J.K. Rowling, best-selling author of the “Harry Potter” series of books, has posted on her website concerning issues of thinness, fat, and what it’s like to have two little girls who are going to grow up in today’s thin-obsessed society.
Regrettably, due to the design of her website, you cannot link straight to the article. However, here’s her website, and the “path” to get to the article:
–click on the hairbrush (pop-up label is “Extra Stuff”)
–click on the yellow “Miscellaneous” tab on the right side of the pad of notepaper
–click on the first article “For Girls Only, Probably…”
Some favorite quotes:
She can talk about eating absolutely loads, being terribly busy and having the world’s fastest metabolism until her tongue drops off (hooray! Another couple of ounces gone!), but her concave stomach, protruding ribs and stick-like arms tell a different story. This girl needs help, but, the world being what it is, they’re sticking her on magazine covers instead.
I mean, is ‘fat’ really the worst thing a human being can be? Is ‘fat’ worse than ‘vindictive’, ‘jealous’, ‘shallow’, ‘vain’, ‘boring’ or ‘cruel’?
I’ve got two daughters who will have to make their way in this skinny-obsessed world, and it worries me, because I don’t want them to be empty-headed, self-obsessed, emaciated clones; I’d rather they were independent, interesting, idealistic, kind, opinionated, original, funny - a thousand things, before ‘thin’.
James, you just ate up about an hour of my day–I could hardly follow that link without getting sucked into the lengthy interview with JKR by the editors of Mugglenet.com and leaky-cauldron.com, could I?
I appreciated her comments on the skinny-obsession subject. Quite true how what society seems to value in a girl can be so skewed.
People should be happy with who they are. I was sitting in school the other day talking to some friends at lunch. While looking around I noticed everybody has to try to be like other people, and some of them happen to be nice people. I realized what a shame it is that so many nice people have to turn away from being individuals and conform to the rest of society. Of course then I looked around at my friends and realized that they are an example of individuals.
James, the problem is not only the urge to be skinny, but the urge to be like everybody else. The urge to conform to what other people think is attractive. In the end I just feel bad for people who have to be like everybody else, they are only hurting themselves.
Disclamer, my post is not only about weight, but a problem with society. I am happy to see that some respected people are encouraging kids of all ages to have a mind of their own.
please be aware, anorexia is often not about weight or food, it’s about control. Often the sufferer feels they have no control over any aspect of their life, and their intake of food IS the one thing they, and only they, can control.
This is why a sufferer honestly doesn’t see themselves as “too” thin. And why, if you try to “get” them to eat, they refuse.
Even if you DO get them to eat, the problem isn’t the food - it’s how they feel about themselves afterwards. They have again lost control on the one (and in their mind, only) part of their life they have any.
My son’s fiance has suffered from anorexia in the past. I know to never “force” food or insist she eat with us. I offer, but if she chooses not to, I don’t push it.
First, I don’t think this is just a girl’s problem. Far from it, both overweight girls and boys face harassment based upon their weight and appearance. Both overweight women and overweight men face the challenges of discrimination, prejudice, and inadequate health care.
These problems are exacerbated by the “War on Fat,” as it makes fat people the enemy in a whole new way, and blames them for the predicted apocalyptic downfall of the American for-profit healthcare system.
I do also think that there is a lot of truth in the idea that the harsh and judgemental behavior that heavy people face is based upon the fact that society, now more than ever before, values conformity.
To be overweight is to not conform in a very visible way. The pressure to conform in modern society has never been greater, and the individual who doesn’t visibly conform has never been worth less.
The idea that we are all supposed to look different, have different strengths and talents, have different thoughts and ideas—the idea that we are all supposed to BE different is now considered almost to be treason.
I am grateful to see J.K. Rowling taking a stand on this issue, and it is my hope that with her wide influence, her comments can make a real difference to a lot of desperately unhappy children.
It is my hope that other people of influence will follow her lead.
It’s time for another “just say no” campaign: “Just say No!” to the War on Fat.
I would suggest there is a different attitude problem. Notice that the argument seems to go between fat and skinny. There is no thought of being FIT; just the two extremes of being fat or skinny. Some people, especially women, may look skinny when they are fit. Everyone is different. And I am NOT talking about going to another ridiculous extreme like getting hugely pumped up. I’m just talking about being generally fit: loose, limbre, and moderately strong.
The fact that this option is not even discussed suggests to me that people would rather tear back and forth hysterically between the two unhealthy extremes of too fat or too thin than to even contemplate the bit of effort required to be physically fit. If there is an image problem, I believe it starts here, and there is no excuse for not choosing fitness as the best alternative.
