Have you guys seen this post over at Glamour.com? When I was drafting this blog post last week it had 682 comments. It probably has even more by now.
By the way, all this debate and controversy is over this photo:
This is 20-year-old, Lizzi Miller. She’s a plus-size model and this photo appeared in Glamour’s September issue. It’s since sparked huge controversy and debate on glamour.com and Glamour’s editor-in-chief and Lizzi even appeared on the Today show to talk about it.
If you haven’t already read it, here’s just a sprinkling of some of things that were said about the photo:
“While she is a beautiful woman, it is unfortunate that we feel the need to embrace overweight or obese women just to make them feel good about themselves.”
“gross stomach for a 20 year old.”
“ Are we now celebrating being fat? Because Americans are completely incapable of controlling their food intake. Again, beautiful lady, but inappropiate photo……BY ALOT!!!” She is unhealthy for someone so young and Glamour putting her on a pedestal for it is irresponsible and hypocritical considering the number of dieting articles and ads within their pages right next to it.”
“I’m sorry Glamour Magazine, you will not get any applause from me on the photo of Lizzie. Granted, she is very beautiful, but perhaps you should have just photographed her from the neck up!!!! I am with some of your other readers in the thinking that some things just should NOT… be photographed. I DO NOT want to see and hope that I do not ever see, all the rolls of fat, and thunder thighs ever again in your magazine. My motto is, if it’s not great, DON’T SHOW IT!!!! And this young woman needs ALOT of work!!!!”
“I COMPLETELY disagree with all the hype about plus size models in a very popular magazine being a great direction for them to take now and for the future. Lets be honest, we buy magazines to see those perfect bodies and air brushed faces.”
This is obviously a very SMALL amount of the comments said on the post and hundreds, hundreds, of other women, myself included, applauded this photo and Glamour magazine for putting it in their magazine.
There have also been some raging debates on fatism and a controversial ad that PETA posted on obesity going on over at glamour.com
In my opinion, Lizzi Miller is beautiful and confident. Who cares if she has a little tummy pooch? Life is short, people, too short to waste hours in the gym or obsess over your eating just to avoid some extra fat.
A few commentors on the post pointed out that why is Lizzi considered normal size? What about size 2′s, size 4′s, size 22′s? The overwhelming response – who are we to say what’s normal. Normal is different for every single woman out there. Amen.
What do you guy’s think of that photo and the reaction that came with it?
Photo and all the information in this post courtesy of Glamour.com
{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
How horrible… i cannot believe other women would say things like that! (the post title here is so appropriate, SHOULDN’T WOMEN STICK TOGETHER??) Lizzie is not “obese” “overweight” “fat” or any of those other words. She has an average body!
I do not think that this is america “embracing obesity” and it is absurd that some of the commenters suggest this.
Hooray for not slaving at the gym! Yay for not counting calories! I wish i could be as confident as Lizzie to do something like this.
Thank you for this post, very interesting!
Those comments literally made me so sad. Lizzie is gorgeous, and all this hype about her being a “bad example” because she’s so unhealthy and obese is just absolutely ridiculous. First of all, I think the courage it takes to take that photo (and do it with a SMILE) is something to be applauded. Granted I don’t necessarily think nude photos are necessary of anyone, but let’s be realistic. Those who say they buy magazines like Glamour for the “airbrushed” models are (hopefully) the crazy minority. It’s THAT that creates this insane infatuation with stick thinness and is unhealthy. I personally buy Glamour (very rarely) for the clothes and accessories, not the size of the models; that’s because none of the models are remotely near my size, which is NOT a 2 or 4 or whatever the “standard” is.
Good for Lizzie, and I hope Glamour is sticking by her. And, yes…aren’t women supposed to stick by each other? Ideally…but it seems that, unfortunately, other women are often the first on the attack…
Okay. Obese? That woman is hardly obese. Some people really have an odd perception on what they think “fat” is. Sure, there are unhealthy weights, and for HEALTH reasons, people should try to lose that weight. To me, though, Lizzi looks completely healthy … AND happy.
I’m truly disappointed in the women making negative comments on the post. We SHOULD all stick together. We should embrace our beauty and the beauty of others, and if that means we have a poochy stomach, then so be it.
I saw this an applauded the magazine for being bold enough to publish it. Sure, she could probably stand to lose a few or hit the gym, but couldn’t we all? And that’s the beauty of it–it’s REALITY. Instead of filling our heads with images of what we aspire to be (there’s nothing wrong with dreaming) it instead focuses on who we are right now.
And that’s beautiful too.
this is actually the same debate as michael vick’s return to the NFL here in the states, but with a girl’s point of view. This chick knows she’s a plus sized model and embraces all the stigma that comes with it. Brava for her confidence to appear nude like that. If you don’t want to watch Michael vick play, don’t tune in to the eagles games this year. If you don’t want to see honest, real women that can appeal to other real women, don’t read Glamour.
I’m just not getting it.. why is she even considered a plus size model?! the funny thing is i didn’t really get all hip hip hooray when I saw that picture in the magazine. I can appreciate it cuz I have a pooch. I wouldn’t show case it, in fact I want to get rid of mine, and to no avail!
