“One Tree Hill” actress Sophia Bush has vowed to quit shopping at Urban Outfitters in light of what critics call a pro-anorexia T-Shirt put out by the clothing chain. The shirt, which bears the vague and condescending motto “Eat Less,” has been criticized for what some see as encouraging eating disorders while offering a pithy critique of overweight people. I remember hearing about it over a month ago. As result of the controversy Urban Outfitters no longer offers the “Eat Less” shirt through their website, but it was still in stores as of last month. Somehow Bush heard about it and quoted an article from seven weeks ago on her blog. She penned an open letter to Urban Outfitters vowing never to shop there again:
Ladies! This is OUTRAGEOUS. I hope none of you will stand for being told such a thing, in such a way. Being healthy, eating right, and staying active is one thing. Being told to starve yourselves by a fashion company? Not cool.
UO,
I have been a supporter of your store for many years, but now I’m through.
I am fortunate enough to star on a wonderful TV show called One Tree Hill. I play a fashion designer named Brooke Davis, who started a campaign on the show called “Zero Is Not A Size” and the outpouring of love and gratitude that came my way from girls and women ALL OVER THE WORLD who have body image issues brought me to tears.
To promote starvation? To promote anorexia, which leads to heart disease, bone density loss, and a slew of other health problems, not least of all psychological issues that NEVER go away? Shame on you. I will no longer be shopping at your stores. And I will encourage the tens of thousands of female supporters I have to do the same. I have fought to boycott BP. I never imagined I would also be boycotting affordable fashion.
You should issue a public apology, and make a hefty donation to a women’s organization that supports those stricken with eating disorders. I am sickened that anyone, on any board, in your gigantic company would have voted ‘yes’ on such a thing, let alone enough of you to manufacture an item with such a hurtful message. It’s like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun. You should know better.
I sincerely hope that next time you decide that making fun of serious issues is comedic, or ‘snarky in a cool way,’ that you rethink your decision.
With Sincerity but NO respect,
Sophia Bush
[From Sophia Bush’s Blog via Crazy Days and Nights]
Bush has never really been on my radar but I’ll be paying more attention to her now. You know that Urban Outfitters was hoping that by pulling the shirt this controversy would quietly die down. Now that Sophia Bush has brought attention to it there’s little chance of that. She’s right that they should issue an apology and admit that it was a dumb mistake that could have grave repercussions. I guess it’s not surprising that Urban Outfitters would ignorantly think it’s a good idea to tell people to eat less. How else are we going to squeeze into their terrible camel-toe causing jeggings?
Don’t know her, but good for her!
Jeez, storm over nothing. it doesn’t say ‘starve’ it says ‘eat less’ which with rising obesity all over ain’t exactly a bad idea.
I think the “eat less” message has a lot more to do with the receiver than the sender. It’s only a “pro-anorexia, anti-fat” T-shirt if you see it that way.
Most people in the Western world (and, increasingly, in prosperous parts of Asia) do need to eat less. We’re using precious shared resources to create enormous amounts of food our bodies don’t require. I think it’s scandalous that we’re overtaxing our environment to create more goodies that we then need to go to the health club to burn off.
People need to learn to eat what they need, and not more. It’s better for our own health and for the planet.
I’d find this T-shirt offensive in the many parts of the world where people can’t get enough food. In our generally overfed culture, not so much.
Good for her. I’ve been on their site a few times- it seems that the people who shop there are those who want the look of the charity shop, but are too frightened to actually go in and mingle with the poor people. I could buy a UO looking outfit with proper vintage appeal for five pounds in a charity shop instead of outlaying a good 80 or so at UO for the same thing.
Oh, and I think a charity shop’s called a thrift store in the US (if you have no idea what I’m on about). I THINK. Could be wrong.
OH SNAP!
Go Sophia! I didn’t even realize One Tree Hill was still on…but as a sufferer of eating disorders (bulimia/anorexia) myself…it makes me want to catch up on the show and start watching it out of respect for her standing up for everyone who’s faced issues like this.
For everyone that thinks this shirt is okay and you are trying to validate it… how would you feel if you lost someone to say lung cancer and I said “they deserved it, shouldn’t have been smoking” or something along those lines with no respect to the sufferer or the friends/family? Guaranteed I’d be attacked for that. I’ve lost someone to this horrible disease. It is a disease. Yes, people do need to eat better, but you don’t go about spreading that message in such a malicious manner. You want to talk about awareness, well, educate yourself first before you start preaching that it was okay to print that. It is a disease and you don’t treat someone like that. Have some respect.
What an awesome woman. What a disgusting company. Someone from UO better have their ass in the unemployment line for that distasteful error in judgement. Sickening that the company hasn’t issued a statement. UO..grow the freak up and recognize your wrongdoing and then get on with it. Idiots.
When will people realise that anorexia isn’t about image or fatness; it belongs in the obsessive disorder spectrum. So even though anorexics eat less and obsess over quantities, they do it for the same reason people with other OCD illnesses wash their hands 100 times a day. It’s not about image.
Good for her… It’d be nice if society started treating women as human being instead of worthless sex objects…
Also, I read somewhere that statistically, more men are overweight than women… why don’t they have to deal with all this body image crap?
if you run your life based on slogans on a T shirt, your problems are deeper than what you eat.
consume less, is how I read it.
I agree with CandyKay. I mean, it’s a dumb t-shirt in the sense that it’s not clever or funny but I don’t really find it offensive at all. It’s not saying people shouldn’t eat at all, just LESS…which I tend to agree with.
Also, I’m not sure she’s really going to be getting her message out to the masses by speaking to her One Tree Hill audience which consists of about four people.
CandyKay–while I agree with your sentiment about overtaxing our environment I must say that in a time when so many young people have eating disorders and such low self esteem from trying to look like the models they see in magazines it is in extremely bad taste to have a t-shirt touting “eat less.” Many of the young girls who would be perusing UO are not going to be thinking about environmental concerns as much as they are thinking about how they would look in skinny jeans and that t-shirt. Way to go Sophia!
Oh c’mon….there are sooooo many shirts with offensive slogans. And I mean a lot. People always make a big deal out of small stupid things. Get a life!
I’d buy those shirts by the bulk and drop them off at the nearest Jenny Craig.
Is that the catalog picture? Or is that someone trying to make a point by using an ill looking girl on purpose? Serious question. Because if that’s the catalog picture that is truly sick.
That was the picture from UO… offensively sickening.
“Also, I read somewhere that statistically, more men are overweight than women… why don’t they have to deal with all this body image crap?”
