Why We Must Challenge Society's Notions of Beauty

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Squeaky wrote: "Nevertheless, I"m glad the issue is being raised by Michelle Obama. At least it can lead to discussions like this, and hopefully to a national discussion that actually and finally looks at the cause of the issue."

The problem is that Michelle Obama and other "Obesity Warriors" won't take responsibility for the marginalization of people due to being the "wrong" body size. This marginalization due to not being "beautiful" or being the "wrong body size" or the "wrong body shape" is the issue that Mr. Baldelomar was emphasizing in his article.

"You might send her a letter or e-mail expressing your concerns (maybe somehow it would go through the pipeline and get passed along to her), as it is an important distinction to make."

It's already been done. Myself and many people involved with eating disorders -- patients and professionals -- have already sent emails and snail-mails as well. However, so far this has had no effect. Michelle Obama and the other Obesity Warriors still see this as a war against "obesity" i.e. against the "wrong" body sizes. She still hasn't reframed this as a war against unhealthy living.

"We are very much under the thumb of the influence of big pharma and big food. It isn't easy for people to see a way out of it, partly because it is cheap, partly because it is convenient and it takes work to follow a healthy lifestyle--rather I should say it takes work to switch to a healthy lifestyle--once people are there, it is no longer that hard."

I hate to say this, but the processed food industry, the diet industry, and the pharmaceutical industry have put in their influence in framing this entire issue as being a "war" against the "wrong" body sizes rather than a war against unhealthful living. The diet industry can't make zillions in profits, selling their fad diets, fad books, fad foods (such as Nutrisytem), fad exercise programs, fad equipment, and fad "bariatric surgery" except by engaging in making people afraid of being <horror of horrors> FAT!!! Michelle Obama -- and many, many other "progressives" have unfortunately swallowed the diet industry's propaganda hook, line, and sinker.

Making people fear being "FAT" feeds eating disorders such as anorexia, bullemia, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders (of various kinds) are literally killing thousands -- and the Obesity Warriors and the diet industry/food industry/ pharmaceutical industry propaganda are feeding these disorders and by doing so, contributing to this carnage. Mr. Baldelmar is absolutely correct in his analysis that marginalizing people of the "wrong" looks or body size is un-Christian and unjust.

"But even just finding food that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup in it is a huge challenge!"

You are very correct in this. One day, I was looking for a refreshing soda (I was thirsty). I always buy and drink sugar-free diet sodas with zero calories. These sodas don't have any nutritional value at all, but they also don't have any sugar, fructose, or calories. So on that day, I went into a commercial food market that specializes in "healthy" food. I went all over the place and could find absolutely NO diet soda at all. All of the soda available tried to advertise how "healthy" they are. Some of them said "no sugar added," which is deceptive. Because if you look carefully at the labels, all of these supposedly-"healthy" sodas and drinks had sugar or fructose. Not wanting to go through the effects that concentrated sugur can have on my body, I had to leave and find my zero-calorie refreshment somewhere else.

"No Child Left Behind has its fair share of the blame, causing schools to cut phys ed from their programs. I really don't know what it will take to get us to wake up."

Yep. Who needs exercise when time must be used to pass tests? <eyes roll>

Big government almost certainly couldn't care less about the beauty of the public. It can't even manage to define "family," it sure doesn't have a chance with "beauty." President Obama and his wife as leaders of this government are far more interested in the ability to control, than they are in making the US a healthy or beautiful country.

In terms of body type and such, something to bear in mind is that "beauty is skin deep."

Squeaky wrote: "Nevertheless, I"m glad the issue is being raised by Michelle Obama. At least it can lead to discussions like this, and hopefully to a national discussion that actually and finally looks at the cause of the issue."

The problem is that Michelle Obama and other "Obesity Warriors" won't take responsibility for the marginalization of people due to being the "wrong" body size. This marginalization due to not being "beautiful" or being the "wrong body size" or the "wrong body shape" is the issue that Mr. Baldelomar was emphasizing in his article.

"You might send her a letter or e-mail expressing your concerns (maybe somehow it would go through the pipeline and get passed along to her), as it is an important distinction to make."

