Are we supposed to accept; to ignore; or to ask why?
During this past week, the title of yet another article that appeared in the Melbourne Sun-Herald, loudly proclaimed: Bigger keeps getting better and better.
My eyes were drawn to the article, because the very first words following the title were these: BUMPER-size Victorians are ruling the retail roost, with some outlets reporting a 70 per cent increase in their plus size fashion business since 2010.
Now the content of the article sounds rather good to me - it means to my way of thinking that retailers are increasing not only their choices but also their sizes for the plus-size woman. Read a little further and there appears to be still along way to go, because Target plans to expand its core range from size 18 to size 20. Hurrah for the size 20s of this world. It does mean however that the size 22 upwards woman is STILL ignored, to a large extent, by these retailers. Thank goodness for those independent providers of plus-size fashion who understand our needs, and have responded with size ranges that meet those needs.
But I've digressed somewhat. I'm beginning to believe that maybe I AM somewhat "thin-skinned" when it comes to being expected to accept certain inappropriate words to describe me and countless thousands of plus-size women. I do not like the words "BUMPER-size". And please note that the word BUMPER is highlighted in the article in BOLD as well as in capital letters. I refuse to accept such words.
Look, I'm thrilled that the retailers such as K Mart, Target, and Big W are at long last recognising the marketplace potential of sizes in the 18 -20 range. Of course I'd love to see their ranges going far beyond that size.
It's what is "inferred" in articles such as this that I object to. Why should the reporter Andy Burns, start off by using the words "BUMPER-size"? I ask respectfully, because if this article had commenced with the words, "Skeletal sized Victorians" or "Anorexic Victorians" I would imagine there to be a huge hue and cry (with every good reason) - about the words being judgemental; intolerant; unaccepting; discriminatory (there's that word again); lacking decent good manners, and totally inappropriate in a society where such inferences are politically incorrect. But it seems, time and time again, that the plus-size is "fair game"!
Why does the media permit such unbalance in their reporting? I guess it comes down to selling their papers and/or magazines.
Would love to hear your views.
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