Sunday, March 4, 2012

Sizeism on Display in American Idol Top 13

Yesterday, I had a conversation with my dad about the contestants in the American Idol Top 13, and he pointed out that America always chooses the more attractive and thin people to continue on in the competition. This is not a shocking revelation considering the transformations of past American Idol participants such as Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, and Katherine McPhee. Jennifer Hudson's doing weight loss commercials. Carrie Underwood's slowly ditching her "good girl" image for her listeners, and Katherine McPhee has become a Hollywood starlet with the new television show, "Smash." McPhee discussed her struggles with weight and and an eating disorder openly in 2010. At the same time as she was sharing her body struggles, Katherine appeared in this heavily-Photoshopped image on the cover of SHAPE magazine. Can we ever give women a break?






These images are particularly troubling since this past week was National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. While these images and stories aren't the only factors contributing to eating disorders and poor body image among young girls, they matter. Children consume an absurd amount of television every day, and I often talk with young girls that think they need to be as thin as a Victoria's Secret model to look good in their bras or lose weight to look like their favorite celebrity.


Check out the Love your body Campaign and 20 Ways to Love Your Body!




The Denison Feminists also did this cool project where they put positive quotes on sticky notes all around campus (in the dorms, bathrooms, etc...)

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