It's already been done. Myself and many people involved with eating disorders -- patients and professionals -- have already sent emails and snail-mails as well. However, so far this has had no effect. Michelle Obama and the other Obesity Warriors still see this as a war against "obesity" i.e. against the "wrong" body sizes. She still hasn't reframed this as a war against unhealthy living.

"We are very much under the thumb of the influence of big pharma and big food. It isn't easy for people to see a way out of it, partly because it is cheap, partly because it is convenient and it takes work to follow a healthy lifestyle--rather I should say it takes work to switch to a healthy lifestyle--once people are there, it is no longer that hard."

I hate to say this, but the processed food industry, the diet industry, and the pharmaceutical industry have put in their influence in framing this entire issue as being a "war" against the "wrong" body sizes rather than a war against unhealthful living. The diet industry can't make zillions in profits, selling their fad diets, fad books, fad foods (such as Nutrisytem), fad exercise programs, fad equipment, and fad "bariatric surgery" except by engaging in making people afraid of being <horror of horrors> FAT!!! Michelle Obama -- and many, many other "progressives" have unfortunately swallowed the diet industry's propaganda hook, line, and sinker.

Making people fear being "FAT" feeds eating disorders such as anorexia, bullemia, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders (of various kinds) are literally killing thousands -- and the Obesity Warriors and the diet industry/food industry/ pharmaceutical industry propaganda are feeding these disorders and by doing so, contributing to this carnage. Mr. Baldelmar is absolutely correct in his analysis that marginalizing people of the "wrong" looks or body size is un-Christian and unjust.

"But even just finding food that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup in it is a huge challenge!"

You are very correct in this. One day, I was looking for a refreshing soda (I was thirsty). I always buy and drink sugar-free diet sodas with zero calories. These sodas don't have any nutritional value at all, but they also don't have any sugar, fructose, or calories. So on that day, I went into a commercial food market that specializes in "healthy" food. I went all over the place and could find absolutely NO diet soda at all. All of the soda available tried to advertise how "healthy" they are. Some of them said "no sugar added," which is deceptive. Because if you look carefully at the labels, all of these supposedly-"healthy" sodas and drinks had sugar or fructose. Not wanting to go through the effects that concentrated sugur can have on my body, I had to leave and find my zero-calorie refreshment somewhere else.

"No Child Left Behind has its fair share of the blame, causing schools to cut phys ed from their programs. I really don't know what it will take to get us to wake up."

Yep. Who needs exercise when time must be used to pass tests? <eyes roll>

Because of the way I walk, or should I say how strange I look when I walk, I've been laughed at, even barked at in the street. So in theory, I would welcome a call to a deeper understanding of beauty. Except that this article seems to put responsibility on the wrong person, especially in the last two paragraphs. I would love to walk like a normal person or do whatever else that would keep me from being a target of hurtful people. Perhaps Mr. Bardelomar should undergo the humiliating experience of being laughed at a few times before he blames the victims.

Dear Sirs: Beauty is only skin deep, but the pain of being ugly cuts to the bone. It's true that our/my physical appearance is ultimately irrelevant, and my little twing of shame when I think I'm spending too much time and attention to my looks are infrequent, but I'm a 50 yo wife, and you're two guys.

In society today, appearance is vitally important, and unless we consciously examine and validate the suffering all women have faced around this, (if teenage boys haven't felt ugly, I'd be surprised) then we cannot really be sure that the same values and judgements don't go on unconsciously in our Church family.

Many, many marketing and other tests have shown that consumers of all ages consistently choose the better looking individual (also the lighter skinned one), as smarter, more truthful, the one you'd choose for your team, or probably as the one you'd rather approach to invite to Church with you. This is an opportunity to show that Christians don't see with the eyes that the Corporate, consumer-culture world sees, we see the inner beauty, if we see God's truth in others.

Cesar Baldelomar wrote in his article: "One of the norms any liberation theology should challenge more forcefully is this stereotype of the 'beautiful' and healthy body. When we praise only bodies that resemble centerfolds or sports stars, we devalue bodies considered broken, ugly, and diseased. It's simply not ethical to dismiss some bodies as ugly and worship others as gorgeous. It's not Christian to deny some bodies access to the table of fellowship in Jesus. As cliché as it sounds, perhaps we should ask, 'What would Jesus do?'"