But really, what is normal, i think normal is just being who you are and hopefully one day you’ll be comfortable in your own body. Myself included. Not quite there yet!
I hadn’t heard about this … don’t know where I’ve been!
I don’t think she is obese or fat. If she was standing, posing, I think she would look ‘normal’ … whatever that is.
I think we are all our own worst critics when it comes to seeing ourselves in pictures. I know I am. If she is happy, then that is all that matters.
Okay the comments about applauding her “fatness” are out of line. She is so not fat and you CANNOT control a tummy pouch. When I WAS in shape and working out EVERY DAMN DAY, I had one. I joke I’ve had one since birth. If you look at women in my family, THEY ALL HAVE ONE. From the size 4 to the size 18. It is not going away. I was 5’3 125 pounds and I had one. I ran, I did crunches, I played sports; it went no where. The people who think she is fat or should work out now, have the worst body image views imaginable. I happen to find stick thin people who no curves to be SICK and not “glamourous.” She however, is real. Which to me is also said that she is at size 12 PLUS SIZED. That right there makes anyone that is a size 12 want to run out and eat some ice cream because damnit apparently now they are plus sized, even though I don’t buy plus sized clothes. Argh.. People are effin stupid and so unhealthy it is ridiculous.
I can’t believe people are calling her ‘obese’. That is just insane!
Bottom line – women are not supportive of each other. They are just down right mean, actually. I learned that a long time ago. A sad truth, but one I had to learn to accept.
I think the negative reaction is ridiculous. Her body is probably like 90% of womens bodies. NORMAL! It’s not like she’s obese. I can understand not wanting to see a nude obese women. It makes me sad that that is how people really think. Women really don’t stick together and have each others back like men do and it’s really sad. I’m finding this out the hard way now that I am older.
I for one, love this picture and admire the models courage to allow herself to be photographed this way. Secondly, she is hardly obese. I am a plus size woman. I am healthy. I love my curves. I also weigh more than most people. What saddens me is the comments that some people feel the need to make about this womans weight. As a plus sized woman, its nice to see someone who isn’t an air brushed waif in this magazine. It makes me sad that so many woman feel the need to aspire to be so glamorously thin and bash a woman who is obviously comfortable enough in her own skin to be photographed the way she was. People come in all shapes and sizes, its sad that other people can’t accept that.
I saw this a couple weeks ago when it first came out and I was surprised by the mixed reaction. Since when did people get so catty is derogatory (I guess since always…). I really don’t understand why everyone can be more supportive and excited for this women. She was brave enough to share her body with world, imperfections and all. I think it’s a beautiful thing.
Woah… I am totally shocked. How could these women even say those things? I agree, I think she looks beautiful and healthy. So what if she has a little pooch? I just find it so sad that all these women would take out their claws like that…
well i think she looks beautiful, happy, and an ideal example of the average woman. people are ignorant, shallow, and just plain stupid.
I saw the segment on the Today show last week.
Lizzi said she works out four times a week so guess what? She’s heart-healthy which in my opinion is more important than what number the scale says.
I also was super annoyed when people kept saying that her size 12 or 14 is PLUS-SIZE? Seriously? The average U.S. woman is a size 12 so that would be considered the norm in many statistic’s teachers eyes. Why do we have to use that term plus-size? Why can’t we just have sizes and leave it at that?
I think it is time that media realizes that normal is whatever we happen to be used to (like you said), and for some of us that means a size 8 or 10, or 14 or 20 or 2. It doesn’t mean that we are unhealthy, lazy, stupid, ignorant, or etc. It just means we life our lives differently and judging those people and their lives? Not Cool.
I saw this photo, and believe me it was just a tiny little thing in the magazine. I didn’t even think people would notice it. You know what? It did strike me as different, because most magazines don’t show a girl with her stomach pooch. There’s nothing wrong with it…but I guarantee Glamour is loving this attention. I like Glamour, and I certainly have no objections to them showing happy, healthy, attractive women of all sizes in the magazines.
i think she looks great, and 100 times better than i look naked. props to her for having the confidence to bare herself in front of millions of people. and f*** all the other bitches who cant see the beauty of being an individual, and who think you have to have a perfect body to be beautiful.
How great she has the courage to pose for that. People are too mean & critical today. If you look around there are a lot of plus people in our society and they are BEAUTIFUL….
Whoever decided which is ideal is responsible for more misery than joy in this world: I have only praise for depicting at last a TRUE model and an untouched photograph. False images, untruths and exaggeration are the three bases for presentations which are designed to add more “filthy llucre” to their coffers.
So well done: the model and photographer and those who decided to include this picture have struck a blow for truth, for the natural in life and for normality.
Our definitions of beauty, ideal, ugky, distasteful need looking at again.
{Where health is concerned then we have another perspective-but a picture like this adds much more pleasure generally that showing someone on the verge of anorexia}.
Well done Lizzie… and thanks
Whoever decided which is ideal is responsible for more misery than joy in this world: I have only praise for depicting at last a TRUE model and an untouched photograph. False images, untruths and exaggeration are the three bases for presentations which are designed to add more “filthy lucre” to coffers of product manufacturers.
