Fat Girls & Retards: Lena Dunham by Gregory Harris for Interview Magazine February 2013

A nameless reader called me a “retard” this morning for my arguments about the desexualization of women in the fashion industry’s post-90s supermodel world. I sense she’s a gal pal of that Sophia Victoria’s Secret woman — what’s her last name — who said Kate Upton would go nowhere.

Talk about having a big cheese omelette all over your face!!! Please note that — unlike dear Hannah — I didn’t attach any hurtful adjectives to my descriptions of that haute high priestess of style, but … just saying’ … 

The truth is that I don’t feel so badly being called a ‘retard’ after taking in the totality of shock jock Howard Stern’s apology to ‘Girls’ actress Lena Dunham, captured here by Gregory Harris for Interview Magazine’s February issue. Elin Svahn styles the Golden Globes winner in modern classics — including her own skin. 

E writes that last week Stern called Dunham “a little fat girl who kind of looks like Jonah Hill” before going on to detail all his other grievances. 

“I learned that this little fat chick writes the show and directs the show, and that makes sense to me because she’s such a camera hog that the other characters barely are on,” Stern complained.

“I felt bad,” he said on the air, calling the next-day take on his comments a “hatchet job,” “because I really do love the show Girls and enjoy it, and I admire the girl who writes it…So I said to [producer Gary Dell’Abate], would you please contact Lena Dunham and please tell her that I would like to explain myself to her on the air and apologize to her because I do love the show and it makes me feel bad that she is getting the impression that I somehow think she’s just a talentless little fat chick.”

Perhaps potty-mouth Hannah will decide to read all my writing and come to the majority conclusion that AOC is spot on in calling the rise of the size 0 model syndrome for exactly what it is: fashion misogyny.

This industry is too locked up in its own self-obsession to ask itself why it feels the need to eliminate curves of any kind in its models, making a universal body that looks like men’s — except for the you know what — the 21st century beauty standard for men and women. 

Exactly what’s liberating about this 21st century standard of beauty compromise? I call it saying women will look like boys — or off with our heads for raising our hands to speak in protest!! Also, dear Hannah, I heard from a most prominent designer’s PR agent a couple years ago on this topic. He threatened to sue me if I didn’t retract a statement — which only confirms that I’m getting under the skin of a few people across the pond, you included. 

Good. It’s about time American women stopped lying around like little lap dogs when the subject is taking control of our bodies — which I agree we NEED to do on a political, religious and fashion industry, let’s stoping hating our bodies and get healthy front. 

End of conversation. ~ Anne

 

via tgn