The real irony of this, of course, is that upon questioning the youngsters falling into this pattern, many will say that they want to look like individuals… that they are dressing ‘differently’ to assert their uniqueness… They think they are being different when they are in fact following the newest ‘norm’ … they don’t have a clue what lemmings they are being. That’s sad.
edited to clarify which part of Unseen’s post I was replying to.
I think djm hit it on the head: there is a huge range between fat and thin and fitness is the best alternative. Rowling doesn’t say anywhere that she wants her girls to be fat. She just says she doesn’t want them to be obsessed with being thin, something with which I think any parent would agree.
I do think there is a lot to be said for the idea of trying to be as fit as you can be, whatever size or shape you may happen to be. I think djm makes a good point on this.
As for anyone wanting to be fat–I’m not at all convinced anyone does. Why on earth would you want to? What possible reward would it bring?
If today’s society (assuming there’s just one society) is truly “thin-obsessed,” why are there more morbidly obese people now than in any other time period in the history of the world?
I have to add that the medical profession doesn’t help when it comes to weight issues either.
I absolutely dread going to the doctor, at least partially because the first thing any medical professional pounces on is my weight. Before I stopped smoking, that was the the issue they harped on, but now it’s how much I weigh, and the fact that they refuse to believe that I’m trying to do anything about it, or even that I have the brain cells to realize how much I do (or don’t) eat or exercise. And, frankly, it’s not a matter of changing doctors…every doctor I’ve had for the past 12 years has fed me the same line. It doesn’t matter how much I work out, how much (or how well) I actually do eat, what my resting pulse rate is, or anything else…if my weight or body fat is above a certain level, it’s going to kill me, and it’s obviously my fault. Weight is the new smoking…something to make people feel guilty about.
In a world where medical professionals (many of whom are no “fitter” than their patients) make adults feel like losers for being overweight, how do kid have any chance at all?
I do circuit training three to four days a week. I walk 5 miles on my “off” days. I eat less (and more carefully) than most “skinny” people. I have a resting pulse rate of 60 bpm. I also weigh 185 pounds, am technically “obese” and am pre-diabetic. And, according to the medical profession, not to mention the average Joe on the street, it’s all my fault. That’s the reality many of us deal with.
Three cheers for Rowling. More people need to be questioning this whole “cult of thinness.”
That is so true. I was actually having a very similar conversation with one of my friends. She was saying that a bunch of other girls try to be like her. The kids who are trying to be different are just copying someone else. I don’t even care any more (not that I did in the first place), I do what I want. If I want to spend a Friday night Playing Irish Flute, I will and I have. Although, that goes under the problem of having to wake up at 5:45am, which means I can’t get the playing I would like to get done as I prefer to play late at night. Being an individual is doing what one want, not copying an individual. I have to see this everyday of my life, it is no wonder I am trying to get out of High School a year early. Although, the funny thing is, now that I completly don’t care, I have more friends than I ever did before, it is an interesting pattern.
Another disclaimer, I am not obese and never have been. My best friend is obese, and I eat way more than he does. In fact, currently I am pretty fit. The problem is not only fat, it is the need to single out people who are different.
Yes, that is absurd. Of course, I don’t have a clue how tall you are, but I weigh more than you, do regular yoga and Tai Chi, and can still run and play when I can be pried from the computer or the whistle. My doc doesn’t harp on the weight, he’s jealous of the Tai Chi.
Now, there is no denying that a great portion of the US citizenry is dramatically obese, and that has far more to do with the quality (or lack thereof) of foodstuffs at hand at any given time. McDonalds and their ilk, and the enormously processed and high fat and calorie content of popular foods is a big problem. We usually choose what our tongues like, not what is actually good for our bodies.
If you want dicotomy, take a look at just about any major healthcare facility… nurses tend to obesity… not because they are inherently heavy, but because of the hours, stress and lack of healthy snacks available when they need them. (hospital kitchens tend to be closed when you really need them.) So those caring for the unhealthy tend to be unhealthy. And hardly any of them are actually happy about that.
Isn’ that the truth?! You’ll find that interesting pattern repeated throughout your life… it’s amazing how attractive one gets when one desides not to be bothered.
And as for body shape… it really doesn’t always depend on food consumption at all. There are genetic settings that make some people just plain prone to be round, exercizing or not. The real problem is lack of healthy function in the body… too much fat compared to muscle and ability to move. Someone who is still getting exercise is likely to be more healthy than someone who is not… no matter their body shape.
Our society is way, way too concerned with outward appearance and way too ignorant of inner beauty.
I strongly recommend the movie “Shallow Hal” as required viewing for all.
Well that’s nonsense - boys do develop anorexia, though sometimes for different reasons. The first example coming to mind is the lead singer of the austrialian rock band Silverchair, who went through treatment for the disease sometime between their second and third album. It’s been ages since I read the interview but he cited control issues over body image but it was still the same disease.
