C. M. Rubin: The Global Search for Education: Women - Part 3
The Adulterous Behavior 30% Of People Won't Admit To
For decades, teen girls have devoured books like "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret" in which angsty heroines navigate periods and puberty. While body-image issues were occasionally covered (often in the form of "Why don't I have breasts?" or "When did my breasts get so big?"), few books for teens truly explored puberty from a plus-size perspective. Until recently, that is. Since the beginning of last year, publishers have released at least two dozen novels targeted at plus-size teens.
One of the books, "Food, Girls and Other Things I Can't Have," actually centers on an overweight male character who joins the football team. Another, "All About Vee," tells the story of a 217-pound aspiring actress who moves to Hollywood and ends up with the hunk without losing weight or losing sight of herself.
Read on to find out why some people have a problem with the genre.
(For the record, though, the girl on the cover of "All About Vee" looks like she had most of her 217 pounds Photoshopped out. Just sayin'.) Heroines Happy the Way They Are
Unlike many chick flicks, where the lovable, but ungainly heroine is transformed into a hottie in a prom gown, most of these books with big-boned narrators don't end with a dramatic makeover or significant weight loss.
One of the big objections to these books and the fat-acceptance movement is that it supposedly encourages people to follow an unhealthy lifestyle, rather than losing the extra pounds. Some doctors worry that "big is beautiful" mantras undermine the need to maintain a healthy weight (the debate has even reached the White House).
Happy Ending
Sure, some might voice similar concerns about "big is beautiful" books. But frankly, anyone who's survived middle and high school knows that it ain't pretty. And anything (within reason) that helps teens cope with the roller coaster of emotions is a good thing in our book.
What do you think?
More from the web:
Plus-Size Pinups Prove that Big Is Beautiful (Asylum)
Diet Soda and 4 More Over-Hyped Health Scares (Cracked)
Wife Makes Cheating Hubby Confess Publicly (Lemondrop) 
Comments:
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Thursday 27 August
By Goody
I think its great that authors are bringing these types of story to the forefront.
I am a bit put off by people who think that this segment of the fiction genre should be different than any other books in the genre.
Do all of the stories about skinny folks with alcohol, drug, character or other issues have them change their ways?
NO.
So its almost hypocritical and biased that folks should expect that from these authors.
I am working on a book about plus size characters and I wont sugar coat how my characters develop or try to make them fit some mold.
Its fiction and not self help, although I hope that it will help plus size women in general to embrace their lives in the fullest sense by showing how ridiculous doing anything but so, is.
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Saturday 29 August
By whitediamonds
Either extreme, is not healthy. How about if there is such a thing as the average weight per height for the model to look up to?
Eat right, watch what you eat, excerise etc to achieve.
Saturday 29 August
By buterfiy03
This is a great comment! THANK YOU!
Saturday 29 August
By Mary
I find it more than sad that human beings feel that a person can not be beatiful because they are a bigger size. I mean really?? I understand comepletely that it is so easy to look at a person and YOU decide if that is a good person, a good role model or even a good mother. Being that I am an extremely beautiful plus size woman, I would like to let "people" like you, that determininga my GOODNESS BY A GLANCE.....that you should be quite thankful that I do not look at ugly, skinny, toothless, hairless, skin covered with acne, tall, short, little people or possibly elderly people, handicap or even disabled people....that I DO NOT SEE YOU THAT WAY!! Maybe u need to pull your head out of ass and realize that there are all kind of people. Some are good and some are bad. This is not because of a physical trait. If it was...then where in the hell would you be standing right now???
Thursday 27 August
By Maxi Doll
I love this movement and I've read two of the books in the ABC article "All About Vee" and "Artichoke's Heart", both awesome books.
In general, people need to be happy with themselves no matter what the issues in their lives are. I'm too thin myself but sometimes I feel beaten on, just like my plus size brothers and sisters.
If someone is over weight and not in any health risk, what harm is it to be happy with who you are. Hell, even if you have health risks..
So many people in the world are functioning drunks, drug addicts, sex addicts, internet addict and the like but because you can't always see it, no one says anything about it. However, when women or men of size say they are ok with themselves, it's a problem. Nonsense.
Great post Susan
Maxi
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Saturday 29 August
By Simzee
I'd rather see a gal with a little meat on her bones modeling rather than a SICKLY LOOKING ANOREXIC. Sorry....anorexic skinny models look like they NEED medical help asap.
Saturday 29 August
By DreamerGiggles
"I'm too thin myself but sometimes I feel beaten on, just like my plus size brothers and sisters."
I think this is a great thing to bring up. Thin people get attacked because of their size too. Every heard the saying "Real women have curves"? I'm sure most of you have. But have any of you stopped and thought about how insulting it really is? Pretty much it says if you don't have curves you're not a real woman. What about all the naturally thin or waifish women? Why should they be made to feel bad about themselves because they're not curvy?
My mother is 5'7" and in my 29 years of life she's never weighed more than 112lbs and usually stays around 100-103. She doesn't starve herself, she's never dieted my whole life, she eats what she wants when she wants. But still people will belittle her for her weights.