They do. Just not about losing the weight.
They feel the same pressure to be fit and muscular. Men who are really skinny are just as self-conscious about it as women who want to be that skinny. That’s why there’s tons of pills out there to help you grow muscle quickly. Don’t be fooled – men feel just as much pressure, but fewer people are paying attention to it.
@jen: Yes, that is the catalogue picture.
Good on Sophia, and shame on UO.
I’d like to see a shirt that says, “Embrace cake!” That’d be awesome.
interesting conversation.
any men posting, or just me?
sure, there is pressure. body image issues are not exclusive to women.
Michelle 78 – Wow, you are an ass. That comment is really in poor taste.
I can see how people would take it offensively, but I personally am not offended by it. I think it is a personal call because it can really be interpreted in several ways depending on who the viewer is. That said, I would rather we got up in arms and made a stand against the fashion/style world and said NO MORE WAIFS!!! It’s not about the shirt, I think it might be about showing a shirt like that on a toothpick of a woman. There is FAR more damage being done to young women’s psyches and self-esteem by the constant barrage of bone-thin, obviously starved women in clothes no normal female can wear. They push this image on you and basically tell you if you don’t fit the mold, you might as well curl up and die because you will never be good enough.
And to answer the other poster about why it’s only women that have these issues – men have them too. In much smaller numbers from what I understand, but it’s there. I think it doesn’t affect men the same way because they just don’t give a crap. They don’t really try to impress anyone and are more interested in sports, cars and drinking. Women on the other hand build their lives, identities and bodies on the hopes of impressing men and beating out other women. Our priorities as women are a holy mess and we focus on the wrong things constantly. It’s a shame, because if we ever got our acts together and stopped tearing each other down, we could bring back matriarchal societies. Wow, where did I just go with this? Wasn’t I talkin about a t-shirt? 🙂
Isn’t this the current mantra of the First Lady?
Maybe UO can do a shirt with her most recent quote, “Dessert is not a right!”
Urban Outfitters knows their target market…girls under 25. If they weren’t intending to appeal to the skinny-girl sisterhood, were they intending to offend girls who actually have a little meat on their bones? Who would wear something like that anyway? I don’t think the intentions were good. As far as novelty T-shirts that offend, I thought those were reserved for stores like Spencers.
The model picture says it all.
Awesome!I appreciate that Sophia got right into their corporate face about this.
@ pookie
you were joking, right? about your horrifying generalizations on how men think.
good grief.
Oh Jeez. It’s not telling you to starve yourself but I think many MANY americans should be eating less. Do we really need EXTRA large
How about “dessert is not a right, it’s an obligation”? 🙂
@ Smallwonder-actually I believe the equivalent for smokers would be “Smoke More”.
If it said “Eat Healthy” I could buy some of the validations. But when clothing aimed at teens and young women, who very often have body image issues or even eating disorders, puts that kind of message out there, it’s not good.
I say bravo for Sophia for calling them out. Like her, I can’t understand how anyone thought this was a good idea.
@eja102 – I am sorry, please don’t take the generalization as an insult or dig on men. I know men can be just as tormented by body image, and I know that it can have horrible effects (excessive body building, steroids, etc) – and of course men are victim to bulimia/anorexia as well. I am not discounting that or belittling the male plight. I just think it’s not nearly on the same scale as what women go through, and are assaulted with on a daily basis. TV, movies, magazines, internet – it is everywhere! It is thrown in our faces daily that we must be super skinny and perfect. When’s the last time you saw a magazine full of normal sized female models? Great example: you can have the super funny chubby guy as a lead on a sitcom, but he is surely married to a skinny attractive woman! Margaret Cho actually spoke very candidly about how the ‘diet’ she was put on when she had a brief sitcom on (I think) NBC, put her in the hospital and nearly killed her. They decided her “body type” wasn’t good enough for the viewing audience and ratings, so they canned her. And who was she replaced by? DREW CAREY!!! Message: Not ok for a chubby comedienne, but totally ok for a chubby comedian. There is a huge difference in how society views a few extra pounds on a woman as opposed to a man. And sadly, this is something that women will fixate on (I think!) more than men. I could be dead wrong, and again, I apologize for not being more clear, it just wasn’t the point I was focusing on in my previous post.
CandyKay,
Way to stick up for your opinion girlfriend. Oh, by the way, I know where you can get some “The Holocost never happened” and “Mel Gibson is a prophet of truth” t-shirts – cheap! I mean really if someone wants to be offended than it’s their problem, right.
Just to add: for those that are offended by the message of “eat less”- over 1/3 of US women between the ages of 20 and 74 are obese and yes, obesity is a disease that affects more than 60 million Americans and deaths due to obesity and inactivity has risen by 33% over the past decade. Food (har har) for thought-if we looked at the “eat less” message as a health issue and not an aesthetic thing then I think it could actually be a positive. Then again, I suppose the t-shirt could say “eat healthier” instead..
UO = evil.
Funny. This is about a t-shirt and somehow I knew I’d find at least ONE post that draws parallels between this issue and The Obamas.The First Lady is concerned about childhood obesity and you mis-quoted at her that. If children are given the tools they need (love, support, attention, importance of eating right/healty) then there would be less childhood obesity and less chance of them allowing pictures in a magazine or some size 0 loser who smokes her breakfast to tell them how they’re supposed to look! Geesh!
Grandma is wondering if they still manufacture a chocolate bar called eat more? She says they are really good (but she can’t eat them because they stick in her dentures) and have alot of peanuts which I am allergic to.
@Phat Girl – Kinda harsh there? I think CandyKay was saying it could be interpreted in a number of ways depending on the person that sees it. If they have history of health issues, maybe they would take offense to it. If they generally don’t get upset by t-shirt slogans and what not, and don’t have a history regarding food, then it really won’t be on their radar as something offensive. Lighten the heck up!
pookie, I did get what you are saying… there is generally a trend for women to get married and be accepted and loved… moreso than I there is the pressure on men I think…
Of course they show the tee-shirt on a pin thin young girl, so no, it’s not about getting across a message about obesity. Having suffered through the untimely death of my sister due to anorexia and bulimia, I applaud Sophia’s comments and agree that Urban Outfitters should take the shirts off the market. There are so many young women suffering from this horrible disease that to market something like that is beyond tasteless.
So if the t-shirt was shown on an overweight girl then it would be less offensive? Models are usually skinny so you’re not going to get around that one, kids.
