Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Who are you calling plus-size?

Meghan McCain

Have y'all been following this Meghan McCain/body image story?

Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, 44, didn't take kindly to the opinions of the 24-year-old daughter of Senator John McCain, who calls herself a "progressive Republican."

Where's the first place Ingraham goes with her response? To make a crack about McCain's weight.

My, my. That's classy with a capital C, regardless of your party affiliation.

Sure, you could argue that is someone who wears a size 14 isn't really healthy. And perhaps that someone who wears a size 10 is too big. Know what? I don't give a fig what you think. It's not your place to say.

It's like I tell my 5-and-3-year olds often: You be in charge of you. No one else. And while you're at it, before you spew hurtful ugliness at someone (and don't pretend you don't know you're doing it), think about how it would feel if someone said the same thing to you.

How can we expect our young children, especially young girls, to believe that they are wonderful, beautiful creatures exactly as they are when they see adults slinging petty playground insults?

Thoughts?

30 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. I thought the average American woman was a 12 or 14. I don't consider that plus. I can't tell what size Meghan is, though she is not a 0 which is what people are getting used to. 0 is not normal for most and I hope we move away from that. Laura Ingrahm should have argued against Meghan's opinions if they were the problem. She and Ann Coulter don't know how to do anything but be petty so I wasn't surprised. I didn't take offense at anything Meghan said and I watched her on Rachel Maddow and when she was on the View. It won't hurt the Republicans to have her express her views. She's just as relevant as any of the other women they use to get their point across. Her size shouldn't matter.

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  3. When one American woman is a size 26 (just go check out the mall) and another is a size 0, then the average is 13. Doesn't mean either one is acceptable. I prefer a size 7 like my wife.

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  4. On one hand, we have a raging problem with young women and girls battling eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia because they are bombarding with images of models and actresses who are 0's. On the other hand, we have idiots like Laura Ingraham who take potshots at people they don't like or disagree with regarding their weight.
    Meghan McCain is a beautiful young woman. I don't agree with her, but to attack her weight is cowardly. Pundits like this should be taken off the air and out of the public eye.
    I have a beautiful 6-year old daughter who weighs all of 45 pounds and is skinny as a rail, yet already complains that she thinks she's fat! Idiots like Ingraham reinforce these false ideals. If you're not smart enough to make an intelligent argument about someone else's opinions, without resorting to insulting their physical stature, you're no better than a schoolyard bully.
    I could point out that Ms. Ingraham looks like her face caught on fire and someone put it out with a wet chain, but I am a better person than that! :-P

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  5. I'm a Dem, but Meghan McCain is fine. And yeah, if weight was a factor in politics, then how the heck does Rush Limbaugh still have a job? I'll take "Gender-Based American Double Standards" for $200, Alex.

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  6. Meghan (and the McCains) should just shut up already. She is obviously jockeying for a job as a TV commentator and cursing on national TV (along with blogging about her tattoos) is just plain trashy. And frankly, it is pretty sad that the average American woman's size is a 14. For most women, a size 12 or 14 is unhealthy. If American women cared about their health and being around for their families, they would lose some weight.

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  7. There's a reason Laura Ingraham is on the radio. Have you seen what she looks like? She clearly was born a man. Meghan may be "fat", but Laura is ugly, and Meghan can always lose weight! :)

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  8. The average american woman is a size 12 to 14. And its not fat. I have been a size 12-14 for years now and my doctors say I am in healthy condition and that it is just fine. Would you rather have your daughter, wife, mother, sister, have a eating disorder just to fit in with your ideal of a women? Wake up and realize that size doesnt matter, but the being healthy and a good person does.

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  9. I would definitely hit that. Ingrahm is a tired old crone pitching tired old ideas.

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  10. And this is also why people don't take women seriously. You can critique many things about Meghan McCain. But to pick on her weight? And she is hardly obese... it's not like she she is trying out for America's Next Top Model.

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  11. The point here is not whether or not Meghan is overweight. The point is that Laura is not intelligent and instead of arguing a point, she decided to resort to the attitude of an adolescent teenager. Laura: Meghan may or my not be overweight, but she has surpassed you in maturity. Someone should take you out of the public media before you embarrass yourself or American women any more than you already have.

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  12. Meghan looks fine. She is the type of spokesperson the Republican party needs right now. She has common sense and is not so ideologically driven and full of demagoguery. She can accommodate opposing views without being vicious in return.

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  13. First, I think Meghan has some good points and she does represent the view point of some young Republicans. Maybe they should argue discuss the merits of her view point instead of attacking her physical stature.
    Now, personally I think she looks GOOD!!!! There is nothing wrong with having some meat on the bone. As Americans we need to quit putting so much pressure on our daughters to live up to this skinny image (Jessica Parker, looks sick.) Be healthy as you can be and if you are a size 10 or 12 feel good about that. As someone previously mentioned they didn't attack fat a$$ Rush Limbaugh about his weight. So it is a double standard for women that is not applied to men.

