Weighty opinions

In the last few days I feel that there have been a lot more news articles and things out there, sort of  waging a war between “skinny girls” and “fat girls”. Perhaps I am more aware of it as my belly continues to block the view I had of my feet, but humor me…

I realize that I am pregnant and therefore “allowed” to gain weight, but it’s definitely NOT healthy to pudge up while preggo. Health risks such as diabetes, heart attacks, increased risks of miscarriages and birth complications. The whole “eating for two” is a load of crap. I am NOT eating for two people. I am eating for myself and my daughter, who currently weighs around two pounds. According to all the books, blogs and websites that I have read, this means MAYBE an extra 500 calories a day…so like an extra apple with cheese and some almonds…NOT a double bacon cheeseburger meal with fries and a coke! I can understand why people may THINK that you’re eating for two…because often you have the appetite or feel as hungry as two people, but bottom line is this…I am not planning on giving birth to a 135 lbs woman, so I am not going to eat like I need to sustain the life of one!

Ok, back onto the “fat vs skinny” debate….

The gossip blog that I follow, Lainey Gossip, posted some photos and comments on Jennie Garth of former 90210 fame. Jennie is newly divorced from Twilight star Peter Facinelli (the pigmentation challenged Cullen Dad) and apparently along with a husband, she also lost 30lbs. As Lainey points out, the way People Magazine reported on her divorce, her happiness was  apparently solely tied to losing the weight, check out their story on Jennie HERE.

On the flip side, you have Christina Aguilera saying that she has essentially given the middle finger to her recording company and told them that she will not lose weight and that they are now working with a fat girl, so get over it. Of course reports are now coming out that that quote is fake, and her reps are denying it, blah, blah, blah…read more HERE.

Now, with those two sides of the coin…I invite you to watch this video: 

This video, of  Jennifer Livingston, who is La Crosse, Wisconsin’s CBS affiliate WKBT Local News Anchor, tells it like it is. The dude that wrote the email does not know her. He does now know her health background, her current health situation, or anything about her. Perhaps it’s the fact that I work in the health care field and deal with patients that sometimes have their outer appearance altered because of illness or medications, but I applaud her for telling this guy to suck it…my words, not hers.

I have friends, living with autoimmune diseases that cause their bodies to swell and often balloon up to three times their normal sizes. Of course people must look at them and judge them and think that they are probably fat, lazy and just don’t know when to say no to a McDonald’s drive-thru…but in reality, their bodies are fighting against themselves and this is the outward manifestation. I have had a friend be repeatedly asked if she is pregnant…and in one case a woman asked her if she had just gained weight. I remember thinking “Seriously? Someone asked you if you had put on weight?” Yes, people are that ignorant, insensitive and just plain mean.

So, while I think that it is great that Jennie Garth lost weight and can stick it to her ex-husband as she flaunts her new (much hotter) boyfriend, and whether it’s true or not, I like to believe that Christina told people to shut up and stop judging her for her curves. However, I would also like to think that one day, we can move beyond judging women by their bodies, but we’re not there yet…we’re sooooo not there yet. Sorry Dove campaign…it’s still an uphill battle.

When you have people like Jennifer Livingston having to address these concerns on television, you see that no one is safe. Not the celebrities, not the local news woman and not the “regular Jane’s” like me.

So, all that I can hope for is that the next time you think a negative thought about a woman, or judge someone for what their eating, wearing, etc. try and think about that time that you left the house in your scrubby’s and prayed that you didn’t run into someone you knew…who might judge you…