I can see both sides. Personally I say go Sophia. A shirt like this is in poor taste, and many of the young girls who shop at UO will take it literally. It promotes unhealthy thinking (even if unintentionally) I find it hard to believe that it made through production without someone saying ummm no.
and CeCe yes. we do need Extra large. My aunt has a thyroid problem and is quite large. she always ate right and exercised. This isn’t something she brought upon herself. Your saying we don’t need extra large is ridiculous there are plenty of people out there who have very little options or choice in the matter.
It really is true judging from this comments, the large people of this world are being treated quite unfairly. And are being discriminated against because of their weight. Wake up and smell the roses people, people of all shapes, colors and sizes are beautiful. don’t discriminate because you don’t approve.
Just what we need – a clothing store reinforcing the body image issues of young women and girls. As if they don’t get enough of that crap already.
And yes, us naturally large-chested women need Extra Large (at least); otherwise we look like a wanna-be porn star.
As far as a message on a shirt, if said “Eat Less So Others Can Eat More” and donated all proceeds to prevent starvation and malnutrition, then it would serve a purpose.
Yeah- the chick in the ad with those toothpick legs is scaring me. I think she wants to eat my brain…less of my brain, but still my brain.
Oh I’m sorry Pookie but if my comments offended you than according to CandyKay than it’s your problem. That was the point of directing the comment to her. If every time Mel Gibson throws around some racist slur at his girlfriend and we were to all go “Well she is a gold digging whore” or “I’m not black or jewish so I don’t find it offensive”. Than we would be sending out the message that in some venues it’s OK to say those kind of things. The same point applies to this shirt. By wearing or defending this shirt you’re saying it’s OK to make fun of the fatties because hey they should “eat less” or anorexia/bolemia is just a joke because you can use it to look good in clothes. I find that completely offensive and don’t take it lightly when someone using the anonymity of the internet tells me I have no right to be upset with such a dangerous message being used to manipulate the minds of young girls just because hey it doesn’t affect me directly. I’m just sayin. But, if my sarcasm was a little too blunt for you than even though I’m OK with it I still apologize.
I wonder if this shirt comes in Large…
I remember the good old days with the T-shirt the said, Life’s uncertain, Eat dessert first.
I so love her! And that shop should fail, I hope so.
I’m totally torn.
On the one hand I agree that North American culture needs to eat less. It’s better for the planet and better for our health. (I say this as someone who is quite a bit overweight and uses food as an emotional crutch – so I’m not being judgey against fatties.)
But the photo that the message is paired with is really disturbing. The thinness itself isn’t all of it, it’s the paleness and listlessness it conveys. Is the message supposed to be ironic? Or is it really aimed to target sales for those with body dysmorphia? If so, that’s beyond wrong.
The whole thing confuses me, frankly. But kudos to Sophia for taking such a decisive and visible stand on the issue.
and i thought my “queen of the fuckin’ universe” shirt was soooo offensive. man, i need to get with the times.
I think she is being silly about it. I don’t care for UO’s faux “edgy” crap, but to say that the t-shirt promotes starvation & all the ills associated with it is just nonsense. I agree with the above commenters who said that yes, in fact, in most Western countries we eat more than we should. Overconsumption, obesity, heart disease, they are facts. I am a chubby girl myself and I am not offended. I am definitely never gonna starve myself but I think I could do with eating less.
(re: commenters getting in a huff about rising obesity rates, claiming this shirt really isn’t that terrible in light of it)
Yes, yes, yes, we know that is what Urban Outfitters *meant* the t-shirt to convey.
But the other message it will *also* convey to many customers and passerby’s on the street (especially the demographic who shops at UO) is where the cause for concern is. It’s just not the right way to go about being snarky about obesity or the western world’s eating habits. End of Story.
Men are more likely to wear something that says “beer gut” *arrow* than something so self depreciating… I realize they can both come off as self depreciating but one seems more like it preaches acceptance than the other to me….
I know men can have body image issues too though. My boyfriend is on the thin side and he’s really self conscious about it… I think the sad part is that people have less of a problem pointing out that someone is too thin than they do the opposite… Well, maybe that’s not true and I’m only projecting since I had a weight problemm in my teens and early 20’s and I was really sensitive about it… So, I am a lot more cautious around people with a bit more weight but I am starting to realize you can sort of have the same problem if you’re too thin… Nonetheless, I know chunky people complain about insensitivity as well so maybe we just all have it bad :-/
wow that was somewhat of a pointless ramble lol…
To the people saying this isn’t offensive?
COMMENT LESS.
Also, yay Sophia.
Well done SB!
and I love your boyfriend!
Dang. I gotta call some posters out on this because some of you who are getting all outaged over the t-shirt are the same ones who never hesitate to post negative comments on this site about the way a woman looks. I’m all for free speech (I mean that sincerely) so if that’s your thing then go for it but enough with the hypocrisy. You contribute just as much to society’s unattainable ideal of what a woman’s body should be by posting hateful digs. Yes even the ones about Kelly Bensimon-calling her “beef jerky” or ugly and whatnot.
I wasn’t trying to go there but some of you need to check yourself…
I wouldn’t be offended by “eat healthier”. Having helped young women through eating disorders this kind of shirt on a waif model does NOT do anything help their progress from a life-threatening illness.
I’ve always respected Sophia Bush and have viewed her as a positive role model for years.
While people on here are saying that it’s how the buyer perceives it, and isn’t necessarily a pro-anorexia shirt; you have to remember that while their is an obesity problem in the Western world at the moment, there are still millions of girls suffering with their body image.
They don’t need this message.
@Phat Girl – I have no problem with speaking your mind, but being rudely aggressive with another poster who has every right to their opinion as well, is just unnecessary. And I STILL find it VERY ironic that those who are the most up in arms about abuse are the first to BE ABUSIVE to other people here! I mean really, you can state your opinion, or counter someones point, just leave the nastiness and have respect that someone feels differently than you.
However, the t-shirt really is “subjective” and maybe that is what you are missing. I am not seeing how you are drawing parallels between a clearly raving lunatic being abusive and a t-shirt that people will see differently based on their subjective frame?
I honestly think, and this is meant with no derision, that many on this board have misunderstood previous posters. I will concede that there is the occasional annoying troll who says “HAHA she got what she deserved!” Unfortunately, those jackasses get lumped in with ANYONE that questions anything having to do with the Mel/Oksana circus. I don’t think any level-headed person on this board is defending Mel’s rage, or saying that being verbally abusive is ok (I know for a fact that I am not!). So, the FACT that Mel has rage issues and is horribly verbally abusive is not in contention. I think we are all very horrified by what we have heard on those tapes. So let’s move on from that already. And please stop saying that people that question anything are abuse-supporters.
is the shirt available for men, or just women? if it’s only for women it’s sexist, if it’s for men and women it’s just dumb. and it seems rather ridiculous for a stick-thin actress in a business that glorifies/promotes unattainable beauty goals for women to get worked up over a T-shirt.
