An Open Letter to Female Celebrities

I’m guest posting at Back in Skinny Jeans today.  Stephanie is guest posting here, so when you are done, head to her blog for my post!

Kelly and I decided to do a joint open letter to female celebrities about how their actions can send out both negative and positive messages about body image. We’re both a bit irked that the current tendency tends to be more towards the superficial and sometimes contradictory.Kelly is going to take an angle from a trainer’s point of view, and I shall take the role of the optimistic body image blogger and share my perspective on how the celebs could move more towards the positive and inspirational. For fun, my letter will be on Kelly’s blog, and hers will be on my blog Back in Skinny Jeans. Please add your two cents!Dear female celebrities,First, I give you all props for all the hard work you put in to get where you are today in your careers. We realize that you had to put in the hours and effort to become experts in your craft to achieve celebrity status. We appreciate that you entertain us, and yeah we read the gossip rags/sites/blogs because we like to see your glamorous lives on the red carpet and in Tinseltown. Many of us aspire to be famous like you too or to even just look like you because your lives seem so much better than everyone else’s.

Unfortunately, some of us will develop unhealthy habits and behaviors in pursuit of that glamorous dream. And this is where you come in. We’re not saying that you are the direct cause of our obsessions and unhealthiness, but your image and actions do have some influence, and you do know this. How so? If your image had no influence, big brands would not pay you millions of dollars to endorse their products. We buy the stuff you holler because we buy into your brand that’s why you demand higher payouts the bigger you know your influence is.

Here are some things that you famous ladies can do to be better body image role models:

• Don’t say that you eat whatever you want and only exercise 4 times a week in order to keep that perfectly toned and cellulite free sub-size 4 body of yours. We know there is a village of trainers, nutritionists, chefs, assistants, stylists, therapists, and other pros behind the scenes keeping you in ready-set-action shape. In fact, why don’t you start giving your slim team more credit.

• If you gain weight, don’t say your a “fat” size 0. If you think that’s an okay oxymoron like jumbo shrimp, um, no. We get that you have insecurities like the rest of us, and we actually do like to hear about them but in a humble “I can relate with you” way.

• Can you focus more on your accomplishments than on your looks? We want to hear more about things like the serious roles you’re taking on, how you’re using your celebrity to shine light on causes to help other people and make the world a better place, or how you’re growing as a human being. Of course, we want to hear about the fun glamorous life you lead, but not all the time. We’d like to see that you have more depth than just a pretty face and hot body.

• If a magazine photoshops your image into something that is so far off from the real you, than be vocal about it, put your foot down, say no. When Kate Winslet voiced how mad she was that GQ re-touched her into some unrealistic skinny minny, we LOVED her for that because she took a stand and protected her image. She demanded to be portrayed as her real self not as an illusion of beauty.

• You work in a cut throat looks obsessed profession, and so we know that at some point you are going to have “work” done on your face and body so that you can stay competitive and in demand as long as you can. Now this can be a bit tricky because ideally it would be great for natural beauty to reign but you work in Hollywood, and I’m not saying it’s right but I understand the plastic surgery route. However, there is a difference between a freshening up and a complete over doing of it so that you end up in Jacko territory. If you have work done, we’ll notice it right away, so denying it just makes you look delusional and will keep us fixated until you do. It’s better to admit it quickly and watch the inquisition die.

• And lastly, be a class act. My mom taught me that one of the best compliments anyone could give you is, “You’re a class act” and I believe that is so true because it requires you to be consistently conscious of your actions, your choices, and your beliefs. Care about the quality of your star because there is a difference between popularity and respect. Popularity is a fickle fad. Respect lasts generations and endures.

Okay lady famesters, hope this letter helps. If you have any questions, feel free to have your people call my people :-)

Stephanie

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