In the news today is consideration of a ban on television and other media using the word ‘fat’ to describe celebrities and other figures.
Much of this stems from the actress Jennifer Lawrence, who has spoken out about
some (apparently blind) sections of the media referring to her as fat.
I mean, seriously?
It’s not nice to be called fat. I can tell you that from a
decade of experience. And seeing healthy celebrities who, thanks to advantages
of their lifestyle, look better than most mortals being called fat isn’t nice
either. It is, as this campaign rightly contends, damaging to self-esteem and a
contributor to health issues such as anorexia, bulimia, and depression,
particularly in young people.
But a blanket ban on the word ‘fat’ would only serve to
ignore a number of other problems, and potentially make them worse.
I’m not a parent, but I often consider what I would do if my
child began to become overweight. On one hand the last thing I would want to do
is berate my child and give them a complex about their looks. That’s equally as
harmful as exposure to this kind of media. But simply brushing weight issues
under the carpet isn’t the answer either.
I gained several stone in weight between the ages of 10-11
and at no point did anyone sit me down to make me aware that it was happening,
and that it might have severe ramifications in my later life.
Me in bigger times.
I lost a great deal of that weight aged 17, and a little
more aged 20. I’m now 26, and my self-esteem, body image, and social skills are
still catastrophically poor. I still struggle with my weight on a daily basis.
Being severely overweight during those crucial formative years casts a long
shadow. It would not be different if these kinds of media stigma did not exist.
I would still have been unaware that it was a problem and therefore unable to
address it. But it might have been different if someone had helped me to
understand.
My fear is that simply pretending that being overweight does
not hold the potential for harm, or that simply pretending the word ‘fat’ doesn’t
exist, will only allow weight issues, and the psychological toll, to run
rampant.
It’s admirable to promote positive body image. If someone,
whatever their size, is happy with their body, that’s fantastic. I agree
wholeheartedly that being overweight should not make you a target for derision
or judgement. Undoubtedly what celebrity media considers fat is outright
hurtful and unrealistic. There are very few people who wouldn’t agree that
Jennifer Lawrence is a beautiful woman. But a blanket ban on the word ‘fat’ is
not the answer. What it threatens to do is promote a different kind of
ignorance that will only perpetuate or even exacerbate issues pertaining to
weight and negative body image.
There are also other issues to consider, such as personal
health, financial strain on the NHS, and, as obesity figures spiral in
countries around the world, particularly in children, the possible impact on
infrastructure. It can even have a negative impact on others. To use an
anecdotal example, I have a family member who is a paramedic, and is frequently
expected to carry people weighing 20 stone or more down flights of stairs, to
the detriment of her own physical health.
It seems to me, in my limited knowledge, that the answer
should lie somewhere in better education about nutrition, addressing the
rampant poverty that is forcing families to rely on cheap, unhealthy food to
survive, and providing better support to help overweight people improve their
health if they wish to do so. If there was better education, understanding, and
support, these media stigmas would carry far less influence and potential for
harm.
The intentions behind this idea are good. But it feels a
little like scapegoating, and it is not only simplistic in its approach, but
even has the potential to cause further damage.