It’s somewhat a different issue when someone makes snide or bitchy comments on a gossip site but takes a stand when things become serious…
also, you can disparage one individual’s looks without going on a campaign about it… ie calling out someone’s orange tan vs wearing a t-shit that says “stop looking like a carrot”…
Having a cause also doesn’t mean youc onstantly spout rainbows and daisies out your ass all the time :-/
I like the shirt. Most people DO need to eat less
granted, the picture/model/conversation DO taint the slogan.
the only folks wearing that shirt will be like um that Alexis Burglar like girl and you know her um ilk; and fat mulleted trash at Walmart, and maybe me… to the gym.
They knew that they were trading a fine line as far as semantics go. They wanted that publicity and they’ve got it. It’s just vague enough to be open to different interpretations, and if anyone gives the guff about it, they can say they’re not medical professionals, else, they would have put some facts about serum cholesteral on the back. Seeing the hoopla, they can pat themselves on the back about acting as a catalyst for debate–or some bunk. Seeing as how their target demographic is so young, I have a hard time believing that a teenager would see that slogan and decide on the spot to seek out information about hypertension or type-2 diabetes. It’s not like they explicitly said to eat less food, so imagine they could say that they’re aren’t responsible for what people infer. Sneaky.
I love her! And I am a diehard One Tree Hill Fan!
Did anyone notice how dumb the model looks with her skirt under the shirt, it looks like it’s almost up to her boobs.
@ shay: You are not entirely correct. Yes, sometimes eating disorders are about control and OCD, but as a sufferer myself, I have to tell you it it also about weight. My disease was fueled by OCD and a serious issue with self-esteem.
Seems like some D-Lister wanted their name in the papers. “Eat Less” does NOT equal starve yourself or develop anorexia. After I had each one of my kids, I had to eat a bit less and exercise more to get my figure back. The obesity epidemic isn’t a joke.
I have a solution for the unsold t-shirts currently gathering dust in warehouses. Currently 40 percent of foodbank users are children and if they provided the tshirts in the foodbank kits it would send a message for these children to stop their whinny demands for breakfast, lunch and dinner..and be satisfied with cereal with no milk or sugar – they can just “Eat Less”
@ FizXgirl: I actually would be much less offended by a t-shirt that said “stop looking like a carrot” than if someone posted a comment underneath a pic of me that said “you look like a carrot”. The former is not personal, the latter is VERY personal and the message is still the same: ‘you are not the ideal female/something is not perfect about your appearance’. I’m not saying people shouldn’t post negative comments (even though I don’t) about celebs’ appearances. As I said, I’m all for free speech. I’m just saying maybe some shouldn’t get too preachy about a t-shirt that they perceive sends a “negative message” when they don’t hesitate to spread the negativity about female body image in other posts. Not trying to start a war and I would much rather have this conversation in person instead of through a website as I think a lot gets lost in translation. That is all 🙂
Go Sophia!! I remember some time last year when the new girls of 90210 went all anorexic and the female cast members of “One Tree Hill” and “Gossip Girl” were aplauded for having healthy sized, in shape figures.
However, I do have to agree that the shirt does not anywhere read “be anorexic”. Do I think Sophia took it a little too far with her anger and boycott? Sure, but she is also a curvy actress who I am SURE has been told more than once over the course of her career to lose weight and has always had to fight back. I bet this shirt from a store that she admits she used to love hit home for her in ways I can’t imagine, so, good for her : )
@Pookie
Hey girl, me again…:)
You made a lot of great points, as always, but I especially like the comment about it being subjective and peoples reactions being based on their own particular radars.
If this provokes people to look deeper at their own reactions and responses to perceived societal standards than it’s all good in my view.
It’s the inner work of each of us to not be so affected and vulnerable to societal standards of beauty that we internalize and to notice where we get triggered because of our own histories and unresolved pain..
Getting unhinged in any degree by other peoples pain and suffering or “eat less” t-shirts has more to do with that person than it does with what is being reacted to.
It’s not only about compassion, empathy and social activism it’s about that persons personal investment.
My guess is that Ms. Bush is still feeling the need to defend her own internal demon saying “eat less…eat less…”
Her statement that eating disorders result in
“psychological issues that NEVER go away” ???
That to me is much more potentially damaging to those that are vulnerable than a t-shirt that says “eat less”
I speak from experience to anyone on this thread who believes this to be true that it isn’t necessarily true.
It is a false and totally bleak and victim centered outlook on what can be a path to healing.
There is always more than one interpretation to everything.
Where you go is on you.
@Eden – that is a really astute point. It’s a Buddhist belief that nothing in and of itself has any meaning at all – that it only has meaning because we give it one. I personally am not easily offended and could care less about a t-shirt slogan. My personal fave in my dresser is “F*ck You You F*ckin F*uck” – and who knows? I may have offended many a f*ckin f*ck over the years wearing it! 🙂
@Eden: Ohhh, you added more. 🙂 Ok, I am so with you on this statement: It is a false and totally bleak and victim centered outlook on what can be a path to healing.
There was a thread a while back about another ‘pro-ana’ t-shirt, and everyone was freaking out that the shirt could trigger those with past/current eating disorders into another episode. I step back and say ok, the big picture here is that the person is so broken, a t-shirt can destroy them?!? Clearly, the problem is not the t-shirt. So I would then say, instead of screaming about t-shirt manufacturers on a tabloid blog, lobby for better mental health care and fashion industry reform.
I went astray there…but loved your comment. 🙂
Oh Pookie…I think I love you…!!! 🙂
Knowledge of Buddhist philosophy AND a
F*ck you, you f*ckin f*ckers” t-shirt, what a gal.
Your comment about offending “fuckin f*uckers made me laugh!
Thanks for the multi-thread laughs and insights Pook!
Awwww shucks. Thanks Eden! 🙂 Glad I could give you a giggle. I sure have been whiling away the hours on the internet – What am I going to do when they finally lay me off and I have to get a real job and work during the day? Oh the humanity.
Sophia Bush is beautiful & smart. She dumped what’s his name after he screwed Ebola on a movie shoot even though she had to continue working with him.
You go girl.
