Over six months ago, I wrote this article in which I ridiculed the notion of idolizing so-called supermodels like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. I did so because I’m reliably informed that almost all of these women have mush for brains and rely on a diet of cigarettes and coke (liquid, powder and rock) to stay model thin. However, I also pleaded:
Mothers, don’t let your girls grow-up to be models…like Kate, Naomi, et. al.
But who am I to be dispensing motherly advice, right? Well, along comes Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling who – after helping children all over the world develop a love of books –now seems determined to help them (especially girls) develop a love of themselves. And yesterday, this woman – who has more influence over young girls than Oprah has over grown women – began working her spell on them by issuing an extraordinary proclamation in which she “attacked women’s obsession with their weight and poured scorn on talking toothpick celebrities like Paris Hilton [ouch!]” who are held up as role models.
Here’s more of what Rowling wrote, in hypnotic clarity, about a typically anorexic-looking model who was featured in one of those glossy magazines young girls seem as devoted to as they are to her books:
…This girl [with] her concave stomach, protruding ribs and stick-arms…needs help, but, the world being what it is, they’re sticking her on magazine covers instead. “Fat” is usually the first a girl throws at another girl when she wants to hurt her. [But] I could see that to [a boy] it was utterly bizarre behaviour, like yelling ‘thicko’ at Stephen Hawking. [A bemusement which] reminded me how strange and sick the ‘fat’ insult is. I mean, is it really the worst thing a human being can be? Is fat worse than vindictive, jealous, shallow, vain, boring or cruel?
….[Pink’s new CD “Stupid Girls”] is the antidote-anthem for everything I had been thinking about women and thinness. Stupid Girls satirises the talking toothpicks held up to girls as role models: those celebrities whose greatest achievement is unchipped nail polish, whose only aspiration seems to be getting photographed in a different outfit nine times a day, whose only function in the world appears to be supporting the trade in overpriced handbags and rat-sized dogs.
Maybe all of this seems funny, or trivial, but it’s really not. It’s about what girls want to be, what they’re told they should be, and about how they feel about who they are….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.Let my girls be Hermiones, rather than Pansy Parkinson. Let them never be Stupid Girls.
NOTE: Click here to read my CNN commentary on how the ongoing French troubles portend troubles for us all….
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, fat versus skinny girls
Lisa says
Anthony
Boy you’re tough. But fair and funny too… Thanks.
Anonymous says
As a father of twin daughters I could not agree more. I am also a fan of PINK and have been on the look out for a poster of her for my daughter’s room. “Most Girls” is a favorite of mine and can serve as a possible antidote to the current cultural nonsense.
Rage…….
Michelle says
Bravo Anthony
As a “fat” girl, and who is compared to those skinny bitches, I bought into that glossy magazine crap big time. So I really appreciate your efforts to expose those models for the frauds they are. Your suggestion that Kate Moss would probably look like Bridget Jones if she stopped doing drugs and her photos were not retouched was hysterical.
I think it’s great JK Rowling is doing this. It will definitely help lots of young girls.
Mary Ballard-Bernstein says
It is not only young girls that are obsessed with image now, my thirteen year old son also has been extremely body conscious for the past several years. Although he is not overweight in the slightest, in the past he would limit himself to one meal a day for fear of gaining weight. He has made some strides and now eats regularly and exercises. He is an overachiever and wants to keep himself attractive for the ladies. Neither Joel nor my eldest son, Michael, have ever had a penchant for “bimbettes” thankfully. Rather, they both want to be paired up with women that are hot and brainy. I think it is a shame that they grow up so quickly nowadays. I was not worried about body image when I was 10 and 11 or younger. You have written many good commentaries lately that I have enjoyed. You look far to young to have children of your own. How old are they?
Mary Ballard-Bernstein says
Also I like your comment and honesty as well Michelle. The hell if I am going to deprive myself of good foods and my “vino.” Life is too short. If I am old and dumpy someday then so be it…I am going to enjoy myself…
Danny says
ALH
You are absolutely right about most of these models having mush for brains. But that just makes the women who buy into their fake images even more pathetic.
Anonymous says
Dear ALH ipinions
I just spent over 3 hours reading through your blog. You are an extremely engaging writer. I’m amazed by your intellectual range and the way you bring such interesting perspective to news most people take at face value.
You have a new fan.
B. Billings
ALH ipinions says
Indeed Mary
It seems boys are not all immune to the body-image syndrome that affects so many girls. But I commend you for having such a salutary effect on your boys.
I am not a biological father to any, but a father none the less to many….
mary says
i am sure you are a wonderful father to many ALH. Keep up the great writing!
RC says
Fun stuff and great pictures proving Rowlings point.
–RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
evolutionaryAli says
Also I say bravo to her for writing this, however I must say I do not agree at all with the comment that most models have brains for mush, I find this extremely offensive as I am a model but also I am a medical student and by no means have brains for mush having finished my primary degree top 3 of my class. This comment just reinforces the judgement of women by their looks. Recently I had a man coming on to me and his “chat up” line was, “oh baby let me guess your name… Is it Barbie?” I can only assume this was because I have long, blonde hair which made him presume that I am a bimbo. How insulting! I model because I enjoy it and I love fashion and can say for a fact that my friends in the modelling world are absolutely NOT stupid, in fact some of them are some of the most intelligent people I have come across. You will come across not so bright people in every walk of life and you cannot judge people’s intelligence by how they look or by what they do.