*I am responding to this which was shared with me by Fit Villains*
Mr. Limbaugh,
I am not a fan. But of all of the ridiculous things you have said this tiny soundbite marched me straight over to my soapbox. In a few short sentences you illustrated, in my opinion, what keeps women feeling badly about themselves and Americans unhealthy in general.
First of all I don’t understand how Michelle Obama’s work to encourage healthy eating is overstepping on the government’s part. We should eat healthy. We would all feel a lot better. But you can eat whatever you want. You have that freedom.
Your challenge; “If we’re supposed to go out and eat nothing, if we’re supposed to eat roots and berries and tree bark, show us how,” is so ridiculous. Mrs. Obama has openly encouraged Americans to eat healthier. She has grown a beautiful garden and has children and adults alike learn to tend it. If that isn’t “showing you how” to eat healthy I don’t know what is.
But eating nothing? Becoming healthier is certainly NOT about eating nothing. Losing weight, seeing health and performance gains and improving overall well being is about eating quality foods. Eating nothing is a serious eating disorder that can result in death. Eating “roots, berries and tree bark” is a bit of a stretch too, don’t you think? While I can’t speak for the first lady, I would imagine her diet does not consist mostly of tree bark and I have never heard her advocate a diet of willow parts. There is certainly nothing wrong with eating berries.
Then you go on to say she doesn’t look like she takes her own advice and couldn’t don a Sports Illustrated cover. Now my friend, you are an asshole.
I realize there is nothing the Obama’s can do that you will approve of. I realize your show is about being outrageous for ratings. I get that. But you have made startling implications (or rather perpetuated existing cultural notions) that serve no one.
#1 You assert that healthy eating is restrictive and limiting.
It isn’t. The American diet has changed from whole foods, as in natural foods with pronounceable ingredients, to a processed pile of junk that resembles a science experiment. Which is basically what we are doing to our bodies: conducting a science experiment on what happens when our food sources revolve around clever marketing and profiteering and not health. That said, eating healthy is not in the least limited to berries and tree parts. Nor does it rely purely on salads and fat free dressing. But people like you make it seem so all-or-nothing, making it harder to begin to understand what makes a healthful choice. Statements like that encourage us to give up before we even try.
#2 You assert that to believe in healthy eating requires 100% adherence.
Clearly you are not concerned with eating for your health. Fair enough. But for those of us who are, hearing that Mrs. Obama eating ribs makes her a total hypocrite is discouraging. And despite its redundancy; ridiculous. Perhaps Michelle has learned how to enjoy food without guilt. Perhaps she indulges occasionally. Perhaps she has a much healthier attitude toward food than most of us. It’s hard enough not to “fall off the wagon” after one unhealthy choice. We are riddled with guilt all the time. Thanks for adding to it.
#3 Sports Illustrated cover models are the ideal and to fall short is unacceptable.
Excuse me while I try to tame the inner mama bear beast ignited by this. Michelle Obama is a beautiful woman. She clearly spends time working on her physical fitness, so much so that her arms are the inspiration for countless upper body strength routines in current women’s fitness magazines. She is healthy looking and svelte. When public figures like yourself attack a beautiful woman’s physique for not living up to swimsuit model standards it makes me want to cry, scream and vomit all at once. Because I was once a little girl who got that message loud and clear and it took me 26 years to put it out of my head. I spent the majority of my life dragging myself through the mud for not meeting such narrow standards of beauty. And now I have a little girl. So women who are strong, confident, smart and beautiful aren’t good enough for the likes of you — it’s beyond infuriating.
When Michelle Obama and her vegetable garden are a threat to personal freedom; when eating healthy = eating bark; and beautiful, smart, healthy women simply aren’t good enough… I worry for my daughter. What kind of message is this for the world? And what even is your point? Does Obama’s dinner plate threaten you in some way? I just don’t understand.
The obvious response here would be to attack your physique/looks/food choices. But I don’t care. I don’t care what you eat and I stand behind your right to eat it. I don’t care what you look like and your health is on you. But your assertions are far more meddling and harmful than Obama’s hoping we eat some vegetables.
For my former fat girl self that hears only your message that nothing is ever good enough. For my professional role as I hope to help others not give up on themselves and the health of their bodies. For my child who I am determined to teach that her worth has nothing to do with her ability to model swimsuits: F&*% you.
Love, Mama
God Bless You. Seriously. God Bless You.
=)
L-O-V-E it. Thank you!
By the way; I did send this to him.
SO glad you wrote this and sent it too! Makes me sick and really really angry. Just a sickening, pathetic excuse for a human being. YOU rock though!
Growl. You get him mama!
I’m glad to hear you did send this to him. As any student from high school on up should be able to note, an ad hominem attack (“Well *you* don’t do it, so your argument is wrong”) is invalid. Plenty of overweight, sedentary, sleep-deprived, smoker doctors can attest to that.