@Jo “Mama” Besser
Great post..I’m not sure if you were defending or deriding UO’s potential stance on the debate but I don’t think that UO is responsible for what people infer, so if that is their defense than I fully agree with them and support that stance.
@Pookie
That is the point!! Thanks..
I would take it even deeper and say that the fashion industry and mental health network is comprised of and the result of the inner workings and beliefs of individuals and a huge segment of society on the whole.
Which means that at the core we are struggling deeply as a collective whole and it appears that we have many things ass backwards regarding being outer directed and motivated versus being inner directed and motivated.
We are seeing in the fashion world the outer manifestation of an inner condition…trying to fix the outer result is like re-arranging the deck chairs when a ship is sinking.
We could have the best mental health care in the world and if the individual, including mental health professionals haven’t gotten to the point in their own development to see that they are the ones that are “mentally ill” or responsible for their pain and suffering and instead blame society and parents and food and weight and t-shirts for why they are struggling..there will be no change on the deepest levels.
Walking on eggshells to make sure no-one is offended or triggered makes for a society and an individual that is not very honest with themselves or others and ultimately not very interesting…in my opinion.
I changed my name since there is another “Andrea” on it.
1. I don’t believe this will cause anorexia;that’s a mental illness.
2. I do believe that young girls are highly impressionable and see stick-thin models as the norm.
Therefore…
1. The ad says “If you aren’t as stick-thin as this girl, you suck so eat less”.
I agree with the writer of this article that they want people to fit into their clothes and the only way to do this is to be severly underweight.
Ok Pookie, I see that you are used to only getting love around here so I will stop comparing the support and defense of a mental illness to something much worse like celebrity racism which should horrify us all. (In all fairness this site is called celebitchy not nice politically correct commentary on rainbow world, but whatever) So if you think it’s OK to wear a Fukity fu*k fu*k you shirt in the same world where my mother walks around and would probably have an embulism if she saw it than why are you busting my chops about using sarcasm on a comment thread an appropriate venue. Whatever.
The t-shirt was either a bad idea or plainly evil.
I’m in my early twenties, and in a healthy weight, regular exercise, etc. And normally i have good self-steam. But sometimes i’m so bombed by the media, it’s too much pressure, that i feel huge and think, shit, i need to stop eating and lose weight whatever it takes.
And that’s not right. If i’m an adult, with no reason whatsoever to think that way, what’s the effect on teen girls or tweeners? you could be healthy and happy, but so much pressure affects anyone.
@ Cece, yes we need extra large, just like we need extra small. People come in all shapes and sizes.
As for the t-shirt, who would go around wearing a t-shirt that says that? Like it or not in our society it’s a loaded slogan, not as delicious as a loaded baked potato but just as harmful. I bet they don’t make the tshirt in EXTRA large, maybe just sizes 00-6. Then it really is a joke.
considering every “women’s” magazine out there tells us how to eat and how to look and how to please our men, i would hope many more people would be outraged at the sight of this t-shirt, ESPECIALLY their choice of model.
i get that as a whole our nation has an obesity problem, but we also are the consumers and manufacturers of the WORST FOOD (if you can even call cheetos or nacho cheese or the like, food) in the world. full of preservatives, chemicals, unneccesary sugars etc.
if UO didn’t also have HORRIBLY sexist shirts (http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-urban-outfitters-wants-dads-to-protect-sacred-female-virginity/) then maybe i’d take this with a grain of salt. however, UO has participated in a lot of less than acceptable behavior (a la american apparel, UGH) and this is just one of many truly sad and deplorable shit they’ve pulled.
as for the women who said its no big deal and the jenny craig comment (HARSH), until you’ve seen a close friend die of anorexia or bulimia (or looked at yourself in the mirror and systematically hated every part of your body, i’m guilty too) because of our society’s willingness to pressure women into fitting ONE BODY TYPE, i guess you really can’t relate. did you know you’re accomplises in destroying your own body image and sanity when you do shit like that? considering who their main consumers are, and the ages of women inflicted with anorexia or bulimia, this is abhorrable.
i’ve liked her ever since she dumped that douchebag ex-husband of hers. good on her for sticking up for females everywhere.
@Phat Girl: Trust me, I am far more hated on this site than revered! And it’s because I am NOT being politically correct that I tick a lot of people off. I think you misunderstood my posts, so I am not sure how to respond. I appreciate your thoughts though and your willingness to discuss.
@Eden: “Walking on eggshells to make sure no-one is offended or triggered makes for a society and an individual that is not very honest with themselves or others and ultimately not very interesting…in my opinion.”
Wow, couldn’t agree more. And I think that the way we have become so terrified to speak our minds for fear of retribution has taken it’s toll on our society to exhibit common sense or a descending opinion. I agree that some will find the shirt offensive because of the meaning they see in it. And I feel bad for anyone who has dealt with eating disorders and body shame. But, if we were to get rid of everything that could ever be considered offensive to anyone, what in the world would we be left with? There is no possible way to please every person all the time, and there is no way to remove everything that could ever be considered offensive. We would be living in the world depicted in a fave book of mine “Harrison Bergeron” (worth a read) – and that is NOT the kind of world I want to live in. For example, every holiday season has become a nightmare of political correctness. No trees because Jews could be offended. No Santa because Christians could be offended. No reindeer because PETA could be offended. No stories from the bible, no school plays that center on any one denomination, no discussion of the actual meaning of Christmas, because people might be offended. It’s gotten frighteningly out of hand!
And to that end, from what I’ve witnessed on this board, any time you have a difference of opinion, speak your own mind, or just not go with the sheep masses in general, you are declared a witch. And a lot of it is because people are saying/seeing/believing what some blogger or website is telling them to say/see/believe! You see “Shocking photos of baby abuse – unnamed lawyer states photos are incredibly damaging to his case!!!” and everyone looks at the photo and screams oh my god! The baby has been beaten! I click on what I assume is the same picture, and all I see is a baby pimple. I throw up my comment that says hey, this just kind of looks like a baby pimple? And the response I get is: You hate babies! You hate women! You are a man disguised as a woman and you are an abuser! You work for Mel Gibson! You club baby seals! You dance around naked in the forest and take counsel with the DEVIL!!! STONE HER!!! It’d be more comical if it wasn’t so freakin scary. People are turning into sheep that see what they are told to see, and those who question, must be put down. Does this remind anyone of a certain Dark Age?
Well, I have clearly had too much wine. What the heck were we talking about in the first place? 🙂 I just needed to get some of that off my chest, thanks for listening. I welcome any large stones or flaming arrows. Peace out.
