Maybe so, if this story from the Christian Science Monitor is to be believed.
The First Lady goes on record saying she "tries to stay away from discussions about weight with her daughters," focusing instead on health. Though I notice she's still willing to talk about weight with the rest of our daughters. And sons.
Well, change comes slowly. Good start, Mrs. Obama! I hope you'll keep listening as well as talking. And if you've got another place at the table for your September summit on childhood obesity, please count me in. . . .
PHOTO CREDIT: AP PHOTO/ED ZURGA
6 comments:
This woman is an incredible hypocrite. Sorry, I can't stand her, so I don't care if she "gets it" or not.
Well, I know your frustration. But I'm not ready to give up on her. She wields a lot of power.
And I'll cop to the fact that it took me a while to "get it," too, so I'm always hopeful about other people. :)
I agree, I'm willing to concede that there appears to be the small flickering of a flame here.
The fact this is so rare makes me willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.
I too took my time, to be candid!
It took me awhile to get it, but what I am seeing in the health care world is we don't 'talk about weight' but health, and yet the message is still the same: watch what you eat, portion control, eat less, move more, avoid X,Y,Z...
I think the message is no less damaging, and perhaps moreso when done in the name of "health." So much fat-bashing is out of concern for "health" when the data and reality is infinitely more complex...
It is a step forward, and I hope the media's declaration that her message is now completely positive/ innocuous doesn't keep it from being the first of many such steps. What I really want to see from her is a delivery of the Let's Move project that actively integrates the "it's not about weight message" at all turns, instead of speaking one moment about how eating disorders are a concern and then immediately returning to discussions of epidemic childhood "obesity." Those kinds of contradictions are common, but they come across as lip service at best and -- still worse -- as hypocrisy.
We as a culture are such black and white thinkers, aren't we? Not much room for nuance. Which is why it's so important for those of us in advocacy to stay calm and keep trying, I think, though I empathize with the frustration level too.
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