‘Bulimia and Anorexia Since I Was 15': Lady Gaga Responds to ‘Fat’ Headlines With Half-Naked Pics...

[redqueen]

and a Confession

http://jezebel.com/5946233/bulimia-and-anorexia-since-i-was-15-lady-gaga-responds-to-fat-headlines-with-half+naked-pics-and-a-confession?utm_campaign=socialflow_jezebel_facebook&utm_source=jezebel_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

Today on her social networking site, LittleMonsters.com, Lady Gaga posted a picture of herself, eyes closed, wearing just a bra and panties. The caption: "Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15." It is a very public, very personal response to the attacks onher weight. She is, quite literally, exposing herself, inside and out.

Last week, a smattering of very misleading photographs were published by various outlets; the singer looked significantly wider, chubbier, fleshier than she has in the past. She was called "meaty" and and the "news" was that she had "piled on the pounds." As some have noted, the photographs did not reflect her real, true shape — whether they were stretched in Photoshop or flattened and distorted by a long lens is unclear. But video from the same show demonstrates that this woman is by no means fat — though she has admitted to gaining around 25 lbs. recently.

The headlines must have touched a sore spot for the recovering bulimic, however. As one would imagine. And so, today she launched a sub-section of her site, called Body Revolution. She posted a series of half-naked images,and alonside, Gaga wrote:

...

Gaga has always claimed to be all about her fans, and by involving them in this, she makes a very important point: She's just like them. Some other celebrity might sue a publication for calling herfat; Gaga's fighting back by taking the high road, by showing the world that it's not okay to critique her body — not because she's a pop star, but because she isa human being, with feelings and a history of eating disorders and we can, and should, do better. By posting these homemade, raw, here-I-am-with-all-my-flaws (not that we see any) images, she shows that her struggle is the same struggle millions of other men and women have every day: Learning to love yourself just the way you are, finding and believing you are beautiful when the media is hell bent on making you think you're fat and ugly (and that fat is the same as ugly).

...

Watch someone defend the attacks on her weight. Cause she's an entertainer, you know. So that makes it ok. Or cause someone did it to someone else before, so its fine. Really. So shut up.

Brilliant stuff, read the whole thing.

[a geek named Bob]

1. I'm not seeing a weight issue in regards to HER

I'm hearing about an image problem in regards to the critics.

[1StrongBlackMan]

2. Yeah ...

a "meaty" image that is just "piling on."

[a geek named Bob]

3. actually, she looks well proportioned. (maybe a little thin, for my tastes)

but then, I'm of southern Italian descent.

[seabeyond]

4. this is the image they are talking about they think was missed with showing how "fat" she had gotten

[a geek named Bob]

6. well... the shoes scare me...

seriously though... she has curves. Curves are a natural thing. What's the problem?

Am I missing something?

[seabeyond]

7. firstly... the pressure for women to be thin in this society, lol.... but, that is really not it.

this picture makes her look bigger than the reality. why? why did they do this purposely to go after her weight gain? pretty obvious. she is admitting to a dangerous eating disorder that inflicts LOTS of girls and women, and more and more the male population. and showing her body in all the flaws.... and as you have noted, reality, her body is fine and probably a hell of a lot more healthy, now that she is actually eating, ... consistently. but, her body is not what they created on the picture i showed to you.

no one wants to be misrepresented. even if it is just looks, and especially if it is looks for some. it is nasty.

[a geek named Bob]

8. that could explain it...

I've never really understood this culture.

For that matter, if we're going to judge by looks alone, I'll choose Velma from Scooby Doo, over any of the starlets out there.

[Eleanors38]

29. Baby got Back. ("Betcha Fonda don't have a motor in the back of her Honda")

[a geek named Bob]

30. ???

You lost me. What are you talking about?

Okay... I really have to reassemble the TV.

[Eleanors38]

33. Big rap hit a few years back; vulgar and quite funny. Listen to it. nt

[a geek named Bob]

34. Okay

I'll go search for it.

[MadrasT]

35. "Baby Got Back"

Sir Mix-A-Lot.

[a geek named Bob]

36. just saw the video. If I admit to watching this, some of the profs my wife deals with are

going to give me a stern lecture.

[ismnotwasm]

10. Next time you're in a grocery store

Browse the women's magazines. Every single one of them will have something's about weight or dieting. It's a very difficult thing for women to accept, respect and love their bodies.

I have many male friends and a surprising number of them appreciate "curves". Where these men see curves, women see fat. There is incredible pressure starting very young on females to be thin. It's ridiculous I know, but there it is

[a geek named Bob]

11. I guess it also depends on which group you hang out with...

Most of the pagan ladies I know, are NOT shy about curves. (they're also smart as a bag of whips, so it's an added attraction...)

[ismnotwasm]

13. Smart and not shy

And pagan. I'm getting to like you more and more.

[a geek named Bob]

15. thank you!