Thank you, Mr. Baldelomar!!! In my posts against the "obesity police" in some other threads, I've been asking similar same questions. Today, we have some "progressives" in government and also outside of government advocating and mounting a "war against obesity." This so-called "war" is going to do nothing other than send more and more people, particularly women and young girls, into various sorts of eating disorders in their pursuit of what is supposed to be "perfect" health and thin-ness.

Particularly with larger people, the Obesity Warriors are saying, "this isn't about eating disorders, it's about how people are fat and lazy; it's bad for their health and they need to use WILL POWER to go on a DIET and LOSE WEIGHT." But this sort of urging not only affects those with binge eating disorder, it also affects people with anorexia, who aren't large or "overweight" but who believe that they are. Eating disorders literally kill a large number of people, and sicking the Obesity Police on sick people will do nothing other than kill even more people.

Wavetossed.

I think it is semantics. Obesity is the result we see, and so the war becomes a war against obesity. But look at the motivation behind Mrs. Obama's words--It isn't a war waged because we want our nation to look good, and it isn't a war waged to make people feel bad about their weight. It is a war waged because obesity is dangerous--dangerous to individuals, dangerous to families, dangerous to this nation. And it is only getting worse here.

But I agree there are ways we can frame the issue without pushing people into eating disorders, or without blaming those who have genetic predispositions to a larger body size. Indeed, we need to reframe the issue. For years people have been dieting themselves into obesity. All the dieting and exercise fads have led us into unprecedented overweight. It's not working. And I have always argued it doesn't work because what is required is not a diet fad, but a lifestyle change.

The challenges are huge--we are fighting against the convenience of fast food, of soft drink and snack contracts in our schools, or processed food and high fructose corn syrup. And all of those things are controlled by huge corporations.

I am not so sure that your assertion that the author is blaming the victims is a correct one. If you look at what he points out is the blame is on a] society or b] the church or vice versa. Either way he is correct in stating that we need to reform our theology of what is beautiful into that of Christ's. BTW I have been on the butt end of ridicle too because I am not 'beautiful' but you know what I have learned that in Christ I don't have to continue to be the victim. Blessings

We mustn't forget that there is an entire industry(ies) profiting off weight loss and body size alone. This is part of the world Paul says we are to be in "but not of it". Media also works parents into a panic about letting their children out of arm's reach lest they be abducted, when the risk is somewhere like getting hit by lightning. Children don't play outdoors, or engage in activity at all if they feel they are fat and will be picked on.

There is a direct correlation between low income and obesity. It is cruel and illogical to blame individuals and parents for being overweight and damaging their health when long-term weight loss is an extremely rare outcome of any medical or non-medical weight loss program. Unless human character, will-power, and whatever other virtues we obese people lack are becoming rarer and rarer, I'd agree with the consensus of researchers that say that they do not know what makes the difference between people who remain at a normal weight and those who cannot just eat less and be more active.

When it comes to diabetes, yes there are inherited forms of the disease. And yes, even skinny people can get it.

But, it's also true that children are coming down with Type II diabetes these days. Talk to any family doctor who's been practicing for a while, and he'll tell you that such was unheard of in past decades. (Genetics can't explain this observation.) Type II diabetes and excessive weight are closely linked, and mild cases of it have been successfully cured after the heavy patient lost substantial amounts of weight.

But yes, healthy living and healthy habits should be the focus. Excessive body size is merely a symptom of a problem. And no, I'm not advocating for making people skinny as a pole; being underweight may be actually worse than being slightly overweight. Here's a little secret that many aren't aware of. Drinking enough water throughout the day goes a ways toward maintaining a healthy weight.

I am so sorry that happened. You hear about this sort of thing in image-driven work, or corporate America. I didn't expect to hear about it at church. Perhaps that's blind optimism, though . . . the church can be more image-driven than anything, sometimes. I sincerely hope your husband finds his path. Blessings to your family.