Goes both ways ya know?
Tuesday 01 September
By Erin
Stop trying to make fat lazy pigs feel better about themselves! Get them a treadmill. Telling people its ok to be fat is saying its ok to be unhealthy and raise insurance premiums for the rest of us who take care of our bodies.
Friday 28 August
By Lora
Well, I guess I kinda fit this genre & its nice to see that people are trying to raise awareness in some respects. I've never been obese, but overweight, definately. Curvy in high school & being an asthmatic, I'm on & off prednisone & I always get chubby. In high school I wore a size 10-12, being 5"6 and 140, which is "big" ish for a gal in high school. I was a singer (today I am an opera singer), and my genetics didn't yield to a size zero. That doesn't mean I didn't try. I would do anything just to go down a few sizes,starve, work out, but it started to affect my voice adversely, & I never got below a size 10. My sister went to an extreme to maintain a size 4 (bulemia & anorexia).
I'm now wearing a size 16, slowly getting back into 14s, weighing in the lower 180s. I know it's nothing to brag about, but aside from the chub, I am broad & have a ton of muscle (thanks German genetics...), not to mention the fact that my cholesterol is 153 & my triglycerides are 75. Thyroid is normal, bp slightly elevated, but I'm working on that. So, thankfully, I don't really have any health issues.
I did marry the man of my dreams...upright, decent, loving, handsome, romantic, just, comminicative, respectful, loyal...I could go on & on. And my weight had nothing to do with it. Not everyone has the genes to support a 115 lb frame, nor does everyone marry into money where a gal can stay at home, tend the kids, have a maid/nanny, & work out all the time. I have an 8-5 job, my own singing career that takes me throughout North America & Europe, voice students, a church music director's position, competitions, & my own voice lessons. When am I supposed to take the time to calibrate my meals perfectly & then hire a personal trainer to make sure I've burned off the correct amount of calories? Yeah...right...another life. And I think at least 1/2 of the women in America must feel the same way between kids, a job, household responsibilities, etc. As long as you can function & are healthy, does weight or size really matter in the area of loving yourself & self acceptance?
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Saturday 29 August
By Denise
very well said- you sound busy, loved, healthy and happy. Good for you- in any size!
Saturday 29 August
By Shari
To Lora - STANDING OVATION!! Bravo! Bravo! Encore!! Encore!! :-)
Saturday 29 August
By kaz
Amen to that! Most working moms whether they be plus-sized (like me), or rather thin (like my sister-in-law) do not often have the luxury of having a perfect schedule and being able to take care of themselves the way that they should. Everyone needs to relax, and just enjoy life and acknowledge what a blessing it truly is.
Saturday 29 August
By v
Way to go Lora...BRAVO!
Saturday 29 August
By Mary
PART II And as for the "healthy" aspect that you people love to throw around....my current physical came out just fine. Kind of makes me wonder exactly how "healthy are you'? Do you drink? Smoke? Eat any kind of junk food? Exercise at least 30-45 minutes a day? Drink 8 glasses of water a day? Eat every single dose from the vitamin and mineral chart? I am sure you are also so healthy that when you eat your cereal, you take out that measuring cup and get the exact serving portion for it. PLEASE.......
No one is perfect and every single person on this earth is going to die.....REGARDLESS OF YOUR PHYSICAL TRAITS AND HEALTHINESS!!!
Saturday 29 August
By Usca
Amen, sister.
Friday 28 August
By lauragilbert08
blubber tackled these issues years ago!
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Saturday 29 August
By Clancy
Yes, Blubber discussed weight issues. The problem is that it is now very dated. Many kids will not read books more than 5 years old. I know--I'm a high school Librarian. I think its great that these new titles are out there.
Saturday 29 August
By theogsters
We're accepting fat these days. Not good. Give me a tall slender girl with a pretty face any day of the week.
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Saturday 29 August
By Bethalena
Just so you know...a lot of times "fat" girls have issues as to why they can't lose the weight, whether it be hormonal imbalances or food addictions. Girls and guys who are overweight feel depressed about how they look and have feelings. You shouldn't say that it's not good to accept them. I was always at a good low weight from childhood into my teens. I've had two children and didn't know I had PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome), which affects my insulin levels. I crave sugar and can't help that. It's depressing to see a once size 5 into a size 20. I was once like you saying that it's not good to accept "fat". Well, now that I'm in the "fat" category and see how depressing it is to be stereo-typed, I completely understand how that feels. I think it's wonderful that they wrote fictional stories about how teens and young adults can feel happy about who they are. I'd rather be fat and have a good heart and personality than thin with a pretty face, and not have a good heart or personality. I know a few "pretty" people from appearance and are hateful.
Saturday 29 August
By Just Me
Smoker? Drug Addict? Bi*ch? Slut? Wh*re? Just so she's slim and pretty! Right?? Well your shallow a$$ will definitely get what you deserve!! LOL!