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Ready to throw out your scale?  Why not replace it with the body-positive Yay! Scale, as included in Target’s top picks of the month.  Weigh in and the Yay! Scale will register a compliment like “perfect,” sexy” or “ravishing. ”

Yay! Scales — the brainchild of activist Marilyn Wann — are available for $39.99 from Target or check out the range of slightly more expensive, but even more creative Yay! Scales available at VolupuArt.

If you’re, say, mid-twenties or older and female, chances are you’ve read at least one Ann M. Martin book.  Martin, of course, is the author of the The Baby-Sitter’s Club, the series about a gang of entrepreneurial 13-year-olds that taught girls everywhere the basics of capitalism.  Now, in what may be filed thus far in “Best News of the Decade,” Scholastic is re-issuing the first two books in the out-of-print, 213-title series (213? whoa!) as well as a prequel.

Outdated uncool references to perms and cassette players aside, I think the series, which was published in the mid-80s, is still relevant to today’s adolescent girl.  The characters, all diverse and unique, struggle through emotional, family and friendship issues that transcend generations.  I mean, who didn’t cry when Mimi died?  And who among us hasn’t faced at least a snob or two in the daisy chain of angst that is middle school?  The series is also pretty body-positive — the one time I recall dieting mentioned is when Stacey’s ex-best friend Laine visits and they all think it kind of dumb.  The series is being revamped to appeal to younger generations — will Claudia get in trouble for Facebooking on the job?  Will Mary Anne get caught texting to Logan in class? Let’s just hope that in bringing the series into the 21st century doesn’t go by way of the recently re-released Sweet Valley High series, which saw the “perfect size 6″ twins Elizabeth and Jessica downsized to a “perfect size 4″ and the insertion of such colloquialisms as “omigod.”

The BSC re-release is set for April.  Until then, check out this LiveJournal page called “Stoneybrook High School” with character bios on everyone the babysitters go to school with, complete with their celebrity alter egos.  Yep.  Or refresh your adolescent memories with Raina Telgemeier’s BSC comic book adaptations.  And finally, find out which babysitter you are with this handy dandy pop quiz.  I always considered myself a kind of Mary Anne/Claudia hybrid: shy and bookish, but also artsy and creative.  Who’s your favorite babysitter?

While still sadly lagging in both range and affordability, plus-size clothing has come a long way from the shapeless elastic pants and sack-like tops usually reserved for fat teens and women (find great plus-size fashion tips and reviews at Pretty Pear or Young, Fat and Fabulous).  Yet there still seems to be a relative dearth of similar fashionable options for the 6 million overweight kids in the U.S. who are too large to fit into mainstream youth offerings.  According to one report, the girl’s plus-size apparel market is a $3.2 billion market that is only 16 percent served!  Capitalism, it would appear, is no match for fat-stigma.

Now a new company hopes to fill that gaping void in the children’s clothing market with fun, age-appropriate designs and sizing to fit both average and plus-size girls ages 5-12.  The mission of RealKidz Clothing is to “enhance girl’s self-esteem by providing them with age-appropriate clothing they look good in and are excited to wear.“  RealKidz founder Merrill Guerra was inspired to start the business after experiencing frustration in finding clothing for her own plus-size daughter.   Just check out some of these adorable designs:

I normally dislike the labeling of “real” in describing women because it all too often dismisses naturally slim women, but in the case of RealKidz, it’s entirely appropriate.  The RealKidz K-I-D-Z Sizing Model is designed to fit Slim (K), Average (I), Above Average (D) and Plus (Z) girls ages 5-12.  This system ignores industry standards and takes a much more granular approach to sizing, which, according to Guerra, “moves as close as you can find in the industry toward tailor made.”  And because the clothes are primarily sold in home-based parties (and online), girls are able to see and try on clothing in the comfort of their own or a friend’s home.  The pieces are pricey for children’s clothing, ranging from $24 for a pair of capris and $34 for a flare top, but not unexpected for a new and independent clothing line.  RealKidz is also developing an online social network group that would allow parents to “share their challenges, suggestions and joys” and also provide information from experts in fields that affect childrens’ health.

