We love what Rosario Dawson had to say in this month’s issue of Shape–a magazine not exactly known for being body-positive. Dawson criticizes the cultural expectation for women to be thin, toned, and blemish-free, and calls the way we scrutinize women’s bodies “a form of violence.” We couldn’t agree more, especially with all the recently emerging research linking unrealistic media images to eating disorders in adolescents. We’re so excited to hear Dawson speaking out on behalf of women and girls who are negatively affected by unrealistic media images. You go, girl!
— Melissa
I am surprised that the magazine even bothered to print this story since it goes against everything they stand for: i.e. making women feel bad for not being this perfect doll and calling it healthy and so forth. For that matter, I’m surprised that even the AMA (that bastion of concern for fatter-than-the-average-12-year-old women) will admit that gee, all these unrealistic media images of the perfect female body might actually be BAD for girls and women to look at – might actually lead to eating disorders! Gee, whoda thunk it? Up next, the AMA actually figure out that there IS a difference between your butt and the hole in the ground!