Inappropriate attitudes!

Adele Horin wrote in the Sydney Morning Herald this week "Love Handle with care: the danger of being a meaty miss".

We think of journalists as being ethical (most of the time!) Over the years I've come to doubt this somewhat; most of the time they're not 100% respectful either.

Reading the article it would seem Adele Horin has some issues (as does her so-called friend who she mentions in the first line) relative to size. It's this sort of journalism that does very little to improve the inappropriate attitudes of women towards their sisters.

Some of what Adele Horin says could be seen as being "positive" but, without being sensitive about it, I can't see she is any different to any other journalist who attempts to put-down women who have more weight than the journalist herself.

To begin with - how is a title "Love Handle with care: the danger of being a meaty miss" presenting us in the right light? Then her statement, "we are two thin women, careful to a fault about food and exercise. We've just eaten fish for dinner, no dessert, and with our herbal tea are treating ourselves to an almond biscuit". Whoa, back up a bit, Adele. Thousands upon thousands of larger women eat fish for dinner, no dessert and drink herbal tea, and who don't even go to the luxury of having an almond biscuit. Their diet is seen to be extremely healthy. And this isn't just a one-day event - they eat sensibly all the time. And surprise, surprise, they exercise regularly too.

Adele Horin then goes on to say she sees "big girls everywhere". In Sydney? Then obviously she and her friend are looking through skewed spectacles. She's focussing on big girls rather than seeing the real world around her. Does she take umbrage about the fact that many of Sydney's young women are killing themselves with eating disorders?

As far as I can ascertain Naomi Wolf's presence in Sydney was to attend the Happiness Conference and while body image and obesity might fall under that category as far as self-esteem is concerned, I don't believe she is concentrating only on size!

Expressions by Horin such as "danger of being a meaty miss" as well as "hefty thighs" and "flaunting the flesh" is demeaning to any woman, not only larger women.

I am offended by any journalist jumping on the bandwagon and putting women down based on their size and looks, when the attitudes of those same journalists are based on prejudice and bias which needs to be confronted and explained. Personally I, and many of my friends in the media, will not stoop to denigrate and demean women of any size, and I include very thin women here. We need to bolster self-esteem in our sisters - not tear each other down. I really got riled up about this one!!!