Size 16 Miss UK

Thoughts from www.pinkmarzipan.com

Monica Grenfell wrote in the Daily Mail last week of Chloe Marshall “A role model for ordinary women? No, Miss England finalist is fat, lazy and a poster girl for ill health”.

What is going on??

Firstly this is a 17 year old child that is not only being referred to as over weight but practically obese! It goes on to list all the diseases that overweight people may suffer in their lifetime, as if she herself will contract these just for daring to stand in front of a camera.

Furthermore Monica says of young Chloe “Who on earth does she think is kidding? What she’s demonstrating isn’t bravery but a shocking lack of self-control. Instead of flaunting her figure, Chloe ought to own up to the truth. She is fat and she got that way by overeating.”

This is not only distasteful but disgraceful. I don’t advocate people overeating and being overweight but it is a fact that many of us are. Put the stick down.

So Monica believes that Chloe is a stone overweight. (A whole stone yes!) Well we can’t all cry into our Weetabix every morning if we are not exactly the size we want to be. Neither can we or should we cry because our nose isn’t straight or our breasts aren’t big enough.

Undoubtedly medically being a healthy weight is an advantage, most people are aware of that. It is also a fact that once weight is gained it is difficult to lose.

This attack by Monica is not unprecedented and she is not alone in her views. And to all of those I have this to say “Calm down, you can’t catch fat”.

Last years Miss England Georgia Horsley was told to pile on the pounds in order to win the title Miss World.

The size 8 florist who weighed 9 stone went on a high fat diet to plump her up as the Miss World organisers were looking for a contestant with more curves. This was reported in the Daily Mail on 23rd October 2007.

Miss Georgia went on to say “My friends are amazed at how much I eat, I love chocolate and am hopeless at diets. I guess I’m lucky and just have a naturally fast metabolism”.

She had ten days to go up a dress size.

I am beginning to think that the Miss World competition is not really about healthy eating!

I want to live in a world where there is love and kindness, encouragement not berating and we all practice acceptance.

Lynn Meadows – http://www.pinkmarzipan.com/