Good point eja
This shirt could be hurtful to people that are overweight, especially people who aren’t gluttons and are just naturally like that. It is easy for someone who is not insecure about their weight to write it off, but what if you weren’t? I know its just a t-shirt but still
Andrea, men don’t feel the same pressure. They may be insecure about body tone (and probably also penis size), but it isn’t nearly the same. I’ve never met a man who was so insecure about his thin physique or pudgy tummy that he was afraid to excel at work or in school, but many women that way. And I’ve met lots of men with less than ideal bodies make snarky or offensive comments about women’s bodies.
Photos of women in advertising are often of the body, even without heads. Photos of men are normally of the face. Think about that for a moment. Then compare the number of women getting breast implants to the number of guys getting surgical implants (calf implants, for example) and say that.
I used to live in Wilmington, NC, where her old show was filmed. I’ve met her numerous times and she is the most down-to-earth, genuine and kind person. Good for her. I’ve boycotted them myself.
(And for any fans of the show, Chad Michael Murray is the biggest douche/asshole/thinks-he’s-the-shit-but-really-isn’t, I have ever met, lol)
Unfortunately this shirt is being marketed to people of an impressionable age and therefore will be interpreted by them as being thin is in.
We are able to see beyond the shirt to the greater issue of obesity in the US because we’re “grown ups”.
The marketing company behind the idea of this shirt knew what they were doing and so even though I do believe portion sizes need to decrease and that second piece of pie should be reconsidered, the shirt should be pulled.
@Eden:
I was mostly trying to think of a few ways that criticism could be countered by the company when it arrives. Body image and self image have been so thourougly entangled for so long that we will always posit our own meanings and issues onto anything associated with the industries. Fashion can’t necessarily control our minds, but it manipulates them expertly, and it does so in a way that can be maddening for consumers on either side of the debate because in cases like this, it doesn’t show its hand. By using slightly cryptic language, they can easily argue that they aren’t mind-takers, that people’s opinions are simply that, that a piece of cotton can’t really affect self-esteem (because those things come from stable immediate influences, not strangers in a factory) and techinically they would be right.
I think they’re fully aware of the fact that the slogan could be interpreted many ways, and because of that, they’re able to absolve themselves of true culpability when confronted about it. Slick stuff. I think they’re being provacateurs (and provocation is the patron saint of fashion), but they’re also incredibly savvy because they’ve simultaneously been able to get their brand a huge amount of attention, but have done it with something so gossamer that it would be difficult to pin down the company’s intent definitively. ‘What intent, we just sew, we’re young and empowered (quickly turning into my least favourite word– moratorium, please), we’re confident, and so on…’ You got to give them this, they’ve managed to divert attention from a powerfully dull T-shirt towards something more of a powderkeg.
Kitten – you obvisouly your lucky enough to have never had an eating disorder or cared about anyone that has. If you had, you would feel so disgusted at your comments.
That shirt was made in bad taste.
End of story.
I hear both sides of the argument, but as women can we do each other a favor and embrace all body types. Everytime the subject of weight comes up, there are the inevitable posts blasting the size 0’s, which sounds just as negative as someone bashing the size 12 ladies. Enough! Can’t we all be beautiful *said in my most whiny voice*
i honestly doubt UO created this shirt to take a stance on obesity. they picked a shirt with an offensive comment and put it on a girl that certainly eats less. we wouldn’t be having these discussions if the shirts read “eat healthier” or “eat better.”
and now that i think of it, i have yet to see a UO model (male or female) that looks like they aren’t underweight.
The fashion industry labels women who are size 10 PLUS sized models. Size 10/12 women are AVERAGE. That indicates the skewed perspective of this industry. That same industry promoting this t-shirt and this “sickly” (quoting other posters here) looking model. Objectifying women appears to be a non-issue?
the apologists need to buzz off. This may or may not trigger an anorexic to starve herself more. But it might, and from that UO will profit. You support that? What is wrong with you?
However, that is actually beside the point, and it has become a giant red herring on this post. The point is THIS IS BODY SHAMING.
And look, body shaming is never okay, okay? Why? Because it RESULTS in things like ANOREXIA!
Overweight people do not need to be told by you to eat less. Neither do underweight people. The fact is NO ONE DOES. You do not have the right, the authority, the medical expertise to say with certainty that that is what any one person, fat, skinny, whatever, needs to do, so just stfu.
Twist this all you want, whether this says ‘starve yourself’ or ‘eat less’,it is body shaming and either one is WRONG and not a positive message to be sending out. UO is a huge corporation and should be more responsible than this. You have NO RIGHT to tell anyone to eat less. EVER. And neither does UO. The difference is, that UO is making profit from this shit, for one, and two, they are responsible for a certain social awareness that the messages of their clothes send out, and this is what they chose to do with it. This is not a non-issue, this is problematic and this ‘d-list actress’, (not even) who is actually very infamous for being extremely private about her life (she was in the tabloids every day not long ago over her failed marriage but remained very Sandra Bullock about it–ie classy and NOT a ruthless fame whore) is bringing attention to it because she personally relates to the cause, as she explained. So good on her.
Stop being so damn hateful. Hate Less ought to be their t-shirt slogan if you ask me. I’d certainly buy that.
And to the commenter Eden … your comment is so problematic I don’t even know where to start with you.
I hope you wake up is all I can say. I don’t mean that in a mean way at all.
@Angie
Wow..just because I disagree with you doesn’t mean I’m asleep and you somehow have woken up.
I have been down a long road with my own eating disorder beginning at the age of 13 I am now 42 and see that the years spent blaming other people for “body shaming” etc..was just a projection of my own self hate and deep insecurity’s about my self worth and body image.
It’s been over a decade since I’ve had issues on this level after seeking help many times over the years from many different sources and working very hard on myself spiritually and psychologically..and have learned that it is all about self love. Lack of it got me where I was and developing it got me where I am.
Societal norms and t-shirts are NOT the primary cause of in anorexia..OH my God.
You obviously have little insight into your own eating disorder or others struggles with eating disorders or you wouldn’t be so unaware and superficial..
This culture is a culture of victimization. Blaming everyone and everything for why we feel badly about ourselves. Giving everyone else the power and responsibility to make us feel good and bad about ourselves.
I can tell you from personal experience that this does not help at all in the healing process or in forgiveness of others and ourselves and in fact only delays taking personal responsibility for our own sense of ourselves not based on what another individual or a collective society deems appropriate or worthy.
If that t-shirt incites you so, that is your issue. If you believe anything else than it is you that may need to wake up..
