This intense scrutiny of celebrity women’s bodies demonstrates the kind of pressure all women are under, the expectation that women’s bodies are for others and not themselves, and the entitlement to judging women’s bodies that both men and women in our culture appear to share.
Below is our series on fat scandals:
(1) Czech model Karolina Kurkova (who models for Victoria’s Secret) horrified the Brazilian press by showing up to walk the runway at a recent Brazilian fashion show looking “fat,” or what counts as fat in the industry. Just Google her name and tons of stories about the controversy come up. Here are some photos of her offending body (found here):
(2) Here is a video of model Ali Michael, who appearing on The Today Show to discuss being shut out of the Paris fashion shows this year (after being wildly successful last year) because she was told her legs were too “plump” for the runway:
Tatiana, an model who writes for Jezebel.com (her name is a a pseudonym), writes about the problems in the modeling industry and the need to unionize.
(3) In July of 2008, gossip columnists wondered whether Eva Longoria was pregnant or just fat (see here and here). The offending body:
See all the pics here. Tip from Jezebel.
NEW!
(4) In early 2009, Jessica Simpson was the target. Here’s the terrible transition (via Shakesville):
Included in the New York Post’s 50 Fat Celebrities list. And the rag also ran this cartoon:
Media Matters highlighted this obnoxious Fox News coverage (found here):
