Blogging, about being blogged...
I am reluctant to admit it, but last night, I googled myself. *Hanging head in shame*
I really do love the internet, and sometimes it is a bit creepy how much about ourselves is 'out there' for the rest of the world to see. But anyway, I found a "picture" of a comment I had made on a Facebook pages many months ago. At first, I was surprised, then somewhat annoyed, to find a screenshot of my comment, with my full name and profile pic, for all the world to see. But then I followed the link, and I was actually included in a blog entry by none other than Melinda Tankard Reist!
To provide context to my comment, I was previously a "liker" of Lorna Jane on Facebook. I found their motivational captions inspired me, but there was a part of me that felt very naughty for liking them on Facebook, yet due to their prohibitive pricing, deep down I know I will never own any of their gymwear. They posted a picture with the caption, "Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels." My very first thought when I read it was, "hey, that is like Kate Moss's saying, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!" I then observed the lobs and volleys of comments and insults which ensued on the Lorna Jane Facebook thread. And this is where I got mad.
Pretty much, anyone who voiced their opposition to the slogan was in some form or another, bullied by other 'likers' and it was repeatedly implied that these people were either unfit, overweight, or lazy. There was one liker in particular, to whom I addressed my post, who went to town on a number of other women who had politely commented on the post. This woman had her Facebook profile quite open, so the public could see her wedding pictures, and pictures of her family, including young daughter. This just made me sad. To think that there was a woman who not only was personally attacking others for sharing their opinions, but also attacking their physical appearance, and suggesting that they should put down the cupcake and get off their behinds, but she was a mum to a young daughter! As if there are not enough external pressures on young girls, without venomous women perpetuating this mentality with their own daughters.
The issue that I had with the slogan, was that a company who was supposedly interesting in women's fitness, was adapting a catchphrase coined by an admittedly anorexic model. This company had joined the rest of the world in their belief that skinny = fit. It is embarrassing to think that an organisation selling fitness clothing, and in fact fitness as a way of life, had subscribed to this belief. The flip side of this, is then that people believe fat = lazy/undisciplined/unfit. This was evident by the responses on the Facebook thread. In this day and age of women being a sisterhood, of us running the night and being strong together, the claws came out and there was a cat fight of epic proportions. Like a return to high school, there were the pretty, popular, prom queens, and the rest of the female population, only this time, their words are not whispered, they are published for the world to see.
Companies need to carefully consider whose words they choose to quote and adapt. If they don't, there will always be consumers to provide constructive criticism of their campaigns (see Goodification). Parents, especially of daughters, also need to carefully consider their words and actions, and what types of messages they are sending to their children. If they don't, they run the risk of raising prejudice, hatred and fear.
I really do love the internet, and sometimes it is a bit creepy how much about ourselves is 'out there' for the rest of the world to see. But anyway, I found a "picture" of a comment I had made on a Facebook pages many months ago. At first, I was surprised, then somewhat annoyed, to find a screenshot of my comment, with my full name and profile pic, for all the world to see. But then I followed the link, and I was actually included in a blog entry by none other than Melinda Tankard Reist!
To provide context to my comment, I was previously a "liker" of Lorna Jane on Facebook. I found their motivational captions inspired me, but there was a part of me that felt very naughty for liking them on Facebook, yet due to their prohibitive pricing, deep down I know I will never own any of their gymwear. They posted a picture with the caption, "Nothing tastes as good as being fit feels." My very first thought when I read it was, "hey, that is like Kate Moss's saying, nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!" I then observed the lobs and volleys of comments and insults which ensued on the Lorna Jane Facebook thread. And this is where I got mad.
Pretty much, anyone who voiced their opposition to the slogan was in some form or another, bullied by other 'likers' and it was repeatedly implied that these people were either unfit, overweight, or lazy. There was one liker in particular, to whom I addressed my post, who went to town on a number of other women who had politely commented on the post. This woman had her Facebook profile quite open, so the public could see her wedding pictures, and pictures of her family, including young daughter. This just made me sad. To think that there was a woman who not only was personally attacking others for sharing their opinions, but also attacking their physical appearance, and suggesting that they should put down the cupcake and get off their behinds, but she was a mum to a young daughter! As if there are not enough external pressures on young girls, without venomous women perpetuating this mentality with their own daughters.
The issue that I had with the slogan, was that a company who was supposedly interesting in women's fitness, was adapting a catchphrase coined by an admittedly anorexic model. This company had joined the rest of the world in their belief that skinny = fit. It is embarrassing to think that an organisation selling fitness clothing, and in fact fitness as a way of life, had subscribed to this belief. The flip side of this, is then that people believe fat = lazy/undisciplined/unfit. This was evident by the responses on the Facebook thread. In this day and age of women being a sisterhood, of us running the night and being strong together, the claws came out and there was a cat fight of epic proportions. Like a return to high school, there were the pretty, popular, prom queens, and the rest of the female population, only this time, their words are not whispered, they are published for the world to see.
Companies need to carefully consider whose words they choose to quote and adapt. If they don't, there will always be consumers to provide constructive criticism of their campaigns (see Goodification). Parents, especially of daughters, also need to carefully consider their words and actions, and what types of messages they are sending to their children. If they don't, they run the risk of raising prejudice, hatred and fear.
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