If someone gets offended by someone else saying
“eat less” than that is the offended persons issue…
Once that person feels stronger in themselves they will be able to respond with out feeling they need to defend their body or their struggles or their choices and that is clarity and self love and growth…not “waaaaa, you damaged me by saying that”
Your philosophy Angie is actually more hateful than UO’s as you are telling people that they are powerless in the
oops..
powerless in the face of what someone or something else says or does.
I am so glad that this t-shirt opened up a dialogue like this between people who have different views on the topic.
That t-shirt and it’s message can be a call to wake up or to fall further asleep to what the real issue is which is personal responsibility and self examination…
Angie, I teach Yoga and meditation and work with people who are dying. The primary focus with everyone is to help them to find peace in themselves no matter what their body looks and feels like and what it is doing or not doing.
I’ve learned for myself how important this is and it seems to be an issue that we are all struggling with on some level..and blaming anyone for why we are struggling just doesn’t help the process..
UO is giving everyone an opportunity to examine what they think about themselves..no matter what their intent was, we can all use it for the purpose we choose.
@Jo “mama” Besser
Very well said…
@Pookie
I’m going to check out the book you mentioned..keep spitting your truth.
@Angie
Sorry for saying you were “unaware and superficial” that post was actually a rough draft and my other one got lost somewhere..my initial reaction in spots wasn’t the best so I don’t meant to incite you or be mean..
You sound very aware actually and went in to the issue non- superficially, which I appreciate. Just being defensive. My bad.
Peace
@Eden – You totally GET IT! That was fantastically written and thank you for sharing your own personal history. And I for one would like to congratulate you for taking something truly hard to overcome and smashing the hell out of it and finding a path to peace.
You mentioned the work you do – I assume it’s some kind of hospice or end-of-life care? My mother passed several years ago, and she had hospice care and it was invaluable to her and our whole family. There was a woman who came in as her ‘counselor’ (not sure the exact title?) – she was absolutely amazing. She gave my mom so much comfort and peace – there isn’t even a price you can put on that kind of care. Crap, I’m crying. Anyway, I think going into that line of work is incredibly courageous and loving, and as someone who knows what it means to the ill, I say THANK YOU!!!!
Eden, I am a student of yoga and meditation as well – have you ever used Tibetan singing bowls during your meditation? Dang, I feel like we really need to chat offline, it’s been awesome hearing your thoughts and it’s rare I find a kindred spirit!
@Pookie
Thank you so much for your post…it really meant a lot because I debated about posting it and saying what I said.
I am so happy that you had the comfort of knowing that your mom was being supported as she passed, not just with your love and who ever else was around her but with someone who could most likely meet her with a little bit less emotional investment but what sounds like great empathy and caring.
I’m so sorry you “lost” your mom…you clearly loved (love!!) her very much.
I teach private clients out of my home and also work in a hospital with patients on the bone marrow transplant and hematology/oncology floors.
I do bedside work in the rooms with patients and also work with their family/friends one/one as well as working one/one with the nurses and doctors.
It has been a very very challenging and rewarding process for me and brings me every day I’m there front and center to all the ways I can shut down and be false..that’s the challenging part.
it’s a constant monitoring of my own internal state because if I disconnect from peace internally, I can’t offer them what I don’t have.
If I take their pain and suffering and see that as who they are, I’m no help.
To be able to sit with someone who is scared and feels isolated and in pain and not feel sorry for them or afraid of them or take on their suffering is a direct result of learning to do this with myself and learning how horrible it feels when others pitied me or couldn’t see beyond my struggle or promoted feeling victimized by society or my family or t-shirts..
My eating disorder was my gift in this lifetime because it gave me an avenue internally to navigate and use to heal. I hear so much of the victim stuff and I guess I just see the dead ends it inevitably leads to and thought I would speak up.
That is the only reason I’m sharing what I am, to connect to you of course and to explain to the “Angie’s” that there is another way to approach this topic from someone who has been in the trenches as well as lived a full life outside the trenches..although you and I are probably the only 2 left on this dead thread.
I haven’t used Tibetan singing bowls!
I trained in a style of yoga that uses lots of chanting and sound so I have a feeling I would love it…it’s just never crossed my path.
So…it seems that Angie served a great purpose for facilitating this dialogue between us.
Thanks Angie.
I do have questions for you about your Yoga/meditation practice..but it does seem funny to do this here..:)
You are a kindred spirit Pookie..
I was talking to my sister on the phone yesterday and was distracted for a minute and she said “are you writing to Pookie”?? Ha!
Umm…for all of you commenting to Cece re: the Extra Large comment, I took it to mean Extra Large meal portions…like McD’s or Wendy’s, not clothing size.
I think the shirt is offensive just because it has the POTENTIAL to hurt someone’s feelings. Obviously not all individuals who are overweight are in that boat due to their eating habits. It’s a blanket statement which can be very hurtful.
To me, this is just like abortion billboards, bumper stickers touting straight marriage, and the like. It’s all hateful. Everyone certainly has the right to their opinion, but make an effort to realize that you may be hurting someone needlessly by throwing it out there in an insensitive manner.
Eden – I tried to post, but it is gone completely. Not sure how to get in touch with you outside of this site. Definitely want to chat more, and introduce you to the awesomeness that are singing bowls!
Oops me too..seems we are not able to leave email addresses..?
CB is there a policy about not letting that happen?
I stated before that I was torn on the issue. But reading the comments (aside from the Eden and Pookie lovefest) I have been swayed by these arguments:
1. Is the shirt being marketed to men? Doubt it. If not it’s sexist.
2. The message is targeted at teens who have probably not yet been exposed to the issues of global overconsumption therefore can have limited interpretations of it.
3. That one in five children don’t have enough to eat already, so it’s a total slap in the face (this one really got me, thank you for pointing out this argument.)
I read these threads because I enjoy challenging my own perceptions and seeing what others have to say. So thanks for widening my views a bit.
Who cares. UO is just as crappy and overpriced as Hollister. The people who shop at these stores are just teeny boppers spending their daddy’s money.
A great man once said “All you need is love”. And then of course, they shot him.
Hate less, love more.
wow, I like her better now!!
Eden – not sure if you will catch this, but still hoping to get to chat with you offline. CB – do me a solid and let this message through!! 🙂 Posted info on Chicago Craigslist, under the women’s forum. Title is “For Eden”. Hope we get to talk yoga/peace/singing bowls soon!
I love Sophia Bush. She rocks ever since she dumped that hack of a husband “Chad Michael Murray” because he slept with PARIS Hilton during a movie shoot.
