So, after racing through my most recent edition of Bitch, it’s time to digest.
There’s a great peice commenting on the coverage over Oprah’s weight. Just to recap: Oprah lost a lot of weight back in 2005 and now 4 years later, is back “where she started”. Oprah’s doctors told her earlier this year that her weight fluctuation is a result of a thyroid problem.
What is startling, atleast to me, is the treatment of this very private and personal matter by the public (ie gossip magazines and blogs). And Oprah’s quoted in her latest issue of “O” where she talks about her weight issues saying basically that at one point, she thought I give up – fat wins.
This completely distresses me – here is a woman that broke racial and gender barriers in journalism/influence in the public sphere. And after her long dynasty, she’s still worried about what she looks like? She thinks that she’s only influential when she lost all of her weight?
I just think it’s ridiculous that someone who is such a role model for so many individuals, that the press – as well as herself – are eating her up and paying so much attention to her weight.