So well done: the model and photographer and those who decided to include this picture have struck a blow for truth, for the natural in life and for normality.
Our definitions of beauty, ideal, ugly, distasteful all need looking at again.
{Where health is concerned then we have another perspective-but a picture like this adds much more pleasure generally than that showing someone on the verge of anorexia}.
Well done Lizzie… and thanks
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I love love LOVED seeing this photo. Hard for me to imagine this girl is only 20 as she looks about 30 in my book, but maybe that’s just bc she’s so confident. She’s gorgeous and part of that is because she’s willing to just let her body be out there without covering it up or cropping the photo just to her upper half. Women have curves. Let’s accept and embrace it!
It really freaks me out when people call girls like this “obese”- please! She looks pretty normal to me, definitely not OBESE!!! Also she happens to be gorgeous. Personally I think we should celebrate actual beauty not airbrushed beauty, but thats just me. This reminds me a lot of the Dove Ads with “real women” people get pissy about that too. It’s kind of depressing that people who have that attitude even exist in our world.
She’s my age.
And I think she’s beautiful.
This whole controversy really sits terribly with me.
CONTROVERSY OVER HER. WTF IS THAT.
*facepalm*
I can’t even form a proper thought right now because I’m so miffed about some things that were said about her.
It’s ridiculous.
I don’t understand how she is “plus-sized” or “obese,” and it kind of disturbs me. Is it because you can’t count her ribs? Because her thighs touch? Puh-leeze.
I was relieved to see someone who better represented what most of us see, to various degrees, when we look at the mirror every day. It’s not about “embracing obesity”; it’s about embracing a more realistic view of women’s bodies.
wow! That is terrible!!!
I don’t look in a magazine to see svelte bodies, in fact, I would love to see a plus sized woman because then I would see how certain clothes are fitting on a larger body…
I really think this picture is unflattering for the model because if she was standing, you wouldn’t notice the “pooch” so much!!
I also would LOVE to know in which world this woman is obese!!! SERIOUSLY!!! I would kill somebody to have a body like that…a “pooch” means that you aren’t starving yourself!!!
I don’t think the magazine is celebrating obesity by showing it, I don’t think they are saying it’s even “normal” it just means she isn’t uncomfortable with her flaws – the problem with SO many women these days!!!!
OMG. That absolutely disgusts me that people would leave comments like that.
She is absolutely beautiful and LET’S BE HONEST: we all have little rolls when we sit like that! UGH. This pisses me off so much.
I wish I had HALF of her beauty and confidence. <3 However, as a student in the medical field, I am very sensitive to the public’s perspective on fat. Fat can cause many preventable disease and disorders – IF the person does not follow a regular fitness and healthy diet. If the person does, then their body is at a good place. However, depicting a 12-size woman and saying “she’s normal, most women are her size” is hard for me to agree with. Let’s just say “find your own body’s correct size, and live healthy and happy”
I also understand the role of models in the fashion industry – they are like jockeys. They have to be one small size so the designers can make a one-size-fits-all fashion line for their shows. I’d like to see that size a 2-4, NOT a 0, however, the change MUST start with the designers, NOT the models! They are merely performing for their role in most cases.
I love Glamour and I certainly admire the way Glamour gets the photo published. The model looks absolutely beautiful, what’s wrong with a bit of imperfection on the tummy? that’s the true beauty of the whole human beings, we women should really stick together. ! I think ppl are holding negative point of views on this photo are ridiculous and shallow!!
I’ve seen that over at Glamour. She is beautiful, normal, and real. Size isn’t everything. I just don’t get those mean comments.
I have a body similar to her’s. It breaks my heart that people would say such mean things!!!! That means they would say things like that to me!
BOO!
I LOVE that photo of Lizzi Miller. When I read the article on Glamour.com it almost made me cry at work. It just made me SO happy … happy because she looks like me! I am 5’9″ and a size 12 and my belly looks like that. It’s so refreshing to see a model you can relate to and it’s so inspiring that she looks so happy and confident — while naked!
Btw, congrats on getting a phone call from the BBC and getting the chance to talk to Lizzi! What a cool opportunity! So, so neat!
What gets me is that there are so many people who are claiming that because she is not an “ideal” body, she is not healthy. Who are they to say that? Thin does not mean healthy, and healthy does not mean thin. I know girls who run several miles every day, eat tons of fresh fruit and veggies, and generally take really good care of themselves and guess what? They are size 10s, or 12s. Lizzie probably is a very healthy young woman- she certainly looks it. Meanwhile, it’s nearly impossible for all the thin models in magazines to be healthy- the vast majority of them are severely underweight. I don’t care what other say, our society has no concept of what it means to be “healthy” anymore, and it’s most likely magazines like Glamour and their skinny models that promote that.
~Amanda
Just found this post from your 7 links post today- I can’t believe this! Women are SO mean- we will never rule the world because all we do is compete against each otehr and put each other down. Men would never do that, because why would they care?!? I think she is beautiful, and while she might have a bit of a tummy, I would not said that she is grossly overweight! I’d much rather see a real body than an anorexic model who I am sure is LESS healthy than this beautiful woman!