A couple corners of the internet are up in arms over the blog Skinny Gossip‘s nasty post about up-and-coming model Kate Upton, known to many as the blonde babe performing the “cat daddy” on Youtube so lusciously that the website actually temporarily removed it for its content. She also recently landed a smoldering spread in GQ. This spread prompted a friend of mine to say that if she opened up a booth where she charged for hugs, the economy would bounce back. With a body like hers, I can kind of see it.
But the anonymous blogger at Skinny Gossip, who claims to be a 100 lb fashion industry insider herself, does not agree with my friend’s sentiment. In Kate’s flat stomach, ample bosom and toned limbs, she sees a “cow.” I’m not going to re-post all of her nasty comments on this blog because I do not find it necessary, but to summarize, she makes several jabs at Kate’s weight, calling her fat, pregnant looking, and unfit to be a model or desired by men.
Pretty harsh. The backlash the blogger received was just as well, though, including threats of death and rape.
Both sides disgust me. While this blogger is atrociously rude and contributes to an extremely disheartening group of people who consider themselves “thinspiring,” it is equally as atrocious to threaten her life. What I would personally encourage is sending thoughtful messages aimed at this blogger, forcing her to own up to her own statements, such as this (made after the backlash): “in closing, there’s nothing wrong with saying skinny is beautiful, just like there’s nothing wrong with saying curvy is beautiful, or red hair is beautiful, or anything else someone happens to find appealing. It’s an opinion, and we’re all entitled to them.”
This is true, however, what justifies saying something or someone is ugly? Bovine? Nothing. While the blog is not exactly pro-ana, it’s language is the stuff of disorder and profound insecurity. Here we have one skinny girl calling a slightly curvier girl a cow. This is the kind of bullying that, if done in person, could result in someone ending up with an eating disorder. Just because a blog isn’t pro-ana does not mean that blog is a healthy source of inspiration. I’d venture to say that most things you’ll find under the tag of “thinspiration” will be the same sort of rude, bullying drivel this blog is made of.
We should laud what we think is beautiful, but when it comes to addressing our peers on a public platform, we should not feel it necessary to criticize what we think is unattractive. It’s deplorable to do so. It’s unhealthy. In fact, it’s just plain ugly.
