There Are More Weighty Matters

Sat., Jan. 25, 1997

By Rebecca Nappi rebeccan@spokesman.com (509) 459-5496

The Duchess of York has help keeping her figure in line. Her young daughters let her know when her “bum is getting too wobbly.”

Fergie revealed this during a press conference announcing her new job as spokeswoman for Weight Watchers. Her comment about the royal daughters passed without notice. As if this were a normal, understandable way for daughters to behave. Our culture so takes for granted this obsession with thinness that we rarely pause to see the pathetic, dangerous side of it.

We do acknowledge that it is important for women - and men - to be healthy. Eating good foods - don’t forget those recommended seven daily helpings of fruits and vegetables - is a start. And exercise keeps the body, and mind, in fine fettle.

But the cult of thinness which escalates around the first of the year (those New Year’s resolutions!) feels a little creepy at times. Creepy is the best word to describe Nicole Brown Simpson’s letter to her husband. The recently published letter contains three paragraphs about her obsession, and her husband’s obsession, with her weight. Nicole felt guilty about gaining weight while pregnant. Her line: “I’ve battled 10 pounds up and down the scale since I was 15” could be echoed by millions of women.

A recent Media Education Foundation study showed that 50 percent of middle-aged women identified their weight as the most important thing they would like to change in their lives. And 72 percent of women will be on a diet in any given year.

There are solutions to this madness. And women can be the leaders. Full-size model Emme Miller, for instance, has written a book about her struggle with weight, a struggle not helped by a stepfather who subjected his children to regular weigh-ins and charted their progress on the wall. Her important message: “Women don’t have to be a perfect size 6 to be happy.” In homes, schools and workplaces women can take the lead by not joining in the cult talk of weight and food.

Fergie has written a children’s book. We wish she would channel her energies more in that creative direction. Wouldn’t that be a great New Year’s resolution for all women? Devote energy usually spent on body obsession on more creative and transcendent values. Write a poem. Compose a song. Volunteer in the community. Be a mentor. Show a young woman how she can make a difference in her community, wobbly bum or not.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Rebecca Nappi/For the editorial board

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