Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Marie Claire Actually DEFENDS That Garbage?


Yesterday, a post appeared online at Marie Claire magazine. This blog, written by Maura Kelly, tore overweight people a new one, for being seen on TV in the show "Mike and Molly" and "disgusting" her by having a romance. Futhermore, she said that "fat" people doing ANYTHING disgusts her.
Later (after all of the backlash) she gave an apology (sort of) but still the damage was done. She used the fact that she is a recovering anorexic as an excuse...I know a few people recovering from eating disorders, and they do NOT hate people who are larger. They know that each person is on his or her own journey and we are ALL valuable no matter what the outside shell looks like. I feel for Ms. Kelly and wish her well in her continued recovery, but please don't offend your fellow recoverers by using that as your reason. That could only cause a stereotype that all people with anorexia or bulimia hate plus size people, and that is not the case.
Marie Claire's editor-in-chief came out to defend the article...REALLY? You DEFEND people being outright ridiculed on your pages (virtual or print), and treated like they have no place in the world? This was not constructive criticism. It was deliberate bashing of a particular group of people and completely uncalled for. So fat people walking around disgusts you guys? How in the world are we supposed to take control of our health if we're not allowed to move around? Are we supposed to run laps inside of our homes, so as not to offend you, and wear holes in our carpets? All people are deserving of love and their rights as human beings...PERIOD.
Ms. Kelly mentioned in her "apology" that she also hates seeing underweight people walking around. So Maura, did you ever stop to think about the actual person passing by? My nieces just lost their mom on Monday at age 42. She had lung cancer, and wasted away because of the disease. She was a beautiful lady up until the end, but you would have just seen her extreme thinness and been "disgusted". MAYBE the person in front of you, heavy or thin, has a medical reason why they look like they do. Since you've had eating disorder issues yourself, you would think you would have actually developed some compassion toward others. I pray that after this incident you start to develop a caring attitude.
I cancelled my subscription to Marie Claire yesterday. I cannot condone this kind of bashing of any group of people. They've always walked a thin line but now it's gone too far. I was hoping for a real apology from the editor, and maybe I might have tried to pick up an issue on the newsstand at some point to see if things have improved. But now that the magazine defends this kind of behavior, I will NEVER but the magazine again in any way, shape, or form. God created all of us to be a variety of shapes and sizes, even changing throughout our lifetimes for different reasons. He does NOT make mistakes. It's time the people at Marie Claire learn that ALL people are beautifully and wonderfully made!!!

6 comments:

Moe said...

Good for you! If I had a subscription I would have canceled it too. I buy the occasional MC in store but won't after this.

Alanna Klapp said...

Wow....great post, Marie!

Melissa Cunningham said...

can i get a big AMEN?!!!!
great post,very well written. i hope you sent this letter in to chief editor!

WriterMarie said...

Thanks ladies! I tagged them on Twitter with it...but I think I need to e-mail it directly to her. They probably ignore all the tweets they are getting right now with everyone so angry!

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

I have been reading EVERYTHING about this online tonight! Did you read Jen Lancaster's and Stacey Ballis' posts about it? And I googled Maura Kelly - she has some major self-esteem issues big TIME! That woman has got to be weeping in the corner of her studio apartment right now, chowing on a box of Ho-Ho's and a gallon of ice cream that she'll probably puke up later. So bad. Sooo soooo bad.

WriterMarie said...

I read both Jen's and Stacey's...and both are excellent. So many of us can really write from the heart about this. I will have to Google Maura Kelly in the morning now! ;o)