Open letter to Tyra Banks

This is a letter that a my good friend, "Anon", wrote and asked to circulate widely. I'm sure my friend "Anon" appreciates any comments you have. I will pass them on to her - she is not a blogger.

Dear Tyra Banks,

I have been following up on your recent battle with the tabloids over your weight controversy and felt the need to personally write to you and respond to this issue.
As much as I respect your drive and passion for your work as an artist, entertainer, and model, I have come to frown upon your role and contribution to the mixed messages young girls receive about beauty, body image and self-esteem. In following your work and involvement with your talk show and America’s Next Top Model, your views on the aforementioned areas have been hypocritical in nature and have left me questioning the values you stand for as an individual, and more importantly as a woman.

America’s Next Top Model in particular, has become a platform where society’s mixed messages are played out and carried forth to young girls far and beyond. As an avid follower of Top Model, I have carefully analyzed and questioned the role your show plays in molding and shaping the perceptions of young girls. I have witnessed over and over again the criticisms and assaults you and your colleagues have made towards the girls on your show; criticisms about their height, weight, aesthetics, and on and on. I have also witnessed the comments you’ve made about such criticisms being the way of the modeling industry and appealing to the girls on show to toughen up in light of such judgments.

I commend you for taking a stand on the media and it’s obsession with weight and body image, however, I do find it ironic that because now the focus has turned towards “Tyra and her weight issues” it is now of concern. Was this not of concern with the countless numbers of girls who have either auditioned or gone through your show and didn’t make it to the top because they didn’t quite fit that mold of a model? If body image was a real issue, then you would have strengthened the cause by devoting such efforts with a show like Top Model.

I hope that with your recent experiences you will finally realize that society’s expectations towards beauty and body image is of real concern, and one that needs to finally be dealt with.

Sincerely Yours,
Signed Anonymous Writer
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Fuck your Fascist Beauty Standards is a TM of One Angry Girl Designs

Be Ugly Campaign?

I'm just not upto participating in anything internet related lately, but this caught my attention - so I'm sharing with anyone who's reading.

Anyways, this sounds kinda lame... Along with internet hiatus, my brain is taking a break too - someone else can theorize this for me. "BE UGLY?" just doesn't sound right you know... "Be you" campaigns didn't either (mostly because they always became hyper-marketing campaigns in and of themselves like "You're worth it" etc... or "So, you're fat - buy some cellulite cream"). I personally like oag's take on this "Fuck your fascist beauty standards!" way better.

I generally distrust 'reclaimation' tactics, like "slut, bitch, jackass, n-word, etc..." Right now, ugly means 'average'.

Anyways, whatever.

Ugly Betty fights for self-esteem

Being "ugly" is the new beautiful.

That's the message ABC is sending out through a new campaign, "Be Ugly 07." The movement is promote a "positive message" for young women. And we're assuming new viewers being attracted to Ugly Betty wouldn't hurt either.

The sitcom's star character, Betty Suarez (America Ferrera) isn't drop-dead gorgeous (she's not hideous either), but is smart and has a wonderful, caring heart.

"Be Ugly 07" is the latest campaign against the fashion world's vision of beauty - rail-thin models - shown to young people in the media every day.

"Be Ugly 07" launches December 30 with several events planned across the U.S..

Betty lookalikes will hand out Betty masks in New York's Times Square and Walt Disney World in Orlando on New Year's Eve. Ferrera will unveil a t-shirt in New York on January 8 to raise money for Girls Inc., a non-profit group that promotes programs to help young women be strong and smart.