stop talking about how much you weigh and start ... flossing?

:) 

Over the holidays I spent time with a good friend and Jennifer Lawrence came up in conversation over wine (and tequila shots). I immediately gushed about the girl crush I have on the Hungry Games star; anticipating my friends response to be equally giddy and obsessive. Instead she threw me. She told me she was kind of over Jennifer and all of her body image chatter.

Wait, what?

This good friend's name is Melissa and we are basically the same person except she lives in Toronto and I'm in California. We have the same birthday, the same middle name. We own the same cookbooks and have the same fundamental ideas about life and love and yoga.  How was she not totally in love with J-Law like I am?

I mean, isn't Jennifer Lawrence all the rage with how real she is? Isn't is refreshing that a mega celebrity isn't stick skinny? She is setting a good example for the young girls (and older ones too) that you don't have to starve yourself to feel worthy. ...Right? I thought so too. And then Melissa shed some light.

She accurately pointed out that one comment about one's weight is enough.

In other words, Jennifer's first comments about being a role model and not starving herself so young girls (and older ones too) think they need to skip dinner to be Katniss-beautiful was great; awesome even. In my opinion, it brought positive, healthy awareness to counteract all the damaging media images bombarding our brains. However;   it seems all she does now is talk about her weight which (in mine and Melissa's opinion - even though it was hers first) is actually diminishing her initial great - awesome - comments about weight.

WHY IS WEIGHT SUCH A WEIGHTED TOPIC?

(Disclaimer: I realize this post might sound hypocritical because I myself have written about weight and body image more than a few times but I am not on the cover of all the magazines in all of the stores. ...Yet.

I promise if I ever reach that magnitude of influential ability, I will take my responsibility seriously. I will not allow so much attention to be focused on poundage.)

By constantly talking about weight when you're such a major player in the media, even if it has a  "positive" spin, it is still constantly talking about weight. You're bringing massive attention to something that should be as mundane as flossing. Everyone knows flossing is good for you (as maintaining a healthy weight is) but no one talks about it in every.single.interview. ...Even if they don't floss everyday and make the rest of us normal folk feel okay about our flossing habits too. So, just stop, Jennifer. Stop answering questions about how much you weigh...

I'm still a huge fan of JL; I just hope next time someones asks about her weight, she doesn't respond. I hope the next time she or any other person of fame admits to eating a slice of pizza it doesn't make headlines.

Floss, anyone?

Love almost always,
Ashley