To not understand how this different from putting an anorexic model on the cover

[Spinderelle]

Cosmopolitan have a morbidly obese model on their cover this month. I am absolutely behind the idea of body positivity - after children my body is far from perfect and it’s nice to see companies like ASOS use larger women and not airbrush stretch marks etc.

But this model is dangerously obese and risking her health. How is that any different from having a dangerously thin model on the cover?

You guys do know that studies show that telling fat people how awful they are actually makes them less likely to lose weight. Fat is also absolutely not encouraged or glamorised, as I think this thread ably shows.

Also, using faux concern for fat health as a cover to have a pop at them for being disgusting is a very transparent tactic. None of you come across as concerned. Just excited at the opportunity to put the boot in.

For what it's worth, I was 18 stone after my thyroid was removed. I'm now 12 stone (and 5'10"). And reading this thead makes me want to despair and go and eat chocolate cake.

Alaaya - well of course I can only speak for myself but that’s balls.

I’m fat. I’m dieting. Because I want to see my children grow up. Also because I want to be able to eat the occasional cake which won’t be possible if I develop diabetes. Also because my joints hurt.

It’s not being cruel to speak the truth. Being that fat is NOT HEALTHY. If it was I’d be the first person to gleefully delete MFP, fling on a MuuMuu and lumber off to Greggs.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/01/29/fat-shaming-actually-makes-peoples-health-worse-study-pennsylvania/

www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/news/20170803/fat-shaming-patients-can-cause-real-harm

Two different studies. It might not be true for you, MurunBuchstansagur. Much like an individual fat person may live to 90. But you are not, apparently, the norm.

I'm not the one for fat shaming which is, I think, the gist of the "it's so unhealthy it's gross" sentiment. Adult people who base their idea of health on what's on the covers of magazines are looking in the wrong direction. People who are constantly looking for "role models" when they are older than 5 are daft too.

Ok, she must be unhealthy. So what? Should we only see healthy, perfectly able people in the media? I'm for one sick of these smug motherfuckers and their exercising regimes and healthy chicken salads for lunch (and nope, I'm not "fat" myself)

Alaaya
Also, using faux concern for fat health as a cover to have a pop at them for being disgusting is a very transparent tactic. None of you come across as concerned. Just excited at the opportunity to put the boot in

Totally agree with you. Some people are like a bunch of yapping school bullies who look for an easy target - someone to despise and laugh at - without being challenged. Say, if they poked fun at disabled person, they's come across as callous, but a "fat" one (or a smoker) - hell yea, because they can dress it up as "health". It's about safely being nasty to others ...

Also, using faux concern for fat health as a cover to have a pop at them for being disgusting is a very transparent tactic

I think yelling 'faux concern' is a very good way of shutting down this debate as is saying posts will drive people to binge. Whilst i think there are some absolutely horrible comments on this thread, which should be deleted, it wouldn't be acceptable for someone to come on and say peoples' comments had pushed them, as an alcoholic, to drink. Yes there are some utter bullying shits out there but the only person who can make you do something is you.

My concern is absolutely genuine. I have been obese (not morbidly so). I have a disability. I feel sad for Tess because she will end up disabling herself when it isn't neccesary to end up that way. Life and good health are so precious. I strongly disagree with the bopo community pushing the idea that it's completely neutral to eat to the point of being so big. It is doing harm.

I strongly disagree with the bopo community pushing the idea that it's completely neutral to eat to the point of being so big. It is doing harm.

Agree. And realising this and voicing out this concern isn't fat shaming.

I think what everyone needs - regardless whether they are fat or anorexic - is not "concern" (for it can still feel a bit humiliating and smug) but respect and tact. Concern for someone's health is for doctors, the rest of us should well mind our own business and help only if asked.

It's a cover of a magazine though. It was published. Some people may be concerned, some not. It's out there, open to opinions.

I haven't expressed concern or disgust, I have commented on a thread that was started about a magazine cover where the model is unhealthily obese.

I will not take responsibility for overweight people using any comments as an excuse to binge or a reason why they are fat. As I know full well from my alcoholic family member, blaming others is a way of maintaining your addiction. You will not recover from addiction until you acknowledge your own agency. I am not responsible for anyone's weight but my own.

I do not feel 'excited' by saying this as a poster oddly suggested. Why would I? I am not particularly excited by either weight or food as they are not big issues or problems in my life. Clearly they are major issues for others on this thread, who find this very emotive, but for many it is very much a 'comment and move on' subject. I don't find someone overweight to the point of disability an attractive sight, but ultimately the model's weight isn't harming me - but it is certainly harming her.

