Punch Line
I apparently have no sense of humor, because when I got to the end of this article, I just kind of wanted to punch the writer.
"I recommend a 10 percent surtax on all women’s clothes size 2 or smaller, along with a label: WARNING: Being able to wear this product indicates that you may be seriously underweight, which could be indicative of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia which could lead to death. Plus, wearing this garment in public could create jealousy, hatred, animosity and even physical confrontation from bitter old women size 14 and over, which could lead to serious injury … or death."
I was with him until the "bitter old women size 14 and over" part (even though some women are naturally thin, so the joke is sizeist in both directions if you think about it) and then I was like, "Is he calling me gigantically fat? Is he calling me old?? Is he calling all fat women bitter, jealous, and hateful!?!" And then I remembered that I'm a hormonal trainwreck today, and perhaps I should back away from the internet slowly.
"I recommend a 10 percent surtax on all women’s clothes size 2 or smaller, along with a label: WARNING: Being able to wear this product indicates that you may be seriously underweight, which could be indicative of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia which could lead to death. Plus, wearing this garment in public could create jealousy, hatred, animosity and even physical confrontation from bitter old women size 14 and over, which could lead to serious injury … or death."
I was with him until the "bitter old women size 14 and over" part (even though some women are naturally thin, so the joke is sizeist in both directions if you think about it) and then I was like, "Is he calling me gigantically fat? Is he calling me old?? Is he calling all fat women bitter, jealous, and hateful!?!" And then I remembered that I'm a hormonal trainwreck today, and perhaps I should back away from the internet slowly.
posted by mo pie at 10:00 AM
10 Comments:
I didn't think it was particularly funny. He was trying, oh, was he trying. But not funny. Especially since he's a dude. And it's really none of his business. Are we supposed to swoon--or feel some sense of relief or acceptance--because he thinks women between the sizes of 2 and 14 are f*ckable? Ah, the male gaze. Perhaps I should step away from the Internets, too, Mo.
The worst part is, that last line undermines what was a really relevant article.
No, I have to agree that I don't like the insinuation that I'm bitter and old. Only bitter old women wear over a size 14 apparently. Lies! I know plenty of size 8 bitter old women. So there.
As someone who has an eating disorder, I'm pretty much insulted. He completely missed the point. It's not just about being thin.
I agree with most of the article, up until the last paragraph as well. I understand that it was a joke, but you wouldn't put a label on a size 26 pants that say "Warning: Wearing this may mean you are obese."
My mother is a size 2. And she does not have an eating disorder or is incredibly underweight.
Joke or not this guy should have watched what he said.
Are we all hormone-ing in sync? I thought you had to live in the same house for that to happen...
I won't say I have never felt jealous of a thinner girl, but I think it's very odd that he focuses on size 2 or less as the "desirable" size. I, personally, would be too thin if I were a size 2 (I'm aiming for size 10).
It's so arbitrary! If you're tiny, size 2 means something totally different from what it does if you're tall.
I think we should perhaps just tune out the idiots who insist on assuming otherwise. Recently my husband was listening to a radio phone-in and heard this exchange:
DJ: How old are you?
Girl: 15.
DJ: Are you a looker?
Girl: Er...
DJ: What size are you?
Girl: 8. (US size 4, I think.)
DJ: So you are a looker then... What size is your mum?
My husband: "What kind of idiot says that kind of thing to a fifteen-year-old girl? Or anybody?"
The last sentence kills the entire article for me
That last paragraph was just in bad taste all around.
There is no justifiable reason to make fun of fat women or skinny women. Period.
OMG... I'm offended and I'm not hormonal. So if we're size 2 then there's clearly something wrong with us. (I'll run an warn all of my female Japanese colleagues. I think there might be one in the group that breaks a U.S. size 4) If we're size 14, then we're out of control, homicidal mainiacs. So at exactly what size are women allowed to exist in this guy's world.
Can we start a similar conversation based on penis size?
K said (I'm quoting recklessly):
"It's so arbitrary! .... I think we should perhaps just tune out the idiots who insist on assuming otherwise."
*INSERT THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE HERE*
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