Just heard about the Oxygen Network’s new TV show, called Mo’Niques
Fat Chance. It’s a beauty pageant for plus sized women. To quote Mo’Nique,
Just
My Size spokesperson: “I got tired of shows giving us such a negative image, that being big was a bad thing. The average woman is a size 14, we are the majority, we are America.”
I can’t believe we are doing this. And it is not a good thing.
I understand the challenge of losing weight – I’ve had my own minor battle with weight loss for the last several years- and to be successful, it takes discipline and dedication. Something that these women are demonstrating they don’t have and the TV show is encouraging by saying its okay, by the mere act of creating and producing a TV show such as this. These women say that they are tired of being made to feel bad about themselves. I say, when did it become acceptable to have no personal control or responsibility for your actions? Unless their weight gain is due to some sort of true medical issue, being big is bad – health wise and image wise. If we continue to trod down this path, we will be a severely overweight nation in poor health. Already, there as been an increase in the cost of medical supplies/equipment to cater to the truly obese. Some overweight people take phentermine medication to lose weight. If this drug is still unfamiliar to you, and you want to know more info about it, read some blogs or post about phentermine. These higher costs are passed on to… you guessed it, you and me. So
we’re paying higher costs because someone can’t learn how to eat properly.
According to my pal Delegatrix, “Back in 1971, NIST issued a voluntary
standard for ready to wear clothing. The waist measurement for a Misses size 10 was 24 1/2″. Today, a Misses size 10 is typically a 28 1/2″ waist (Lands
End for example). In 1971, with that waistline, NIST would have measured you at a size 16. The old size 10 is now considered a size 2.”
Keep in mind, the size 14 women on Mo’Nique’s show (according to the NIST old standards) would have been a size 18. So in reality, the average women’s size is now an 18 — when was a size 18 ever a good idea? What ever happened to pride, and self respect. Weighing as much as these women do, I don’t see any pride or self respect happening. Just a lack of discipline, laziness and a need to have the world say “Its alright sweetheart, you go ahead — eat food thats bad for you; you go ahead and eat too much of it; you go ahead and sit home and eat bon-bons instead of taking a nice long walk. No, sweetie, it’s not your fault you’re fat. But its okay if you are.”
Furthermore, Delegatrix discovered more insidiousness: Over time, the size standard became outdated and then went away. Why? “Because American men and women became heavier. In the past, the average woman’s figure once attempted to resemble the preferred hourglass shape of the fashion magazines, now women have become increasingly more pear-shaped – thicker waist and fuller hips. It was about this time that manufacturers discovered the advantage of appealing to women’s vanity. Forever 21 selling bigger clothes labeled with smaller size numbers.”
“The Department of Commerce officially withdrew the commercial standard for the sizing of women’s apparel on January 20, 1983. Currently, only pattern companies continue to use the traditional sizing standards.”
And that is when it really began – the acceptance of fat in America. I’m not talking about everyone becoming so obsessed with looking like a supermodel or the former waif-like heroin chic skinniness – thats not healthy either, but being a size 12/14 – the old size 12/14 would be just about right as an average. Here’s hoping.
