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Kelly Bensimon’s I Can Make You Hot: How Good Advice Turns Body Negative
When I first spied a press release for model and Real Housewife Kelly Bensimon‘s third book, I Can Make You Hot!, my initial response was a giant eye-roll. Marketed as “like rooming with a supermodel and going on a diet together,” I was sure it would be full of terrible, borderline pro-ana tips and “light” recipes that no one likes. But upon actually reading it, I was surprised to find that it’s actually got some really great information…it’s just that, like a lot of information on health and fitness, it’s swaddled in the kind of body-negative, appearance-based, fat-shameyness that has made the diet industry a punchline. More »
Fitspo: The New Health ‘Inspiration’ Is Just Thinspo In Sheep’s Clothing
“Thinspo” content—images and articles “inspiring” readers to persist at disordered eating and dieting for the sake of being thin— has slowly been getting pushed off social media sites and shamed for its damaging effect on women’s body image and mental health. In its wake, a new brand of body-negative, obsession-spurring “inspiration”—called “fitspo”—has begun cropping up on Facebook, Pinterest, and Tumblr. But with the goals of achieving fitness and health, instead of thinness, it’s unclear when fitspo is a great way to stay motivated, or when it’s just thinspo in sheep’s clothing. More »
Vogue‘s Version Of Being Body-Positive: A Skinny Woman Smoking [NSFW]
![Vogue's Version Of Being Body-Positive: A Skinny Woman Smoking [NSFW]](http://cdn.blisstree.com/files/2012/05/vogue1.jpg "Vogue's Version Of Being Body-Positive: A Skinny Woman Smoking [NSFW]")
Well, that was quick. I was skeptical when Vogue proudly proclaimed that they would become the ambassadors for positive self-esteem, but I tried to remain at least a little optimistic. That was silly of me, and I realize that now, as the various international June editions–which were supposed to be about health–have already failed to deliver. Like this “unadulterated” black-and-white spread in Germany which features a bunch of very thin women, including one who’s smoking. Nice work, Vogue. Very body-positive. More »
Miranda Lambert Gives Kick-Ass Body Image Advice In Self
If you didn’t fall in love with Miranda Lambert for speaking her mind about Chris Brown‘s Grammy’s appearance, her cover interview in the June issue of Self will have you head over heels. This might just be the best stuff we’ve ever read in that magazine. More »
Thanks Tanning Mom! NJ Set To Ban Underage Tanning
Say what you want about “tanning mom” Patricia Krentcil, but her frequent visits to the tanning salon — with or without her daughter — have prompted her home state of New Jersey to think more critically about underage tanning. So much so that the state is looking to ban minors from those cancer beds, just like California and Vermont.
CBS News reports that The Assembly’s Women and Children Committee passed the measure by five to nothing. Now that little piece of paper heads to the Assembly where it will be voted on again at some undisclosed time. A 2006 law already bans kids under 14 from tanning salons and also requires written parental consent for kids aged 14 to 17. But this new bill would prevent those high-schoolers from tanning even with a note from mommy or daddy, which will means no prom discounts or student specials, kids. More »
Natural Models Aren’t Just Good for Self-Esteem, They’re Good For Sales
Vogue‘s recently decision to become “ambassadors for positive body image” sounds, for the most part, like an attempt to patch up their many missteps in the fight against terrible self-esteem and eating disorders. But according to an Elle Canada article by Ben Barry (owner of the Ben Barry Agency, a pro-women talent agency that uses diverse body types), it may also be a savvy business move. Because, despite the firmly-held beliefs of many advertisers, women actually buy more stuff when clothing is modeled on realistic, healthy, and “natural” models. More »
Gendered Pricing: The Irritating Reason Women More For The Same Products
When I was a broke college student, I discovered a giant, money-saving secret in the aisles of Walgreens: gendered pricing. Women’s beauty products, like deodorant and razors, simply cost more than their identical, marketed-for-men counterparts. And according to Forbes and Marie Claire, this isn’t just a small marketing anomaly, in which manufacturers bank on a few extra pennies from the ladies–artificially inflated prices can cost females and female-identified individuals well over $1,000 per year in beauty products and health insurance. More »
Can We Stop Using ‘Anorexic’ As A Synonym For ‘Thin’?
A few weeks ago, some pictures surfaced of Miley Cyrus in which the young starlet had clearly lost weight. She wasn’t gaunt or bony, but she had inarguably slimmed down.
Rather than simply say that Miley had gotten thinner, though, magazines started running headlines screaming, “IS MILEY ANOREXIC?!”