I’m sure this start-up will have the lunatic MeMe Roths of the world picketing at its virtual doors for somehow “promoting” obesity by allowing fat girls to wear something other than a potato sack, but I’m betting that it’s met with more positive reception than negative.  Even if childhood obesity is the raging public health and national security crisis it’s purported to be — despite statistics that show it hit its plateau years ago — fat kids need clothes too and othering them with a lack of options and styles only serves to further erode what are often already fragile self-esteems, which can not-so-ironically lead to even greater weight gain and health problems.   Bravo, RealKidz, bravo.

Need a quick self-esteem pick-me-up?  Check out this video campaign by Desdemona. Writes the artist: “Too Big for My Skin is not just a poem. It’s a mind state. It’s an international campaign that invites you to leave your response to the video in the comment section or to submit your very own video response. It’s about positive body image, acceptance and strength. It’s about finding your voice and speaking. Join us in the campaign. More is to come!”

Read the full lyrics here.

My butt is too big.  I look so fat.  I hate my body.  She’s too fat to be wearing that dress.  You look great — have you lost weight?

Sound familiar?  If you’re a woman, chances are good that you’ve either regularly heard and/or even engaged in such toxic self-loathing otherwise known as fat talk.  Studies have confirmed that women bond over fat talk and the more we partake in it, the more “normal” it becomes — but it doesn’t have to be.  Today’s the first day of Fat Talk Free Week, a public awareness campaign organized by Tri Delta.  Want to start trimming the fat from fat talk?  Here’s some ways how:

Choose one friend or family member and discuss one thing you each like about yourself.

Keep a journal of all the good things your body allows you to do (e.g., sleep well and wake up rested, play tennis, etc.).

Pick one friend to make a pact with to avoid Fat Talk. When you catch your friend talking negatively about their body, remind them of the pact.

Make a pledge to end complaints about your body, such as “I’m so flat-chested” or “I hate my legs.” When you catch yourself doing this, make a correction by saying something positive about that body part, such as, “I’m so glad my legs got me through soccer practice today.”  Sign the “Today I promise to eliminate fat talk” pledge (and Harriet Brown’s I Love My Body pledge).

The next time someone gives you a compliment, rather than objecting (”No, I’m so fat”), practice taking a deep breath and saying “thank you.”

It can be difficult not participating in fat talk — even I catch myself sometimes doing it with a coworker.  Fat talk can feel instinctual, impulsive and sometimes even obligatory, so in the spirit of Joy Nash’s fabulous Staircase Wit, I thought it’d be nice to have a list of snappy comebacks and shut-downs handy.  What are some effective ways to answer responses like these:

My arms are so fat.  I hate my batwings.

Ugh, I need to lose XX pounds.

I can’t eat that — I’m on a diet.

My thighs are ginormous!

Everything I eat goes straight to my hips.

I could never pull that off — I’m too fat.

You look great — have you lost weight?

Please feel free to contribute other forms of fat talk you’ve heard and your suggested responses to them.

Here’s five new-to-us blogs we love.  If you aren’t reading them already, go have a look.

• Operation Beautiful:   Operation Beautiful is simple: all you need is a pen and a piece of paper…  So says site editor Caitlin, who’s on a mission to leave positive, body-affirming notes in public spaces and invites you to do the same.

• The Manfattan Project: “A collection of photographs of stylish everyday people in New York City. These people are beautiful, they are well-dressed, they are confident. They are also, without apologies or contradictions, FAT.”

• Men Get Eating Disorders Too: Okay, so it’s technically not a blog, but the site does feature personal stories and inspirational articles all penned by men with eating disorders in an effort to dismantle the gender stereotype keeping so many men from seeking help for their disorders.

• More of Me To Love: The site’s mission is to “promote and spread the healthiness and happiness that you deserve through our welcoming community, certified experts and empowering programs. But More of Me to Love is more than the sum of its parts: it’s a lifestyle of living better and loving yourself.”

• The Plus Runner:  Blogger Sallie has completed 12 half-marathons and another dozen triathlons and she’s done it all in sizes ranging from 16 to 22.  Her goal is to “encourage more future runners, walkers, hikers, to hit the road, and redefine your life as an active person.”

Know of any other awesome blogs or websites?  Post ‘em in the comment below.