Big government almost certainly couldn't care less about the beauty of the public. It can't even manage to define "family," it sure doesn't have a chance with "beauty." President Obama and his wife as leaders of this government are far more interested in the ability to control, than they are in making the US a healthy or beautiful country.

Mr. Baldelomar throws around accusations about American culture in general and the church in particular that are at best wild exaggerations, at worst outright fabrications. Yes, there are serious questions about how society treats the obese, the handicapped, and the unattractive, but ideological ranting does nobody any good.

I was especially amused by Baldelomar's attempt to equate foreignness with unattractiveness. "[T]oday's marginalized "ugly" bodies include the handicapped, elderly, obese, and foreigner -- what a hoot! We can argue all day about illegal immigration, but does Mr. Baldelomar have a clue how many foreigners -- and I'm not just talking about Europeans -- have succeeded in the US as athletes, models, actors and actresses?

I'd be tempted to call this hate speech, but at bottom it's just silly.

LV

"There is a direct correlation between low income and obesity. It is cruel and illogical to blame individuals and parents for being overweight and damaging their health when long-term weight loss is an extremely rare outcome of any medical or non-medical weight loss program. Unless human character, will-power, and whatever other virtues we obese people lack are becoming rarer and rarer, I'd agree with the consensus of researchers that say that they do not know what makes the difference between people who remain at a normal weight and those who cannot just eat less and be more active."

Thanks! Now if only the Obesity Warriors would understand this. Between the Obesity Warriors and the diet/food/pharmaceutical industries, people of the "wrong" body size are being marginalized.

"There is a direct correlation between low income and obesity. It is cruel and illogical to blame individuals and parents for being overweight and damaging their health when long-term weight loss is an extremely rare outcome of any medical or non-medical weight loss program. Unless human character, will-power, and whatever other virtues we obese people lack are becoming rarer and rarer, I'd agree with the consensus of researchers that say that they do not know what makes the difference between people who remain at a normal weight and those who cannot just eat less and be more active."

Thanks! Now if only the Obesity Warriors would understand this. Between the Obesity Warriors and the diet/food/pharmaceutical industries, people of the "wrong" body size are being marginalized.

Squeaky wrote: "I think it is semantics. Obesity is the result we see, and so the war becomes a war against obesity. But look at the motivation behind Mrs. Obama's words--It isn't a war waged because we want our nation to look good, and it isn't a war waged to make people feel bad about their weight. It is a war waged because obesity is dangerous--dangerous to individuals, dangerous to families, dangerous to this nation. And it is only getting worse here."

But semantics are important. Words are important. When someone in power says "war on obesity", he/she is attacking a condition, marginalizing those people with that condition, some who are unable to change that condition. The implication is that obese people are not as good, not as strong, don't have the willpower of "regular" (thin) people. They need to "shape up" i.e. use willpower, go on a diet and lose weight.

If instead, the phrase used is "war on unhealthful living and lack of exercise," then these are activities that are being discussed, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality -- or body size. The semantics are important, as Mr. Baldelomar's article clearly shows, where people are being marginalized because of who they are: the "wrong" shape and body size.

Futhermore, this emphasis on body size is actually being fed by the diet and pharmaceutical industries. They don't make their huge profits off of a "war against unhealthful living," they make their huge profits by marketing "miracle" diet plans, drugs, and even the dangerous and life-threatening "bariatric surgery."

"But I agree there are ways we can frame the issue without pushing people into eating disorders, or without blaming those who have genetic predispositions to a larger body size. Indeed, we need to reframe the issue. For years people have been dieting themselves into obesity. All the dieting and exercise fads have led us into unprecedented overweight. It's not working. And I have always argued it doesn't work because what is required is not a diet fad, but a lifestyle change."

I agree with you wholly here.

Though to quibble, it's not "unprecedented overweight" that is bad, it's unprecedented unhealthy lifestyles.

For instance, the schools cut their budgets by cutting out gym and sports classes. When I went to school, we had gym class every day for at least an hour. Nowadays, children are fortunate is they get gym class once a week for 1/2 hour. This is outrageous. And then the cities and states cut their budget by closing recreational and exercise sites, especially swimming pools. If you have the money and access to private gym clubs, then you won't be that much affected. But if you depend upon public exercise venues, then you are out of luck.

