There’s nothing better than a celebrity who recognizes how sucky the media can be.
Sophia Bush (“One Tree Hill”) isn’t about to fall prey to any warped body image messages, and she doesn’t think you should either.
The actress recently took to her blog to rant about Urban Outfitters’ offensive “Eat Less” t-shirt. Here’s what she had to say:
Ladies! This is OUTRAGEOUS. I hope none of you will stand for being told such a thing, in such a way. Being healthy, eating right, and staying active is one thing. Being told to starve yourselves by a fashion company? Not cool.
UO,
I have been a supporter of your store for many years, but now I’m through.
I am fortunate enough to star on a wonderful TV show called “One Tree Hill.” I play a fashion designer named Brooke Davis, who started a campaign on the show called “Zero Is Not A Size” and the outpouring of love and gratitude that came my way from girls and women ALL OVER THE WORLD who have body image issues brought me to tears.
To promote starvation? To promote anorexia, which leads to heart disease, bone density loss, and a slew of other health problems, not least of all psychological issues that NEVER go away? Shame on you. I will no longer be shopping at your stores. And I will encourage the tens of thousands of female supporters I have to do the same. I have fought to boycott BP. I never imagined I would also be boycotting affordable fashion.
You should issue a public apology, and make a hefty donation to a women’s organization that supports those stricken with eating disorders. I am sickened that anyone, on any board, in your gigantic company would have voted “yes” on such a thing, let alone enough of you to manufacture an item with such a hurtful message. It’s like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun. You should know better.
I sincerely hope that next time you decide that making fun of serious issues is comedic, or “snarky in a cool way,’ that you rethink your decision.With Sincerity but NO respect,Sophia Bush
Here is my letter, in defense of all of us who have ever looked in a mirror and felt less than fabulous…
That was pretty fabulous, Sophia. Thanks for sticking up for us.
— Michelle Konstantinovsky is a student at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism and an avid admirer of shiny objects and preteen entertainment. It would be nice if you visited her website: www.michellekmedia.com. Also, she may learn to use Twitter more effectively if you follow her @michelley415.
Wow, that was an amazing post/letter from Sophia. It feels nice to have some sense of our dignity fought for by someone in mainstream media.
This line, especially, stuck out to me:
“It’s like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun. You should know better.”
I love Sophia Bush before, but now I ADORE her!
Very cool!
How pathetic of Urban Outfitters. what a desperate attempt to seem “edgy” thats really just offensive, clueless, and insensitive. Congratz to Sophia Bush for standing up to this. But i do have one quibble about her character’s campaign “Zero is not a size.” Thats not really fair to women out there who ARE a size zero. I realize few are, but it is any more right to tell them their body size is unnaceptable? Many things can cause people to lose a great amount of weight, and not all people who are size zero’s are anorexic.