Comments on: Woman loses weight, saves marriage. Gag. http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/ Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:26:25 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Cessie http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-112341 Cessie Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:54:57 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-112341 I used to know the Twitchell family very well...It's important to note that Sharon Twitchell went through HELL with her "husband" for years---she was completely emotionally and mentally abused by him when she was heavy. He also abused their son in much the same way, but for other reasons. The comments that the weight she should have lost was her husband are right on the mark... CNN really should have done their homework when they picked her story...it's not inspirational...it's sad and pathetic and sets the women's movement back a hundred years. I used to know the Twitchell family very well…It’s important to note that Sharon Twitchell went through HELL with her “husband” for years—she was completely emotionally and mentally abused by him when she was heavy. He also abused their son in much the same way, but for other reasons. The comments that the weight she should have lost was her husband are right on the mark…

CNN really should have done their homework when they picked her story…it’s not inspirational…it’s sad and pathetic and sets the women’s movement back a hundred years.

]]> By: DollyAnn http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-71817 DollyAnn Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:46:13 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-71817 David, while I understand what you are saying to a certain extent, if all a guy (or a girl) is attracted to is how thin his/her spouse is, then there isn't really a serious foundation for love or marriage. People are criticizing the husband in this article because he called a renewal of *wedding vows* purely because his wife decreased in size--that's a huge reason to celebrate for something that shouldn't matter THAT much in an already committed, loving relationship. Attraction isn't limited to the size of someone's waist band; a person could marry a hundred people if all that mattered was body size/shape. David, while I understand what you are saying to a certain extent, if all a guy (or a girl) is attracted to is how thin his/her spouse is, then there isn’t really a serious foundation for love or marriage. People are criticizing the husband in this article because he called a renewal of *wedding vows* purely because his wife decreased in size–that’s a huge reason to celebrate for something that shouldn’t matter THAT much in an already committed, loving relationship. Attraction isn’t limited to the size of someone’s waist band; a person could marry a hundred people if all that mattered was body size/shape.

]]> By: David http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-71808 David Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:54:40 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-71808 You guys are being too hard on the guy. You can't help what you are attracted to and what you are not. You guys are being too hard on the guy. You can’t help what you are attracted to and what you are not.

]]> By: Rachel http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-19369 Rachel Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:56:40 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-19369 Miles2Go - I think what everyone who has commented here and I are opposed to is not that the woman is empowering herself, but that she felt she had to whittle her body down to some pre-conformed notion of beauty in order to find "happiness." Her husband too seems like he values her more for how she looks on the outside than who she is on the inside. I lost more than 175 pounds in a year's time. I found that much of the same self-esteem issues that plagued me at 300 pounds, were still very much present at 125 pounds. I'm not opposed to weight loss in general, everyone has a right to do with their body what they want. But what I am opposed to is: 1. Dieting, in general. Dieting is code for disordered eating, and isn't healthy or conducive to long-term weight -loss. 2. The "If I can do it, you can too" diet mentality, a.k.a the social pressure to encourage other people to diet and if they don't, to feel like failures who lack willpower. I find this to be just as unhealthy as the peer pressure kids face to smoke and do drugs. 3. Presenting weight-loss as the magical cure to life's problems. As I said before, dieting and weight-loss do nothing to remedy psychological problems surrounding one's self-image, and in some cases, food. By constantly showcasing these type of weight-loss stories, what we are doing is further denigrating obesity, when what we should be doing is lauding people who have healthy self-esteem and promoting body acceptance - of all sizes. We should encourage fitness and a healthy relationship with food, regardless if it results in weight loss. Miles2Go – I think what everyone who has commented here and I are opposed to is not that the woman is empowering herself, but that she felt she had to whittle her body down to some pre-conformed notion of beauty in order to find “happiness.” Her husband too seems like he values her more for how she looks on the outside than who she is on the inside.

