Controversial opinion: Against “Body diversity” in social media ads

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First off - I realize I am a mean and horrible person for even thinking that. Which is why I’m saying it on an anonymous board and not asking actual people on social media.

I just don’t like seeing swimsuit, underwear, and other kinds of ads that feature obese women. I know it sounds horrible but it makes me uncomfortable to see it and I just don’t like it. I understand why they do it but it just makes me uneasy. And I get it - the modeling industry sucks. Anorexic models aren’t good to look at either. I wish they would use normal people, like size 4-10.

But I keep seeing ads geared toward me, just because I am a woman ages 18-60 who wears clothes, and I try to hit hide ad by different companies and update my settings but I just can’t get around being bombarded by obese women in their underwear. One advertisement for some kind of period panties or whatever showed an obese woman with tons of cellulite spreading her legs and showing her underwear with a pad hanging out. I’m sorry, but that’s gross. I wouldn’t even see that at the beach, why do I have to be subjected to it on Facebook?

I get that people are progressive and inclusive and all about feelings and comfort, but I’m just not there yet. Seeing this makes me feel uneasy, like we’ve given up as a society to fight obesity, or that we’re so politically correct that you’re not supposed to fight it, that beauty is now the patriarchy and obesity is beauty. I wish we would stop normalizing it. It’s the opposite extreme from photoshopped or anorexic models. Advertisements should promote health instead.

Lastly, I resent the term “body diversity” in this context. Unless you are talking diverse as in athletic/curvy/thin/tall/short etc and not as in including fat to morbidly obese people. Diversity is a GOOD thing. Body weight is not the same thing as race or gender or sexual orientation. Being a person of color or gay is a characteristic and an identity and something to be proud of. Obesity is not, it’s a disease, stop glorifying it.

I’m sure I’ll get hate for saying all this, but I had to get it out of me. This is just how I feel.

What about the people who feel comfortable seeing people of color or mixed couples in ads? What would you say to them?

You really don't get it, do you?

A mixed couple is not a physical defect! They can have a loving caring relationship and raise a family! A mixed race couple isn't promoting diabetes!

You don't get it. That is not what they are saying. Hope you are trolling because no one can be this stupid. ( not pp)

[Anonymous]

Obesity IS a disease. To the poster who said it isn’t, but is instead a symptom of lifestyle choices, the two are not mutually exclusive. Lung cancer is a disease and is often the result of smoking. Similarly, obesity is a disease and is often the result of overeating. I have been obese, “normal,” and thin, and can honestly say that obesity is the hardest “choice.” But it is a disease. And obese people are worthy of respect and representation. The fact that some models are obese or overweight has only to do with respect for overweight or obese people and noting to do with “celebrating” those conditions. And to those of you who say that this approach “normalizes” obesity, I would simply point out the obesity rate in this country. Unfortunately, this disease is rampant. And we need to do more to support and help people with this disease, which can be devastating. But obesity comes from a host of factors, not one of which is the existence of obese models. Obesity is much more complicated than that. I suggest that we conceive of obesity more deeply than simply blaming the owners of this disease or obese modeling. Only then can progress be made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many professional modeling agencies that deal with big fashion brands only have two divisions--traditional models and plus-sized. So anything not in those two is basically ignored.

Anytime you see a woman who doesn't fit into those buckets in high fashion print or runway it is almost ALWAYS an exception and some special celebrity appearance by a woman who has done something amazing, like win multiple Oscars, like Kate Winslet.

https://www.eonline.com/news/285235/nailed-it-kate-winslet-s-new-st-john-ads-are-stunning

I'd love to more professional models that looked like her in high fashion--neither traditional model build nor plus size. Her body looks amazing in the clothing.

Have you ever looked at LL Bean? Those models look healthy and a normal weight.


https://www.llbean.com/shop/shopByCatalog/index.html

LL Bean isn't exactly "fashion" though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many professional modeling agencies that deal with big fashion brands only have two divisions--traditional models and plus-sized. So anything not in those two is basically ignored.

Anytime you see a woman who doesn't fit into those buckets in high fashion print or runway it is almost ALWAYS an exception and some special celebrity appearance by a woman who has done something amazing, like win multiple Oscars, like Kate Winslet.

https://www.eonline.com/news/285235/nailed-it-kate-winslet-s-new-st-john-ads-are-stunning

I'd love to more professional models that looked like her in high fashion--neither traditional model build nor plus size. Her body looks amazing in the clothing.