This no doubt doesn’t seem strange. After all, we’re so used to seeing the word “anorexic” slapped across every newly slim celebrity’s photo that it doesn’t register anymore. Even when we know exactly how and why a star is dropping pounds (hi, Anne Hathaway!) we love to wonder whether what she isn’t just dieting, but actually has a legitimate psychological disorder. More »
Bollywood Star Aishwarya Rai Shows Post-Baby Body Obsession Thrives In India, Too
According to the New York Daily News, Bollywood actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai holds “a place in Indian popular culture akin to Kate Middleton or Victoria Beckham” in the U.K. And like Middleton, Beckham or any number of American equivalents, Rai is now being ridiculed for not losing weight quick enough after having a baby. More »
Rosie Pope’s Advice To Jessica Simpson: Lose The Baby Weight ‘Hard and Fast’
Pregnant in Heels star Rosie Pope recently offered some advice for new mom Jessica Simpson in an interview with US Weekly, encouraging her to take her time…but not too much More »
Daily Fail: Shaming Stella McCartney For Looking Old Without Makeup
The Daily Mail is among the media outlets most obsessed with the no-makeup “trend”—headlines proclaiming shock over a new barefaced celebrity seem to surface on their website hourly—but unsurprisingly, they’ve also been using it as an opportunity to shamelessly bash female celebrities’ looks; especially the ones who happen to be older than 23. First, there was their embarrassing focus on Hilary Clinton‘s pared-down look (while discussing nuclear weapons); now, they’re bashing Stella McCartney for looking “older than her years” without makeup. More »
Tyra Banks Likes Vogue‘s New Rules (But Likes Her Own Advice More)
Well, that settles it. Those of us who were skeptical about Vogue‘s vague new “rules” for becoming “ambassadors of positive body image” can now rest assured that positive change is coming, because Tyra Banks said so. In an open letter today, the model-turned-entrepreneur-turned-talk-show-host congratulated the fashion/media giant on their decision…and offered plenty of Tyra-centric advice of her own. Because, you know, she’s Tyra. And while much of it was questionable, she did have some pretty smart things to say. More »
From “Scary Skinny” To “Full-Figured”: 5 Celebs Who Have Been Snarked For Both
Some celebrities are always being bashed for the same thing–Rachel Zoe is always “scary skinny,” like at Monday night’s Met Gala, for example–and that is upsetting. However, it’s not quite as disappointing as the body-snarking that happens to celebs who, like a lot of us, aren’t one body type or another. These women, whose weight fluctuates depending on, say, the role they’re playing, the workout they’re into, or what’s happening in their life, can’t ever seem to get it right. This does not send a great message to the rest of us. More »
Vogue’s Olympic Issue: Celebrating Male Athletes and Female…Models
Vogue‘s June issue is a special Olympic-themed issue, devoted to celebrating the athletes with shoots like Annie Leibowitz‘s “Country Strong” and Bruce Weber‘s “Wonder Women.” But from the cover–which features Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte flanked by Hope Solo and Serena Williams—to the shoots, it’s hard not to notice how strongly the issue glorifies male athletes…and female models. Not only are the female athletes given far less ink (each male athlete gets two photos, while the female athletes each get one), but the photos chosen for the magazine practically try to hide them beneath giant props and vast expanses of sky, while model Karlie Kloss gets far more attention for posing languidly beside America’s top male Olympic hopefuls in designer clothing. More »
Jessica Alba Says Babies Make Body Image Irrelevant, Putting More Pressure On Moms
Jessica Alba wrote a sweet ode to motherhood on iVillage today, explaining how sexy she feels since becoming a mom. It’s awesome to hear a mom say she feels good about her body, against a backdrop of headlines ridiculing moms who don’t. But on the other hand…I think she sets up an unfair double-standard for women: That moms should feel good about themselves by virtue of not caring about how they look, while women who don’t have kids are…left to feel obsessed with their bodies because they’re not distracted by the tireless needs of babes. Cheers to Alba for kissing her insecurities goodbye; but don’t all of us deserve the chance to do the same, whatever life choices we make? More »
Woman Gets Arms And Legs Amputated After Silicone Butt Injections; Don’t Do This
If you’re ever invited to a “pumping party”, don’t go. A Los Angeles woman, April Brown, recently lost both arms and both legs to a dangerous infection after she attended one of these so-called parties where she received silicone butt injections from a back alley doctor. It’s a disturbing story that is showcasing the latest trend in the quest for the perfect body. More »
Pimp My Health: 5 Tips For A Healthier, Younger Complexion
Young, smooth, flawless skin–we all want it, right? But the oil, the acne, the lines and wrinkles…ugh! What’s a girl supposed to do? Believe it or not, having beautiful, healthy skin doesn’t come from a bottle or an expensive cream. There are plenty of natural remedies out there–some may be right inside your refrigerator. So this week on Pimp My Health, we’re going to pimp your skin with food. Take a look at these five tips on what to eat and not eat if you want to put your best face forward: More »
Study: Increase In Cancer, Fertility Problems Driven By Common Chemicals
Fifteen years worth of research has made it clear that chemicals common in cosmetics, household products and medicines are wreaking havoc on our bodies, the European Environment Agency says. In a study published yesterday, the agency warns of “strong evidence” linking these “endocrine disrupting chemicals“—substances (like phthalates, bisphenol A and parabens) that disrupt the hormone system—to cancer, obesity, neurological problems and reduced fertility. More »
Gen Y Women Love Indoor Tanning (Especially In The Midwest And South), CDC Reports
Today, more surprising news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Gen Y women are going indoor tanning almost twice a month on average. It’s especially common among white women, those ages 18-21 and in the Midwest and South. More »