It isn't. But the people who say she is 'encouraging obesity' are a joke. At no point has she said ' go out and get as fat as me.'

Also funny how every is suddenly a doctor when someone is fat. But have absolutely nothing to say to slim people who live on takeaway and cigarettes.

Well put, gendercritter. as mentioned, it's very hard to avoid thinking that some are looking for any excuse to load the responsibility onto someone or something else

It's also noticeable that nobody picked up on the point about HCPs - who we might assume really are concerned about health issues - and the insistence we often see that they're "fat shaming" too

There's another thread running where the OP queried parents meeting kids out of school with offers of junk food, only to be met with outrage ... "they're starving", "they see their friends getting it and want the same", "what's it got to do with anyone else" and all the rest

And then some wonder why obesity is becoming such a problem

I strongly disagree with the bopo community pushing the idea that it's completely neutral to eat to the point of being so big. It is doing harm
I agree.
Someone I went to school gained more weight the more they seemed to get involved in body positive online activism. Now they're always sharing things about why the world is mean to comment on obesity.
Also funny how every is suddenly a doctor when someone is fat. But have absolutely nothing to say to slim people who live on takeaway and cigarettes.
Cigarettes are bad for you and kill. If someone was on the cover of a magazine smoking then I'd equally wonder why a magazine was trying to promote it as a desirable lifestyle.
I don't get the 'yeah but thin people...' challenges.
Also, using faux concern for fat health as a cover to have a pop at them for being disgusting is a very transparent tactic.
None of you come across as concerned. Just excited at the opportunity to put the boot in
Nice way to shut debate down. Don't discuss obesity or the fact that a magazine is getting all over the body positive let's be euphemistic and talk about loving our curves because "feels".
I'm not excited to put the boot in. What an odd expression.
Concerned that there's a small army of women who'll play mental gymnastics to justify why we should be congratulating people for being overweight? Yes.
Concerned that the average UK woman is overweight and now a healthy weight is below average? Yes.
Concerned that the more we have people acting like it's perfectly fine to be whatever size is warping ideas of what is healthy and what isn't? Yes.
With the best will in the world, I couldn't care less about someone who chooses to put themselves on the cover of Cosmo and makes a living off being fat. Her life, her choices but don't expect me to be all try body positi ity let's hug it out and talk about how brave you are for being big

Here's Sali Hughes' take. I'm with her all the way.

www.the-pool.com/news-views/opinion/2018/36/Tess-Holliday-cosmopolitan-cover-Sali-Hughes-health-concerns-lie?utm_source=today&utm_campaign=717e8b6b90-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_09_04_01_10&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0522b4f78a-717e8b6b90-68972081&mc_cid=717e8b6b90&mc_eid=b4b350285e

I agree with @TheNavigator 100%

Blue i was just coming on the thread to post that.

Yes I think Sali has it. I love her

It isn't the job of the magazine industry to ensure public health. Most women will have received information from parents, school, the NHS, etc. We are grown women and do not need Nanny Magazine keeping an eye on us as well!

I like the picture. I like the colours and her hair.

It isn't the job of the magazine industry to ensure public health.

Quite. Cosmo is not a health magazine. It does not put anything on its cover with a view to promoting public health.

Of course Sali's right.

It isn't the job of the magazine industry to ensure public health

So then why does society have an issue with anorexic girls being on the cover of magazines?

I disagree with Sali's piece, I'm afraid.

So then why does society have an issue with anorexic girls being on the cover of magazines?

Even if that is true, it certainly appears to have far more of an issue with one obese girl being on the cover of one.

Nobody gives a shit about Tess' health. As Sally says, they are simply angry because she is happy and successful while also being fat, and that should not be allowed!

@MaisyPops, You're completely missing the point. I'm saying that no one says anything about slim people who live on junk food because apparently being slim visually means you are in tip top condition.

Sally makes the excellent point that as the pressure to be thin and diet industry get bigger and bigger, people get fatter and fatter. I think I said the same thing a few pages back. It's almost as if making people feel like shit with criticism, faux concern and sneering doesn't actually encourage them to treat themselves well.

Who'd have thunk.

So, anyway, what was everyone saying about Tess?

Sally makes the excellent point that as the pressure to be thin and diet industry get bigger and bigger, people get fatter and fatter. I think I said the same thing a few pages back. It's almost as if making people feel like shit with criticism, faux concern and sneering doesn't actually encourage them to treat themselves well.

Whereas if fashion models had to be a size 10 minimum, people would not see that as unattainable and might think it worth the effort to lose weight.