Well frankly, I hope she has more than one thing to say on her show today, when she confronts her critics wearing the same swimsuit that has been plastered all over the tabloids with the title, “America’s next top waddle.” It takes courage to stand in front of millions of viewers with just your swimsuit and the body people have been making a mockery of.
I decided to pick up People Magazine last night to read her interview to hear how she felt about the constant pummeling of insults being thrown her way about her weight. Before even reading the article, I in a sense, knew how she must be feeling. In my own youth many people often told me I was fat, even when I was only 5 lbs over what I should’ve been for my height. In fact, one day my dance teacher announced to the class that we couldn’t wear a certain costume for our dance recital because I was too fat. When I looked at my size 8 body in the mirror I felt ashamed and sad that I wasn’t good enough. I can only imagine how magnified that is for a Supermodel who made her living off her body and then has the world zone in on her weight gain. See more posts like this on our Buzzed Industry Dirt Blog
Tyra made a great point in the People article stating that she worries about the effect of how all of this public scrutinizing of her weight will have on her young fans. She is indeed a role model to whom many young girls aspiring to be models look up to. So when her body is being called “ugly” and “disgusting” she wonders what it makes her fans feel like. If you still think that the fashion industry plays no role in body image, imagine how girls who want to be like Tyra are feeling about their own bodies when she is considered fat.
Still, it all boils down to the fact that we see beauty in the physical sense of our bodies and not what lies beneath. Do the critics care that Tyra started a non-profit foundation to serve disadvantaged girls and help bolster their self-esteem? Does it matter that many times she tries to build people up and encourage them on her show? Tyra made it clear in the article that she is not excited over gaining 30lbs, however she has enough self-esteem that she is comfortable with who she is.
Tyra, I hope you convey this message today: CONFIDENCE EQUALS BEAUTY.
Posted by Shannon Nelson on February 1, 2007 1:00 AM
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