In a move similar to that of Glamour, Germany’s most popular women’s magazine, Brigitte, announced that it will no longer use professional models in favor of “real women” in an attempt to combat an unhealthy standard of size-zero models its says has alienated readers.  Andreas Lebert, Brigitte’s editor-in-chief, said that the bimonthly magazine will, starting next year, feature a mix of prominent women and regular readers in photo spreads for everything from beauty to fashion to fitness.  Lebert said the move is in response to readers saying that they are tired of seeing “protruding bones” from models who weigh the same as a prepubescent girl.

But unlike Glamour, which has committed to featuring plus-size models, Brigitte isn’t “going to become a magazine for plus-sizes,” said Lebert.   Because, “real women,” apparently, only come in sizes 4-12.  Read an English translation of the magazine’s call for models here.

You know who else uses “real people” in its ads?  Wal-Mart.  I hate to give any kudos to the union-busting retail bully who sells both women and the community it robs jobs from short, but I do have to admire the diverse everyday kinds of people it features in its print and television ads.  There was a print ad not too long ago for bras that featured a group of women a’ la Dove-style, but also included women who were old and wrinkled and actually plus-size.  The Nivea spot Wal-Mart is currently running on television shows a plus-size black woman and (who I assume to be) her husband sitting on the couch watching TV and eating popcorn.  The woman wears probably a U.S. size 20 at the least, and her husband can’t take his hands off of her.

The owner of one German modeling agency told The Associated Press that she believed Brigitte’s ban on models was simply a marketing gag that wouldn’t last once readers began clamoring again for “beautiful, aesthetically pleasing” people.  Yet Wal-Mart, with its regular people marketing blitz, trails only Exxon in annual revenues.  Sure, the demographics are different for Wal-Mart and Brigitte and people would continue shopping at Wal-Mart even if it did no advertising at all, but the fact remains that the super center dynamo knows both its clientele and how to best reach out to them — it doesn’t throw a half-billion-dollars a year at its advertising strategy for nothing — and it does this by thumbing its nose at the “advertising is aspirational” mantra with direct appeals to the Regular Joes and Janes who shop at its stores.  It’s this same appeal to consumers that motivated Glamour to diversify the models it features and that has now pushed Brigitte to move in the same direction.

What with Vogue’s public condemnation of fashion designers, the backlash received by SELF for digitally slimming Kelly Clarkson, the British Parliament debating regulation of airbrushed images, Glamour’s new commitment to body diversity and now Brigitte seeking out “real people” for its ads… it certainly seems like the dominoes have been set in motion. Here’s hoping they tumble rapidly.

The “Naked Fat Women” edition of Glamour is now out in what the fashion mag’s editors promise will be an “extraordinary dialogue on body image.”  But, as those same editors remind readers, Glamour has been on the cutting edge of body acceptance since the early 1990s — they’ve put Queen Latifah on the cover twice and “frequently feature other fuller-bodied celebs and models.”  Is anyone else as dubiously surprised as I am by this?

Glamour now promises to do the following:

A continued commitment to showing a wide range of body types—and, of course, racial diversity—in our pages, including fashion and beauty stories.

A promise to give the best plus models not just work, but the same great work straight-size models get, partnering with top photographers, stylists and makeup artists. Because a generous helping of fantasy, in our view, is fabulous—as long as it’s extended to women of all sizes.

An ongoing celebration of the so-called imperfections, from nose bumps to gap teeth smiles, that make us all unique.

Enthusiastic support for any designer who manufactures chic clothes we can photograph on full-bodied models. Isn’t it time for changes like these? Reality, after all, is everywhere.

What do you think?  Is this just lip service or has Glamour truly seen the body acceptance light?  Do you think we’ll see any true size 20-plus models featured in its pages anytime soon?

Reader Lenore posted a link to this awesome feature on Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe, star of the upcoming film Precious.  If you saw the trailer I posted last week you know that Gabby doesn’t just play a 350-pound character — she is a 350-pound character.  All of which makes her astronomical self-confidence all that more amazing.  Here’s a snippet from the interview:

“They [the media] try to paint the picture that I was this downtrodden, ugly girl who was unpopular in school and in life, and then I got this role and now I’m awesome,” says the actress. “But the truth is that I’ve been awesome, and then I got this role.”

