A New Low--Stripper Fighting

I find this news bit on TMZ disturbing—Lil’ Wayne happily watched a new “sport,” otherwise known as stripper fighting.

At the Miami club King of Diamonds he lounged ringside as two supposed strippers punched each other. Then he awarded the winner $1,000 in singles.

Is this really what people find entertaining?

What ABout Us Average Women?

The Daily Mail’s Tamara Abraham reports on an article in PLUS Model Magazine that claims “Most runway models meet the BMI criteria for anorexia.”

“A magazine dedicated to plus-size fashion and models has sparked controversy with a feature claiming that most runway models meet the Body Mass Index criteria for anorexia.

Accompanied by a bold shoot that sees a nude plus-size model posing alongside a skinny 'straight-size' model, PLUS Model Magazine says it aims to encourage plus-size consumers to pressure retailers to better cater to them, and stop promoting a skinny ideal.”

I applaud the magazine’s photo shoot that spotlights size 12 model Katya Zharkova, 28, with a “regular” size model to show the discrepancy in their bodies.

The photos are accompanied by remarks made about women and body image, such as “Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8% less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23% less.”

The expose does a great job of highlighting what an extreme there is between a “regular” model and a “plus size” model.

What this experiment on body image seems to bring to light for me is that we are missing most in the media is the middle ground.

We need to see more average-size women, not just skinny or curvy—what about the mass majority of women who just fall into that middle zone? What should we be called? “Average” models?

Why can’t we just see a mix of ALL sizes in magazines? Why does it have to be skinny or plump?

We will have achieved success in body image when we open a magazine and see photos of all sizes of women mixed together in a normal fashion magazine rather than women being separated into categories of this and that extreme.

How can we put more pressure onto fashion magazines and media to more accurately represent the full array of women’s beauty?

Breast Cancer Awareness

Giuliana Rancic has become a poster child for breast cancer awareness since being diagnosed this past year. She was very candid with letting her television audience know what was going on.


She made the decision to have a double mastectomy for the one percent chance that the cancer might return. And then she returned to work two weeks later.

A piece in the Huff Post quotes Giuliana Rancic at the Television Critics Association press tour: "I don't give two shits about my breasts. I didn't care that at the Golden Globes, I wouldn't be able to show cleavage.”

I’m glad Rancic is being so open about discussing her situation. She stands in a position to help other women make a difficult decision.

I’ve often look back and wondered if my mother had had a mastectomy when she was first diagnosed if she would still be here with us today.

I’d much rather be alive and breastless than the alternative.

How do you think you would face a breast cancer diagnosis?

Our Pasts Follow Us

Another example of a teacher being penalized for her past—Pumps Magazine reports that former New York City teacher Melissa Petro, was forced to resign because of her past employment choices.


Apparently, Petro worked not only as a stripper, but also as a prostitute, but she quit long before she started teaching.

Now Petro will be appearing in Penthouse’s February issue in a spread with the clichéd naughty school teacher theme.

Petro supposedly feels good about reverting back to her old line of work: “A part of me likes being exposed — the more exposed the better.”

What is it about our culture that makes people want to expose so much? Do we all want to be seen so badly that we look for ways to get ourselves out there no matter what?

And is my becoming a writer just another way to expose myself? Just now with words instead of clothes?