[joyra]

I was replying to a thread where someone felt people were judging her for her weight gain and a thought occurred to me that I felt deserved its own discussion thread: obsession with celebrity weight change.

Jessica Simpson gains, what, 10 lbs? If that? She is practically crucified. Magazine covers scream "FAT!" and the jokes ensue.

Someone wears a tight dress and has a big lunch--OMG, she's PREGNANT! She's pregnant! The picture is proof!! I've been mistaken for pregnant a handful of times and it sucks. Apparently anything more than a flat stomach is cause for pregnancy speculations.

Nicole Ritchie becomes anorexic and she's more popular than ever. Mary Kate Olsen goes to an eating disorders program and she's on every cover. Lindsey Lohan just lost weight and while people are SAYING she's too thin, she sure is getting a TON of attention.

No wonder we all feel like ****! If Jessica Simpson can gain 10 lbs and be called fat, a cow, a pig, what about the rest of us that have gained, like, 50 lbs? If we're feeling lonely, why not just lose a ton of weight? Then people will pay attention to us.

In general, I don't think regular people judge each other so harshly. I don't walk around saying "She's fat--gross. She's thin--gorgeous." But I feel like coverage of celebrity weight change teaches us we SHOULD care, we SHOULD have an opinion on someone gaining or losing weight. I heard somewhere that weight-related covers sell better than any others and that's why media keeps going after that topic (also baby/pregnancy covers too). If people aren't losing/gaining weight, then they have to focus the smallest changes. Maybe someone hasn't even changed weight but they get an unflattering picture taken so there will be headlines "So-and-so's piling on the lbs" or "So-and-so's denies pregnancy but that baby bump is undeniable!"

It's just so sick.

[sidhe]

I agree. I live in Southern California (San Diego), where everyone, it seems, is thin and beautiful. And if they aren't, EVERYONE has an opinion about it that they don't mind sharing!

I grew up here, so I never realized that there was any other way to be. Then I lived in London for a year (still at 195 pounds) and I never felt so normal and unremarkable in my life. I was still bigger than the average English woman both in height and weight, but no one made it their business. I moved back here and was slapped in the face with it, and I've been fighting it ever since. That judgmental, severe voice was trained into me at a young age, and I realize that I unconsciously judge myself the way I have been judged by others (trust me, middle school and high school were harsh).

It's harsh and painful to be a "civilian" in this part of the country. I can't imagine the **** that is being a celebrity.

[bronte155]

I agree! I was also kind of disappointed with Oprah recently when she (and the media in general) made such a big deal about how she now weighs, horror of horrors, 200 pounds. It seemed too much like she was judging her worth as a person on her weight, when I think someone in her position could do a lot to encourage people to be more accepting of the fact that not everyone is going to be super thin, that's just a fact of life!

It's fine if she wants to lose some weight, but making such a big deal out of it like it was horrible that she had gained any really upset me.

[ringmaster]

ITA I don't think they should make it so negative when these celebrities gain weight, but it's is nice to hear that they are normal people and gain weight too.

If they didn't have the trainers keeping them on track with their diet, I'm sure they could gain 50lbs too. Jessica Simpson was a hottie in Dukes of Hazards, and I know she worked out alot to look good in that movie. They recently showed JS and she lost the weight.

Tyra Banks was another big deal in the media after she let herself regain some weight after her VS/modeling days, so again it's somewhat comforting to know they aren't all naturally thin and beautiful and have to exercise and eat right like the rest of us.