Fat Is A Feminist Issue Summary

486 Words2 Pages
In the essay, Fat is a Feminist Issue, author Susie Orbach states that female obesity should not be scrutinized as an individual failing, but as an independence from the rigid societal requirements. The opening establishes the background of women’s obesity in the United States, which directs Orbach’s argument largely towards a female audience. She then specifies the common beliefs about the causes of obesity and the damaging, emotional effects of becoming overweight. Orbach argues that women are using the theme of being overweigh as a method to disengage from the media’s bias about women. The author is under the impression that female obesity is a feminist choice, rather than the availability of unhealthy food, lack of exercise, or hereditary…show more content…
In modern day it is presumed that we prefer small, petite women over larger sized females. This is easily recognizable by examining women in commercials, magazine advertisements, and women with high societal value. For example, the average supermodel is required to have a height typically between 5’9″-6″, a waist between 22″-26″, and hips smaller than 35". On the contrary, I blatantly disagree with the main argument that “fat is a feminine issue”. Woman can express their feminism in various forms, eating what they crave or dressing in any manner, those are everyone’s freedoms. Becoming obese is not a freedom, but instead is a heavy burden to carry. No one person would become overweight for a cause to rebel against cultural requirements. A true feminist would use a different approach then corrupting their health. Additionally, the size of a women has no correlation with becoming a better mother, sex partner, wife, or avid shopper. Larger females still have the ability to stimulate the economy by shopping. Men marry and cherish heavier women, and obese females have the capability to bear a child. A woman’s size may be important to the individual, but weight does not have a great effect in society anymore. Instead, the media focuses more on becoming healthy and proper weight less strategies. Susie’s argument would have been stronger in an overall perspective if she would have stated that the media is expressing all women how to look and dress, not just saying ‘fat’ women have this

    More about Fat Is A Feminist Issue Summary

      Open Document