You're pretty cool too!

As to the smart, I guess it would depend on what your standards for "smart" are...

[redqueen]

16. "Where these men see curves, women see fat."

And when you're talking about someone with an eating disorder, that effect is magnified exponentially.

I'm sure more than a few women on DU have been through it. I have.

[seabeyond]

5. good for her. no surprise. can only live that so long. i love her father showed his belly, lol.

what a dad.

[ismnotwasm]

9. She's an interesting person

I don't listen to her music, but she keeps herself relevant. This is an excellent counter attack. I like the fact that women are responding to her body image message, because she *is* culturally relevant and young women will hear and respect this particular message from her.

[a geek named Bob]

12. but...but...but...

BARBIE!!!

[ismnotwasm]

18. Indeed

What Barbie's Body Would Look Like On A Real Woman


http://www.buzzfeed.com/snowowl/what-barbies-body-looks-like-on-a-real-woman-5pqm

[a geek named Bob]

20. I've seen that model before. I forget where...

I really need to put the TV back together, and re-learn the culture.

[DonCoquixote]

14. They did the same crap to Madonna

who,like many real women(as opposed to magazine images), had curves. They made fun of her back in the early days. Madonna then went on a "health kick" where she does yoga, and frankly, looks hideous. Yes, I have seem women with muscles, but tellme, is THIS "healthy?"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1202475/Madonna-reveals-protruding-muscles-bulging-veins.html

Heck, I do not care if a Doctor says that is healthy, that is self mutilation of a truly ugly level. Yes, she can still dance, but that figure reveals a sense of obsession.

Frankly, I look forward to the age when chunky girlslike Adele can outsell everyone, because they can do this little trick called "singing", which Adele does VERY well.

[redqueen]

17. Well some women are naturally very thin.

Some men are too, and both men and women are shamed for it.

The idea here, I think, is to push society away from 'this is what a real man/woman looks like' and more toward 'it doesn't matter what you look like, you're valuable and lovable because of who you are, not your body shape or facial structure'.

[DonCoquixote]

31. nods but

as I said, Madonna was not. Look at her in the early days, and you will see she was abit round and soft, like many who were trained in Ballet are. The look Madonna has is the result of people making fun of her for being fat. To show this goes beyond sex, the same thing happened to John Lennon. He was called "the Fat beatle" and as a result, started doing a number of things to get thin (likedrugs) and, well:

http://prince.org/msg/8/299451 (photo is in upper corner)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/the-beatles/9126443/John-Lennon-suffered-bulimia.html

See, it happens to guys too.

[a geek named Bob]

19. this is where cultural differences come into play...

I like the idea of dating a lady that isn't afraid to eat two or three servings of food. Be it my lentil curry, pasta with home made sauce, or anything with fresh tzadziki.

[redqueen]

21. Why "I prefer small boobs" isn't helping

If you would be so kind, please read this.



http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2012/04/09/why-i-prefer-small-boobs-isnt-helping/

[a geek named Bob]

22. ???

It's more a matter that I have a fragile ego, and I maintain it by cooking for people.

[redqueen]

23. Ah ok. Nevermind.

[a geek named Bob]

24. Not a problem...

Can I interest you in some fresh made Bruschetta?

[redqueen]

25. Hahahah,

YES!

And are you Pagan yourself? If so then belated wishes for a happy and blessed Mabon.

[a geek named Bob]

26. My wife and I are both Pagan... Thank you for the well wishings

pretty much solitaries.

That said, we're getting ready for Samhain... This year's apple crop seems crisper than last year's, so the cider should be good.

[a geek named Bob]

27. My apologies...

I had forgotten to add the recipe:

-drizzle basil and garlic olive oil onto fresh diagonal cut sourdough bread
-toast bread (we prefer lightly browned, but it's up to you...)
-after toasting bread, add a mix of fresh diced tomatoes (we use the ones from our garden: a mix of cherry T's and "Beefsteak T's)
-add diced garlic, shredded basil, and lemon zest (all but the lemon are from the garden)
-lightly toast a second time (no more than 5 minutes)

mange!! (Italian for EAT IT!)

[mopinko]

38. that looks fake.

photoshopped?

[mopinko]

39. and so your contribution to a thread about women's body image and

eating disorders is to bloviate about madonna's body? i think you may be missing the point here.

[TDale313]

28. Gaga's amazing.

The more I hear from/about her, the more impressed I am. Good for her for pushing back. Oh, and let me also join in the (belated) Mabon well wishes to my fellow Wiccans/Pagans.

[DonCoquixote]

32. gaga is sad

Because unlike Madonna, thig lady was a musical prodigy, composing classical sonatas in her teenage years. She does nto seem to get that Madonna did to outrageous crap,but that there was no point to any of it, where Gaga seems to act like there was.

[TDale313]

37. Agree to disagree...

Cause I think you actually just pinpointed part of why I do like her.