I apologize in advance if the following post offends anyone, however I can no longer ignore the social media explosion that is currently taking over my smartphone and computer, and now infectiously spreading to the Huffington Post and E! News.
Today, an NYU journalism student named Stella Rose became famous. Not for her career in writing, but for getting a picture of herself posing in her underwear posted on Facebook. The picture was originally posted on the Facebook page, “Humans of New York,” and now has over 14,000 shares, 35,000 comments and 350,000 likes. Those numbers are growing by the second.
The picture sports a long caption beginning with a sarcastic “WARNING” label that reads as follows:
“WARNING: Picture might be considered obscene because subject is not thin. And we all know that only skinny people can show their stomachs and celebrate themselves. Well I’m not going to stand for that. This is my body. Not yours. MINE. Meaning the choices I make about it, are none of your fucking business. Meaning my size, IS NONE OF YOUR FUCKING BUSINESS.”
The caption continues on listing all the people who “the picture is for”--the people throughout Stella’s life who have bullied her, called her fat, and diminished her self-worth. In short, the racy photo is allegedly a testament to Stella’s newfound self-acceptance, and love for her body.
Stella Rose is the new example for women everywhere with insecurities, who have ever been bullied or ridiculed for their physical appearance, and who aren’t perfect.
Give me a break.
I think it is absolutely deplorable that social networking, the media, females, and the entire human race has come to such a point in time, that “accepting ones self” means being able to post a half naked picture on the internet for the world to see, with “pride.”
I don’t care who you are. I don’t care how fat/skinny/ugly/beautiful you are. It’s classless. It’s degrading. It’s the complete opposite of pride, dignity, and “inner beauty.” Women who love their bodies, respect them enough to not exploit themselves.
Not once in the caption does Stella mention anything other than her physical appearance. I had to search to figure out that Stella is actually an intelligent and ambitious student at a renowned university... I wonder if E! News will forget to mention that too.
I also wonder if this woman will ever be taken seriously as a journalist, a business woman, or anything professional for that matter. Will she forever be branded by an inappropriate picture? Will she ever be anything other than some type of body image example?
How are people like THIS role models?
Tammy Duckworth lost both her legs due to combat wounds in Iraq. But she’s probably too busy running for congress to become insecure about it.
Teenagers in America obsess over their appearance--two weeks ago a 14-year-old girl in Pakistan was shot in the face for defending her right to go to school.
So many girls worship Marilyn Monroe for being a size 12 and a sex symbol. That’s cool, but she was also a drug addict, not exceptionally bright, and probably committed suicide.
Watching an adult woman try and prove something to society by taking off her clothes, instead of doing something, I don’t know, of actual importance, isn’t empowering. It’s obnoxious. And the fact that the media glorifies this type of behavior as “strong” and “inspirational” is pathetic.
Ladies--Get a grip. Stop complaining about your body. It's boring. read a book (not 50 Shades of Grey), say/do something interesting, and no one will care what you look like in a bikini.
Fifteen minutes later: 16,000 shares, 41,000 comments, 380,000 likes, and no hope for humanity.
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