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  14. Anon 9:32, I think you have good intentions and agree that 'being healthy' is the most important thing. People from 0-14 with good eating and exercising habits can be healthy. But to say the only other option besides 12-14 is an eating disorder is hipocritical. You are unfairly judging another body type which was the reason for outrage to begin with...

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  15. Meghan McCain can always lose weight; Laura Ingraham can't lose ugly. Laura Ingraham & Ann Coulter look like a Mustang & Pinto(Horses).....

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  16. Anon 10:06, I didnt mean for you to think that I only think size 12-14 is healthy, many of my friends are tiny as in size 2 and most of them are 8's to 10's. I honestly dont think it matters what your size is as long as you are healthy. I know many people who are 0's and healthy and on that same note I know many people size 14 who are healthy. I think Meghan looks healthy. I agree with cltindependent who said size shouldn't matter. Again, what should matter is how healthy you are and if you are a good person.

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  17. 14 is big. Real big. Just because many American's are over weight doesn't mean it is OK. No need to Nationally criticize though! That was out of line.

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  18. Another "progressive" Republican looking for attention and DC party tickets by bashing other Republicans. Sorry, but Meghan started the whole discussion. She must be missing the attention she was getting during the campaign

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  19. Further proof your newspaper and co needs to go the route of the dinosaur. And of course, no one ever on the left made fun of the Bush's including his daughters. A liberal wouldn't know the meaning of a hypocrite even if it was sending a tingle up your leg.

    Enjoy your pending lay offs McClatchy, you have earned every single one.

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  20. You just gotta love all the posters who complain about Laura Ingraham making negative comments about Megan McCain's appearance by making negative comments about Laura Ingraham's looks! Can you spell HYPOCRITE????? Or is it ok to denigrate those you disagree with? If that's the case, then there shouldn't be a problem with what Ms. Ingraham said.

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  21. The McCain's are nuts. "Reach across the isle"...blah, blah, blah. Look how that worked for John and his "progressive" stance. Libs talk out of both sides of their mouth--find some convictions and stick to them. PERIOD.

    Meghan if you want to do the social circuit and cocktail partys audition for a commenting job at pMSNBC because they salivate at the thought of eating your own. Just make sure you can fake that "tingle" if you don't have one for the Messiah.

    You either have convictions or you have polling data--its either or!

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  22. Here's my thoughts: Everyone single person who logged a comment just to say a 14 was big should go back under their porch. The next time you feel like insulting someone, go look into a mirror and have at it! These posts are about conversating, listening, growing your own thoughts and ideas. Not about mud slinging. So unless you have something to offer besides a dig at someone, keep your comments to yourself.

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  23. I couldn't agree with you more. She handled herself well and what a shame it was even said. Xoxo-BLC

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  24. Laura Ingrahm has totally validated Meghan McCain's original comments regarding the radical, insulting actions. GOP leaders need to get Coulter, Ingrahm and Limbarf to crawl under a rock soon or repubs won't be able to win an election for dog catcher!

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  25. Great comments! If that's all someone can come up with "is that Meghan is fat", that person needs to go back to the high school from whence they came. Repubs have a great way of forgetting about their own "bizarre" patriots. How soon they forget about Limbarf and his oxycontin addiction. O that's rright his fat-a-- got off for it and he regained his "huge" self. No restraint, I guess. Hmmmm

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  26. Plainly Laura Ingraham feels threatened by Meghan McCain. Meghan is young, beautiful, very intelligent, engaging and articulate, maybe conservative, AND she seems to be interested in a job like Laura's. Ever heard the saying, "We put down what we fear the power of."?

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  27. I am so angry at all of these republican women for making me defend them!!! I was angry when I had to step off of my democratic-loving horse to defend the clothes that Palin was wearing and to say it didn't matter and I'm no happier now to have to defend a McCain. Keep in mind that these are folks from her own party bashing her - one reason why the republicans couldn't win is because they are a party divided.

    But all that aside it is not relevant what size Ms. McCain is. I mean, I didn't see one person point out the M. McCain was more attractive than the Ms. Coulter and Ms. Ingrahm put together...why? Because fat you can fix...ugly you're stuck with.

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  28. There is WAY too much generalizing on this forum. When it comes to what size a woman wears, her height can make a huge difference in what is considered healthy or not healthy. For instance, a woman who is 5'2" and a size 14 is more than likely a little on the heavy, unhealthy side. But a woman who is 5'10" and a size 14 is not. So those who are just generally saying a 12 or 14 is too big, etc., don't just assume that all women are the same height either. Thanks.

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  29. Meghan is a beautiful, intelligent, and well spoken woman who's obviously confident with how she looks.
    I'd never even noticed her weight - it wasn't important.

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  30. The poster who said Size 14 is way to big is probably a man.

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