About Town: Defending Skinny

When local author and activist Ali Berman, who graduated from and lives up in Yorktown Heights, decided to challenge “Skinny Bashing” in an essay on the women-oriented green living website Girlie Girl Army, she could hardly imagine the viral response it would stir.  As of today, it’s generated 150 responses from women worldwide, and been shared on Facebook over two thousand times.

The impetus for Ali’s essay was this – in an effort to combat discrimination against full figured body types, an image has been circulating Facebook which essentially demonizes the Size 2 figure in favor of Marilyn-Monroe-like curves. 

In her well written, poignant essay, Ali challenges this approach.  She argues that all healthy body types should be celebrated, and that a backlash against thin women only serves to divide.

Ali tells us “I was frustrated that images like the one I discuss in the article kept popping up on Facebook. I understand why the images empower full figured women who are too often ignored, but wouldn't it be better to find away to accept a variety of body types as beautiful instead of promoting one by insulting another?”

We agree, wholeheartedly.  If it hasn’t shown up your on your Facebook news stream yet, you can read Ali’s article here.