I am a curvy girl/woman whatever. I have a body not stick thin or fat do some people need diet and exercise sure? But their are many girls who just need one thing triggered in their brain and they are anorexic. They look at these models that look ready to fall over from lack of eating, and see that as “Perfect”. Jamie Foxx has talked about HW partys and you see ton of new actresses or famous ones, that lick their lips at the great food on the table and then walk away, when they don’t even weigh 120 pounds. JLO, Mariska Harigtay, Beyonce, Kate Winslet have all been called way too fat for certain parts and they are demanded to lose all this weight so the part goes to someone else.
What happened to Supermodels like Tyra Banks, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell that had boobs/butt and body?! Now that model Bar that Leo Dicaprio was dating is about the “fattest” model out there and she is skinny. There are some photos where you see her ribcage.
Anorexia is nothing to joke about, but to insinuate that being underweight is a huge issue in our society when morbid obesity is rampant, is ridiculous. Unless you live in Chelsea or Beverly Hills, go to a public place, then decide whether more people are going to be affected by obesity-related illnesses or eating disorders which make people unhealthy due to under-eating. I really don’t understand how it is OK to celebrate Gabourey Sidibe’s “curves” but then freak out about a T-shirt which recommends less consumption of food in a horribly overweight society.
Isn’t this t-shirt intended to be provocative?
In the ‘You can never be too rich or too thin’ vein?
She is surprisingly articulate! Good for her!
While i agree w/ her … there were no stars to boycott UO for their racism … what does that really say? Both are just as bad. i’ve boycotted UO for awhile now. ridiculous.
I don’t see a problem with the shirt. It’s true, America is way too fat. The percentage of Americans who are obese is astounding. Most of those folks do NOT have medical issues that caused them to get that way. It’s a lot less common then you would think.
Just because the average American woman is a size 12 or 14, DOESN’T mean that’s healthy. It’s still overweight. Check the BMI charts. America is a mess.
CandyKay, you make a good point, but there’s one small problem, the company only sells clothes in sizes XS-L. A company should not be telling girls who are completely normal sizes to eat less, especially considering they do not cater to consumers that could be considered obese or even consumers who are very overweight. This makes it seem as though the shirt is telling normal-size girls that they should be thinner, especially since the girl modeling the shirt on the website is extremely thin. This is heinous in today’s society, when we not only have a serious obesity problem, but we also have a serious problem with body image issues in teen girls. Good for Sophia Bush for calling them out, and Urban Outfitters certainly should apologize.
As someone who has struggled with her weight for years I applaud Ms. Bush’s concern for snyone with eating issues. Telling someone with the psychological problems associated with an unhealthy body image to “eat less” is akin to telling an alcoholic to “drink less”. As if IT’S the easiest thing in the world and why oh why didn’t WE think of that.
“”body shaming” etc..was just a projection of my own self hate and deep insecurity’s about my self worth and body image.”
@Eden, this isn’t about whether or not we body shame ourselves with or without help or anything like that. It’s about the fact that others do, in fact, take it upon them selves to shame others. And then when one becomes a victims of that, we what? Blame the victim for being susceptible? Sure. That’ll work to fix it. And in the meantime things like T Shirts that say ‘eat less’ will seem like maybe a not’so bad thing’ because hey –it isn’t like it isn’t true and it’s their fault for eating so much and it’s their fault if they are already skinny and still take offense and people do need to eat less anyway blah blah blah!
No. Just No.
Eden, really, I am touched at how open you are and reluctant to be harsh here but, your eating disorder is not licence to try and speak for all eating disorders. I think you have internalized a lot of issues from what you have said, and hey, maybe that worked for you; everyone is different. But this isn’t about one isolated incident.
This is about the bigger picture. This is about the opinions and messages that we either do or do not accept to be put out there for the younger generations to assume as their own and be influenced by. This is just a small fractal of a large spectrum of actions that have repercussions, effects, as all actions do. And is it positive, or not?
No. It is not.
And this isn’t really so small.
No big deal? It’s just a T-Shirt! A T-Shirt isn’t responsible for eating disorders!
No. You’re right. The T-Shirt isn’t. People are. And not the ones who have the disorders, but the society around them, and the cultural messages that they encounter every day. Those things are responsible.
Urban Outfitters, one of the most successful clothing retailers in the world. Promoting body shaming! No big deal? Give me a break.
Eden, I am disappointed that after being so affected as you have been by these repercussions of societies outlandish, unreasonable standards of the female body, that you do not have a more empathetic view on the matter. That is what I meant by wake up. For your own sake, not anyone else’s. That is also what I meant by ‘not mean’. (And certainly not ‘hateful’.)
However, everything you said is true, Eden. I can’t deny that. We need to love our selves to the best of out ability and that is our part in the equation. But we also need to love one another. And we need a healthy support system for that–a society where things like this are frowned upon to the point that the big businesses know better than to even bother. It’s a two way street. We need to make sure these hateful messages are not reaching impressionable young girls and not blaming those young girls for not having the ‘power’ or ‘self love’ to not be affected. We need that, instead of apologists who convult the message UO is sending to fit their own ideas on the matter, because they think Americans ‘should consume less’ anyway and do nothing but pave a path for these harmful things to reach those we should be protecting from such hateful nonsense.
That isn’t the same thing at all, it’s an idiotic red herring for the real matter here. UO is not marketing to all of America as a whole. They are marketing this MESSAGE (it is the message, not the shirt) to young, impressionable women. We can pretend they didn’t mean what they meant but deep inside we know damn well what they meant: Girls, Eat Less! Because Skinny Is Sexier, and body fat is Gross. Food is what makes you Fat so to be Sexy like This EAT LESS!
THAT is what that shirt says. Deny it all you want. It’s what is says.
The real point here is that they are implying skinny is better and to be better you need to eat less food and be skinny. The skinnier the better. When they ought to be implying self love is better, and whatever that entails.
And if they aren’t they shouldn’t be implying anything at all. Which is the point of boycotting.
The biggest problem I see here is the people not backing this up, and you, Eden, for not seeing the truth. Lord knows after what you have been through you deserve to see it. I hope that doesn’t come off as condescending because I don’t mean it that way.
Meh.
I am rambling now and utterly frustrated with his whole thing…and I have not much else to say on the matter.
I find the cooking channel’s motto of “stay hungry” to be equally inappropriate; both from the eating disorder perspective and also from the perspective of those who cannot afford enough food.
Not only does the shirt have a terrible message, but it is poorly designed as well. It looks terrible on the model in the picture.