35 forever.

 
Body Image in Canadian Politics?

What a year it was — with the controversy of Belinda Stronach crossing the floor as a Liberal cabinet minister and the new Governor General, Michaelle Jean.

Could there be any bigger references to body image than Stronach's National Post front page headline the day after of, "Blonde Bombshell?" Other words used were, "whore," "jezebel," and "attractive dipstick." Women's groups and media watchers were livid. Criticism was expected, sure, but not overt sexism. The Liberal Women's Caucus asked the name callers to "apologize to Ms. Stronach and to the women of Canada." 

In contrast to this debacle was the appointment of Michaelle Jean as the new Governor General of Canada. Immediately, physical images were the first to imprint themselves onto the Canadian psyche — young, female, attractive, visible minority, and the first black Governor General.

Globe and Mail columnist, John Ibbitson, wrote that for physical appearance alone, she "is the promise of what we almost are, of what we want to be. She is the becoming Canada...this is the Canada that will ultimately make way for different cultural identities."

This held our attention for awhile, until regular political dirt digging turned the focus onto her being (supposedly) supportive of Quebec separatism.

As divergent as their political hurdles and victories are, Stronach and Jean often get more media coverage about their designer clothes (or lack thereof) than the important issues at hand.

 
Looking into the crystal ball for 2006... 

We're off to a good start, Canada. I'm bursting with pride over the new Dove commercial and their "Campaign for Real Beauty." The ads shows REAL (not models) Canadian girls sharing their thoughts about how their self-esteem is already being formed: "Hates her freckles," "Wishes she were blonde." So, they're acknowledging that girls do have issues with self esteem but are encouraging them to love themselves the way they are. Finally, a personal care product that encourages caring for your beautiful self rather than trying to look like Paris Hilton.

You can view the commercial at the link www.campaignforrealbeauty.ca.

I don't care if it's a clever ad campaign designed to sell soap; my five year old daughter will be taking a bath with Dove soap as soon she sees this commercial on my computer. She's announced she wants to grow her hair long because "only beautiful women have long hair."

 
Janet Jackson Weight Gain

Virgin records reportedly will not promote her new album until she's lost the weight she's gained over the last two years. Maybe she just wants to do something else for six hours a day, besides ab crunches.

I can just hear Jann Arden now (who has been told many times that the only thing keeping her from super stardom is her weight) if her record label gave her such an ultimatum:

"Bite me, bite me hard."

Must go now and run a bath for my daughter. Will be sure to pop in a Jann CD.

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