I lost more than 175 pounds in a year’s time. I found that much of the same self-esteem issues that plagued me at 300 pounds, were still very much present at 125 pounds. I’m not opposed to weight loss in general, everyone has a right to do with their body what they want. But what I am opposed to is:

1. Dieting, in general. Dieting is code for disordered eating, and isn’t healthy or conducive to long-term weight -loss.
2. The “If I can do it, you can too” diet mentality, a.k.a the social pressure to encourage other people to diet and if they don’t, to feel like failures who lack willpower. I find this to be just as unhealthy as the peer pressure kids face to smoke and do drugs.
3. Presenting weight-loss as the magical cure to life’s problems. As I said before, dieting and weight-loss do nothing to remedy psychological problems surrounding one’s self-image, and in some cases, food.

By constantly showcasing these type of weight-loss stories, what we are doing is further denigrating obesity, when what we should be doing is lauding people who have healthy self-esteem and promoting body acceptance – of all sizes. We should encourage fitness and a healthy relationship with food, regardless if it results in weight loss.

]]> By: miles2go http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-19366 miles2go Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:29:03 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-19366 The woman is happier -and healthier- at 117 than she was at 227. Instead of tearing down her experience, why not just be... happy... for her. I don't get the impression that she thinks that her world is now perfect. Her context is how weight loss has improved her life. Maybe her 12yo car still needs to be replaced and her boss is still a jerk. etc. etc. Feel better now? The woman is happier -and healthier- at 117 than she was at 227. Instead of tearing down her experience, why not just be… happy… for her. I don’t get the impression that she thinks that her world is now perfect. Her context is how weight loss has improved her life. Maybe her 12yo car still needs to be replaced and her boss is still a jerk. etc. etc. Feel better now?

]]> By: Rachel http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-19333 Rachel Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:49:08 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-19333 I have a problem in which weight loss stories are presented as the end all, be all of happiness Cynthia. Happiness is not found in the junior's department. I have a problem in which weight loss stories are presented as the end all, be all of happiness Cynthia. Happiness is not found in the junior’s department.

]]> By: cynthia http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-19280 cynthia Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:11:33 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-19280 Why do you all have a problem with the weightloss stories Why do you all have a problem with the weightloss stories

]]> By: Rachel http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-14489 Rachel Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:10:02 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-14489 I can vouch for that. I cover about 15 communities and am literally drowning with stories. Then, at a staff meeting Tuesday, bosslady says she wants us to do even <i>more</i> and in-depth news stories in addition to our current workload. Still, I try to make each of my stories unique and free of cliches. I can vouch for that. I cover about 15 communities and am literally drowning with stories. Then, at a staff meeting Tuesday, bosslady says she wants us to do even more and in-depth news stories in addition to our current workload.

Still, I try to make each of my stories unique and free of cliches.

]]> By: PastaQueen http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-14483 PastaQueen Thu, 12 Jul 2007 15:11:49 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-14483 I always hate that fat-to-thin story template too and I hope no one ever trys to stuff me into it. I think a lot of journalists are just lazy though, or have to meet a deadline so they don't research things as well as they could. I always hate that fat-to-thin story template too and I hope no one ever trys to stuff me into it. I think a lot of journalists are just lazy though, or have to meet a deadline so they don’t research things as well as they could.

]]> By: Rachel http://the-f-word.org/blog/index.php/2007/07/11/woman-loses-weight-saves-marriage-gag/comment-page-1/#comment-14433 Rachel Thu, 12 Jul 2007 04:09:54 +0000 http://the-f-word.org/blog/?p=122#comment-14433 CNN just recently redesigned its front page, placing real news lower below all these video features and even stupid stories from theonion. I guess this is part of their new master plan: report on weight loss instead of Iraq. I sent them an email when they redesigned it, telling them how I thought they they ought look like a news organization's site, not MySpace. CNN just recently redesigned its front page, placing real news lower below all these video features and even stupid stories from theonion. I guess this is part of their new master plan: report on weight loss instead of Iraq. I sent them an email when they redesigned it, telling them how I thought they they ought look like a news organization’s site, not MySpace.

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