Wendy Williams’ Adele comments further gender stereotypes

Wendy Williams made some very nasty comments about what she calls “skinny girls” today. Here’s a link with her comments:

http://wonderwall.msn.com/tv/wendy-williams-i-want-to-see-adele-naked-1722614.story

We should all be outraged by these comments. Email her and tell her what you think! Here’s my email to the Wendy Williams show:

‘Wendy Williams,
This is an email responding to your comments about Adele and your desire to see her pose for PETA. Here were your comments:
“I would like to see Adele naked. As a woman of a particular size myself, there is no hating on skinny girls, but there is nothing interesting about their bodies. I think for women, curves and softness is what separates men from women. Three cheers for girls that are built like fifth grade boys, but there is something to be said for womanly women. Adele, with her gothic figure, would look great in PETA ads.”

How DARE YOU. There is so much intolerance, hatred, and disgusting irony in these comments, that I don’t even know where to begin.

1.) You constantly preface your hateful comments toward women who do not look like you, with some lame remark about how you’re NOT hating on “skinny girls”! You have some nerve saying that women, who come in all shapes, sizes, and colors are not REAL women if they do not have the same body type as you. If I were “skinny”, which I’m not, your limiting and exclusive language would imply that I neither belong under the “woman” umbrella. So then, what am I? A man?! A little girl?! According to you, if I don’t look like you, I’m more like a fifth grade boy and am somehow less of a woman than you; not a “womanly woman”. Do you really think we’re that stupid?! This is just like those morons who say things like, “I’m not racist, but…”. You can’t just say you’re not hating, then immediately follow it up with something hateful! Outrageous!

2.) PETA is an organization that exploits women to get their message across. Being a vegan myself, I see no point in battling one type of oppression with another. PETA has consistently used ads that make light of sexual violence against women, and use unethical methods to retrieve their data. Your emphasis on what women LOOK LIKE completely undermines any positive changes you attempt to make. I would like to think that I am more than my body. I have my morals, convictions, intelligence, spirituality. I have my work ethic, compassion, sense of humor, personality, creative talents! Sending the message to women and girls that in order to be an acceptable woman, that the only thing they have to do is to look a certain way is dangerous and offensive. You are slowing down the progress of womankind by continuing to put us back in this incredibly limiting box that tells us that all we have and all we are is how we look.

3.) Women and girls are under tremendous pressure to look good at all costs. We starve ourselves, pay people to cut into our bodies, and hate ourselves for never measuring up to an impossible standard. Then we have to open up our laptops and hear more messages (from WOMEN, NO LESS) that tell us that we do not look right. You’re too fat, too skinny, your nose is too big, your breasts aren’t perky enough. When will this end?! Certainly not with people like you in the media, spreading this garbage. For a woman who does not meet your definition of beauty, (or, God forbid, a TEENAGER), these comments could be devastating.

We are supposed to be working together as women; as people, to make the world better for everyone. When you make comments that reinforce strict gender stereotypes and regurgitate tired and limiting definitions of womanhood, you are not helping, you are hurting. Perhaps you were trying to make women (“with curves”, whatever that means) feel better about their body types, and that is admirable. But by putting women down in order to build others up, you are only shifting hatred and putting it onto someone else. Stop putting so much focus on the way women look! If you really want to make a statement that will create change, use your mind, get out there and DO SOMETHING! Because just being pretty is way too easy.

Regards,
Tracey Burns
The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA’

Please don’t let this go, ladies. Let’s raise hell!