Friday, October 21, 2005

CALLING A SPADE A SPADE (i mean, come fucking on)

A couple of months back, Dove launched its latest campaign that aimed to redefine our concept of beauty. An ambitious feat considering it has to erase years and years of hollywood brainwashing and societal fat-bashing. Sadly, its been centuries since songs have been sung about women my size. If I wasnt so much attached to cable and paracetamols, I would definitely take the first flight back to the rennaisance where men would fight over me (and jenni and gigi and mamu) and the kate moss's of this world would be the ones with the "great personality."

But as it is, I live in a world where the extra larges have it. And they have it at a whopping 69% baby. And so do the flats, the agings, the boys and the ugly spots. Visit this site to see how they clobbered the extra sexys, flatterys, ageless, babes and beauty spots.

I wonder if the peeps who brought the worldwide campaign to the Philippines are knocking themselves in the head with their precious soap bar.

See, here is where i think their campaign is flawed.

They are riding on the very same mindset they are trying to change. In other words, they are eating their own tail. All they're doing really is replacing old labels with new, sugarcoated ones when what they should be doing is scrapping them altogether. Fuck extra-large or extra-sexy, screw flat or flattery, what you really ought to ask is 'is she or is she not beautiful anyways whether you see her as aging or ageless.'

Because you know, it is entirely possible to be beautiful and extra-large at the same time. It is completely within the realm of possibility to be freckled/blemished and beautiful too.

I am a fat girl. I always say this to anyone who would listen. And I say it for one reason and one reason only, because it's true. And I don't get offended when people call me fat (I mean dont get me wrong, I wish I weren't as fat as I am,) but I am eh.

What does bother me is that when I tell people that I am fat, they give me this look as if I had just insulted myself. This look is immediately followed by "no, don't say that." But why? What's wrong with being fat. What's wrong with acknowledging that I am fat? It doesnt mean that I'm insecure because I'll be the first one to tell you without my eyes blinking that fat as I am, by God I am beautiful.

So, if it were up to me, this is how I would run this.

6 comments:

Jennifer said...

Haaaay salamat! I love the fact that someone finally said it, and that it had to be you makes it that much better. And I love the photo! You know, I've always suspected that the campaign was conceptualized by a team of stick insect wannabe-Wintours who, in reality, don't like fat people--because as you've pointed out, they've totally missed the point! Oh well, the crazy thing is that I've got less self-image issues (delusions?) now than when I was five sizes smaller. So to hell with extra-large/extra-sexy or aging/ageless...when you've got more important things on your mind, these qualifiers really are just ambient noise.

vince said...

Well said, Maite. *nods*

curiouskitty said...

tama ka maite!

you're beautiful! :-)

Leoy said...

huuu you just wanted to post that picture e.

dodo dayao said...

Imagine kung billboard 'to sa EDSA?
Lupet!

Hehe.

COMPULSIVE EATER said...

jen, vince, kitty and dodo - thanks :) i miss you all.

leoy - dude its scary how much you know me.