But I especially agree with your point that holding up the cover of a swimsuit edition as the standard of health is not only ridiculous but insulting. Not that I’m likely to agree with anything Limbaugh ever says, but I might at least consider his statements if he bothered making any based in fact and logic instead of slime and sleaze.
@Stacy I love your CSA posts! Thanks for your input, and for validating my not going for the obvious attack.
YEAH! well said.
Well said, indeed. Even though rational and reasonable fare doesn’t infiltrate his brain — see defensive, attention-seeking, not-too-bright, looking-for-a-reaction child who needs professional help — it needed to be said.
Thank you for writing this! When I read about what he said…it just pissed me off! You have coherantly put into words what I’d want to say!
Way to go! Anything that man says is idiotic. But this was just taking it way too far.
Thank you! Amazing how an unhealthy, undisciplined Right Wing male is so intimidated by a woman who actually values herself and others enough to promote a healthy lifestyle!
Go, girl! Very well articulated!
I love this Erin! I want to elaborate on some points you made:
1) You pointed out that healthy eating does not always line up with how we look physically. Many models “look” great per the media because they are thin. In actuality, many of them are probably undernourished and have eating disorders. Also, many of them have had plastic surgery in order to have the “perfect” body type… to be thin AND have large breasts. Please don’t think I’m against plastic surgery. I’m just pointing out that it isn’t a “natural” body type to have both and to be born with and so, many girls have to achieve that look with plastic surgery.
On the contrary, many women who are not stick thin that actually do eat healthy would be much larger if they didn’t eat healthy and they should be commended for what they look like. Also, is beauty predetermined? Some copycat body type that all women must look like and if they don’t, they must strive to look like that? I say no!
2) I love that you don’t slam his personal appearance, and you stick to defending the subject at hand. You are right, it would be so easy to do!!! It just kills me how many egotistical, arrogant, ugly, large, old men bash on women for not looking stereotypically “perfect” and yet, what do they look like? Why are women reduced to this, but men aren’t? It’s still such a double standard and it irks me beyond belief!
3) I love how you address many issues surrounding healthy eating. You come from a place of knowledge and experience, and it just shows his ignorance as to what is or is not “healthy” eating. Tree bark! Wow. I can’t imagine how that would feel running through the intestinal tract. Doesn’t sound like fun to me. I think I will choose the ribs and be a size 12. He should be embarrassed by how much his IQ dropped after making that statement.
Last and most important. THANK YOU FOR DEFENDING US GIRLS! Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Let’s bring it to everyone’s attention!!! I’m so grateful to have you, Erin, on my “team”. Thank you on behalf of all women who would rather not eat tree bark and who still love themselves even if they don’t look like the cover of S.I. xoxo
I am so very, very glad that I can no longer afford cable TV – and therefore was able to go through all the elections, etc., without having to listen to the blistering ads. I’m also glad I no longer have to listen to, or hear mentioned, the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, et al. But when their comments are so outrageously putrid they hit the print media – I get MAD!!
Thank you for publishing this response!
Kudos!!! Hope that this gets picked up by the media. Well considered, perfectly stated, and spot on.
Limbaugh is so out of line it hurts. I wouldn’t care so much if he wasn’t ON THE RADIO and leading girls to believe that they should look like supermodels…and prompting boys to objectify women!
Love that you posted this. Despise the fact that a fat, drug addict would call out the greatest first lady since Jackie O. Love what you are doing. That is all
I just found your site via a link to this post. I think I love you!
An amazing post!!!!
THANK YOU!! I am far from perfect having now had three (almost four I’m due in August) little girls ages 3,2, and 1. Yes that is a baby every year until 2010. I have curves, hips, breasts, and a belly. I don’t want to even think about wearing a swimming suit that would show my stomach. however I am lucky enough to be married to man who loves my curves (strech marks and all) what you wrote struck a cord with me and I have to say. THANK YOU! For all of my girls who will have to live in a world with “perfect” being thrown into the faces I strive everyday to teach them that they are beautiful no matter what. Thank you again!
I had to sit on my hands to keep from responding to that idiot’s remarks. But I had to be strong. I have a fundamental problem with giving ANY attention or reaction to that fat-ass idiot’s remarks. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!!!!! But I agree with you. Only one thing, you forgot to mention that SI models are not REAL, they are AIRBRUSHED.
YOU ROCK! Thank you for not remaining silent. Even my partner (despite being with me – a muscle toned woman) is still under the preconception that women are petite, smaller than men and thinner. Grrr! I look forward to the next 2 decades of constantly rebuking him in front of our little girl, letting him know, in no uncertain terms that healthy is beautiful, not some antiquated mirage of women that only serves to remind men of how BIG they are…whether that be in the ‘nether regions’ or their own physique.
P.S. I have bigger biceps, deltoids and quads than my partner…does this make me more masculine or him more feminine according to the stereotype!!!