“She is unequivocally comfortable in her body, in a very bizarre way. Either she’s in a state of denial or she’s so elevated that she’s on another level,” said [director] Lee Daniels  “I had no doubt in my mind that she had four or five boyfriends, easily.”

Ah, yes, her weight. When Sidibe was 11 years old, an aunt offered to pay for a cruise if she lost 50 pounds. Friends and family continue to pressure her about it. “I still hear it from people who don’t know that they’re pretty close to hurting my feelings,” she says, “people who care about me, like this one friend. I was eating a light potato chip, and she eyeballed me like I was the most disgusting thing she’d ever seen. She says, ‘Every time you want to put something disgusting in your mouth, think of the designers who won’t make a dress for you because you’re fat.’ ”

But at some point, says Sidibe, “I learned to love myself, because I sleep with myself every night and I wake up with myself every morning, and if I don’t like myself, there’s no reason to even live the life. I love the way I look. I’m fine with it. And if my body changes, I’ll be fine with that.”

…she says she never forgot that Precious was a character.“They were talking to her, they were not talking to me,” says Sidibe of her onscreen abusers. “I know I’m not a piece of shit or some random fat girl. I’m Gabourey Sidibe.”

I find the the utter confusion on the part of Lee Daniels to be comically tragic in a way.  Either Gabby is in a “state of denial” — meaning, she doesn’t know she’s fat and should act accordingly — or “she’s so elevated that she’s on another level” — thus making her oddly unique among her fat girl peers.  Gabby is unique in her radiant self-esteem and size acceptance, but that doesn’t mean that she should stand alone.  If we taught more girls to love and accept themselves and to care for their bodies we could have lots of dauntless Gabbys milling about in the world.

I’m just dreading the moment when Precious really gains full national attention — and I have no doubt that it will — and Gabby is thrust into the national spotlight as a poster child of childhood obesity.  The fact that she’s black and with concern is rising about the disproportionate numbers of obesity among black folk makes her all the more likely to be used as a pawn in the war on fat people.  Remember the Jordin Sparks debacle?  Jordin probably weighs less than half of what Gabby weighs and still debates raged as to whether she is too fat to be a good role model for youth — her talent and character proved completely irrelevant.  That these debates were sparked by a neurotic, publicity-starved flack who herself harbors highly suspect disordered eating habits was of no matter to media outlets, who picked up the story and ran with it.   What these naysayers often don’t realize however, is that mental health is every bit as important as physical health, with the former sometimes trumping the latter.  And if hating yourself and despising your body ever worked to encourage  weight-loss, we’d be a nation of thin people already.

As for those four or five boyfriends, Gabby says she doesn’t tolerate being dissed.  When one guy lied to her about being out with another girl, Gabby deleted his number from her cell.  “Don’t, don’t, don’t! I’m not a regular girl,” she said righteously.  “I just got off a plane from France. You need to check yourself.”

Photo: Andreas Laszlo Konrath, New York Magazine

Stephanie Armstrong is the author of the new memoir Not All Black Girls Know How to Eat: A Story of Bulimia, in which the now 40-something, recovered, married mother of one daughter and two stepdaughters documents her descent into bulimia in her early 20s and describes her struggles as a black woman with a disorder consistently portrayed as a white woman’s disease.  The Brooklyn native also examines the “bootylicous” black woman stereotype and why the black community’s “code of silence” often leaves black women with eating disorders suffering in silence.  The work is being hailed as the first book by and among black women about eating disorders.

A playwright and screenwriter currently living in Los Angeles, Stephanie’s commentary on black women and eating disorders, “Digesting the Truth,” has been featured on NPR.  Her work has appeared in Essence, Sassy, Mademoiselle, and Venice magazines, among other publications. She authored the screenplay for Contradictions of the Heart (20th Century Fox), starring Vanessa Williams, and her plays Three Stories Down, The Outside Sisters, and The Long Journey Home have been performed in theaters in Los Angeles and New York.  Her essay on bulima, “Fear and Loathing,” is included in the forthcoming anthology The Black Body (Oct., 2009).  She also sold a TV treatment, Kimchi and Cornbread, which led to a talk-show deal with MTV.

Now in a must-read interview, Stephanie takes the time to respond to questions from me and the-F-word readers.

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