Have you ever looked at LL Bean? Those models look healthy and a normal weight.


https://www.llbean.com/shop/shopByCatalog/index.html

If the only example you can come up with in teh fashion industry is frumpy LL Bean of all places, we have a problem.

[Anonymous]

I'd much rather see an overweight, healthy model than an anorexic model. And, I'd much rather see a full variety of body shapes modeling clothes than the size 2 5-9 models they always use. People who have normal variants (like shorter, pear-shaped, BMIs over 19) ought to see how clothes will look on them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree with you 100%. Obesity is a disease and it should not be normalized.

If obesity is a disease, then we need to put all of PepsiCo in jail (because they deliberately create and advertise foods so that people will overeat) and we also need to put the USDA in jail (because they promote the dairy industry through cheese marketing, which is a huge %% of US excess calories).

If you don't think we should do that, then STFU and realize that in a capitalist system, businesses advertise to their audiences. Are you some kind of commie or what?

[Anonymous]

I don't think this debate will ever be resolved here. But there are two things it seems like people here agree on:

1. There's more crude advertising or ads with gratuitious, condescending "women in their underwear" messaging happening now, and no matter the body size shown, it's going to turn off some people. I don't care what size the model is, I don't need to see a pad hanging out and I don't need to be sold ICE CREAM by some woman dancing in her undies because eating ice cream is so sinful and freeing.

2. There seems to be a consensus that there should be more models who fall in that range between plus sized and "traditional model." There are so many beautiful women and women with style that are neither, and a huge percentage of the world's population looks like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd much rather see an overweight, healthy model than an anorexic model. And, I'd much rather see a full variety of body shapes modeling clothes than the size 2 5-9 models they always use. People who have normal variants (like shorter, pear-shaped, BMIs over 19) ought to see how clothes will look on them!

I would love to see more pear shaped women. When overweight women model, they are usually the apple shaped types with thinner legs/hips. A lot of clothing styles don't work for pear shapes. Maybe that is why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t feel bad OP. Most people would agree with you.

+1 I hate seeing obese people in the Target ads. I agree, it's asif we've given up.

+2 I’m a 45 year old woman and I at least try to keep a healthy body weight. We shouldn’t celebrate obesity in the guise of inclusion. It’s unhealthy. It’s raises. your cancer risk. It decreases your overall lifespan.

Yep. I'm okay with models who are +10 lbs. I do not want anorexic models. Just normal healthy women please!

It's very sad going past high schools. I'm in my 30s and high school students didn't look like this. They are sooo much heavier than what I remember.

I grew up in the 80's and only remember 1 or 2 overweight or obese people in my class the whole way through. It was an anomaly. Nowadays, obesity is commonplace so much so, that average or thin people look "anorexic" even though they are healthy by all measures. It's bizarre.

This. Walking through the Atlanta airport is shocking the obesity is so prevalent at all ages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I agree with you 100%. Obesity is a disease and it should not be normalized.

If obesity is a disease, then we need to put all of PepsiCo in jail (because they deliberately create and advertise foods so that people will overeat) and we also need to put the USDA in jail (because they promote the dairy industry through cheese marketing, which is a huge %% of US excess calories).

If you don't think we should do that, then STFU and realize that in a capitalist system, businesses advertise to their audiences. Are you some kind of commie or what?

Obesity is the primary preexisting condition that leads to negative outcomes in Covid.

[Anonymous]

You need to work on your ugliness, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t feel bad OP. Most people would agree with you.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t feel bad OP. Most people would agree with you.

This.

No, actually they don’t. The people that agree are UMC To UC white women who spend all day judging others for everything from their waistline, to the car they drive, to.. well whatever banal thing they can judge someone on that isn’t any of their business and doesn’t impact their lives.
Their sole existence is to feel superior to everyone else.

[Anonymous]

I‘m so over naked models, of any size, period. I don’t want to see a fat lady laughing in her underwear over tampons (?) and I don’t want to a skinny woman sprawled out on the kitchen table in her bra smirking over chocolate (?). My eyeballs have reached peak saturation of strange naked people, I have seen too. many. naked. strangers. Please let these poor women get dressed again! End rant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t feel bad OP. Most people would agree with you.

This.

No, actually they don’t. The people that agree are UMC To UC white women who spend all day judging others for everything from their waistline, to the car they drive, to.. well whatever banal thing they can judge someone on that isn’t any of their business and doesn’t impact their lives.
Their sole existence is to feel superior to everyone else.

I'm neither UMC nor white. I don't like seeing obese models normalizing or celebrating obesity. Lose weight.