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bibliofeminista: The book tells the story of 14-year-old Maggie, who according to its blurb “is transformed from being overweight and insecure to a normal-sized teen who becomes the school soccer star”. It’s not out until October, but so disquieting is the cover image that perhaps we may, in this case, allow ourselves to judge the book by it. Maggie is depicted as dumpy, pigtailed, wearing an unflattering jumper (has nobody told her that wide lateral stripes aren’t a good look when you’re carrying a few extra pounds?), staring into the mirror, presumably dreaming of a thinner self who will one day wear the tiny pink prom dress she’s holding wistfully to her chest… This is appalling for so many reasons. Here are a few: - It is self-published by a male author whose target audience is 6-12 year old girls. - Being “skinny” is considered “normal-sized.” - Anorexia, bulimia, and bad body image are REAL issues that affect many teen girls already. This just adds to it. - The author of the article, who (I assume) intends to decry this book, does not seem very fat-positive herself. See “(has nobody told her that wide lateral stripes aren’t a good look when you’re carrying a few extra pounds?)” and “dumpy” for details. 1) My mom once told me she was bringing me a “present.” It was a book about weight loss and how it would make me feel better about myself. The result? I retreated to a corner and ate more ice cream. I just hid it from my mom. (P.S. She has since apologized for the way she put her own issues back on me.) This stuff flat-out doesn’t work. Oh, maybe it will for a day or a week or so. Girls forced to read this will be like, “Oh! I am a little chubby and therefore no one will ever take me to prom and try to hump me.” So, they’ll find an exercise video and eat some carrots for a week. But after that, their less-insecure friends will say, “Let’s get pizza,” and girl will go because she’s FUCKING STARVING. Trust me on this. In my teens and early 20s, I was on every single diet ever, except the super weird ones like the Shangri La Diet. (Look it up. It’s mental.) None of them work. My point is, leave the girls alone. Give them good meals three times a day, and let them nourish themselves. And fuck off until they get through the awkward years and can decide for themselves what health and wellness means to them. 2) Self-publishing is for people who can’t take no for an answer and have some extra money to throw around. I scoff at you, Paul M. Kramer.

bibliofeminista:

The book tells the story of 14-year-old Maggie, who according to its blurb “is transformed from being overweight and insecure to a normal-sized teen who becomes the school soccer star”. It’s not out until October, but so disquieting is the cover image that perhaps we may, in this case, allow ourselves to judge the book by it. Maggie is depicted as dumpy, pigtailed, wearing an unflattering jumper (has nobody told her that wide lateral stripes aren’t a good look when you’re carrying a few extra pounds?), staring into the mirror, presumably dreaming of a thinner self who will one day wear the tiny pink prom dress she’s holding wistfully to her chest…

This is appalling for so many reasons. Here are a few:

- It is self-published by a male author whose target audience is 6-12 year old girls.

- Being “skinny” is considered “normal-sized.”

- Anorexia, bulimia, and bad body image are REAL issues that affect many teen girls already. This just adds to it.

- The author of the article, who (I assume) intends to decry this book, does not seem very fat-positive herself. See “(has nobody told her that wide lateral stripes aren’t a good look when you’re carrying a few extra pounds?)” and “dumpy” for details.

1) My mom once told me she was bringing me a “present.” It was a book about weight loss and how it would make me feel better about myself. The result? I retreated to a corner and ate more ice cream. I just hid it from my mom. (P.S. She has since apologized for the way she put her own issues back on me.) This stuff flat-out doesn’t work. Oh, maybe it will for a day or a week or so. Girls forced to read this will be like, “Oh! I am a little chubby and therefore no one will ever take me to prom and try to hump me.” So, they’ll find an exercise video and eat some carrots for a week. But after that, their less-insecure friends will say, “Let’s get pizza,” and girl will go because she’s FUCKING STARVING. Trust me on this. In my teens and early 20s, I was on every single diet ever, except the super weird ones like the Shangri La Diet. (Look it up. It’s mental.) None of them work. My point is, leave the girls alone. Give them good meals three times a day, and let them nourish themselves. And fuck off until they get through the awkward years and can decide for themselves what health and wellness means to them.

2) Self-publishing is for people who can’t take no for an answer and have some extra money to throw around. I scoff at you, Paul M. Kramer.

(via stfuconservatives)

Filed under dieting diet books teen girls fat positive anorexia body image