"The challenges are huge--we are fighting against the convenience of fast food, of soft drink and snack contracts in our schools, or processed food and high fructose corn syrup. And all of those things are controlled by huge corporations."

There is an unprecedented process of being presented with junk food instead of wholesome food. And at the same time, being presented by the diet industry with fad, "miracle" diets to "balance out" the junk food. Research has shown that the vast majority of people who go on diets end up regaining their weight, with even more weight added on. This has been recently shown even with people who have gone through the "bariatric surgery" (gastric bypass and similar surgeries). The constant yo-yo rise and fall of weight is dangerous to a person's health. And also eating disorders get generated by this emphasis on dieting and body size. The anorexia rate is soaring because people who are of normal body size become convinced that they are "too fat" by the diet industry propaganda.

You are correct. We need a lifestyle change based upon healthy living, regardless of regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality -- or body size.

Squeaky wrote: "I don't know how much contact you have with younger people, but I see them every day, and every day I am astounded by the increasing incidence of obesity amongst people between 18 and 22. And I'm also stunned by the increasing number of overweight elementary school children I see."

My point, which is related to what Mr. Baldelomar wrote above is that the Obama's "war against obesity" is centered on weight and body size rather than on health and good living habits. Body size is determined by many factors, a lot of them genetic. There was a new study I just read in the newspaper about how body size in rats was affected by a particular gene. And the emphasis on body size/weight brings on eating disorders of varied types. Siccing the Obesity Police upon sick people doesn't help at all. A different approach that emphasizes healthful eating and exercise -- leaving out any emphasis on dieting and body size -- is the way to go.

I want to post here some key points that Mr. Baldelomar made in his article:

"We're all familiar with the cliché that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what do we do when society

"It's not Christian to deny some bodies access to the table of fellowship in Jesus."

Mr. Baldelomar do you have evidence that the above is happening?

In terms of body type and such, something to bear in mind is that "beauty is skin deep."

"Mr. Baldelomar throws around accusations about American culture in general and the church in particular that are at best wild exaggerations, at worst outright fabrications. Yes, there are serious questions about how society treats the obese, the handicapped, and the unattractive, but ideological ranting does nobody any good."

Lord V, with your conservative credentials, I'm truly surprised at your reaction. Because much of the emphasis on "beauty" comes from Hollywood and the popular media. And so far, the Obesity Warriors seem to be coming more from the "progressive" side -- probably because it's Michelle Obama who is leading the "Obesity War" charge.

I don't see any ideological ranting here in this article, other than against the mostly-Hollywood inspired standards of "beauty" and "health" (as defined by thin-ness) that Big Government seems to want to impose on the public.

Because of the way I walk, or should I say how strange I look when I walk, I've been laughed at, even barked at in the street. So in theory, I would welcome a call to a deeper understanding of beauty. Except that this article seems to put responsibility on the wrong person, especially in the last two paragraphs. I would love to walk like a normal person or do whatever else that would keep me from being a target of hurtful people. Perhaps Mr. Bardelomar should undergo the humiliating experience of being laughed at a few times before he blames the victims.

Dear Sirs: Beauty is only skin deep, but the pain of being ugly cuts to the bone. It's true that our/my physical appearance is ultimately irrelevant, and my little twing of shame when I think I'm spending too much time and attention to my looks are infrequent, but I'm a 50 yo wife, and you're two guys.

In society today, appearance is vitally important, and unless we consciously examine and validate the suffering all women have faced around this, (if teenage boys haven't felt ugly, I'd be surprised) then we cannot really be sure that the same values and judgements don't go on unconsciously in our Church family.

Many, many marketing and other tests have shown that consumers of all ages consistently choose the better looking individual (also the lighter skinned one), as smarter, more truthful, the one you'd choose for your team, or probably as the one you'd rather approach to invite to Church with you. This is an opportunity to show that Christians don't see with the eyes that the Corporate, consumer-culture world sees, we see the inner beauty, if we see God's truth in others.