6 Jan 2011

Dear Kenneth Tong

We’ve given your stupid irresponsible statements/tweets far too much attention, which let’s face it, is one of the main motivators for them. So I would like to take this opportunity to say two words to you: Bugger. Off.

Seriously, I actually have nowhere to start with your statements which claim that women should starve themselves to size 0 (presumably US) [note: he may have tweeted with that exact wording, but I’m just paraphrasing as far as I’m concerned], but I think the notion of ‘controlled anorexia’ is a good place to start.
I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that no, you haven’t seen the results of uncontrolled anorexia, however I have (albeit in one case coupled with alcoholism) and I must say this, it isn’t pretty. So no, getting people to starve themselves won’t actually alow that wet dream of yours to become reality.

And no, I’m not being unreasonable in calling this a ‘wet dream’, although, seeing as it’s aimed at controlling women, ‘misogynistic’ may be more appropriate. From what I cn gather you want a Stepford Wives-esque scenario where women are forced to act identically according to the whims of men. I shouldn’t have to explain why this is wrong, and if I do then I must say that I feel deeply piteous towards you.

Not to mention, although I technically already have, that, if your determination for every woman to be size 0 is realised, people won’t be healthy. People are naturally different sizes, some tall, some short (I myself falling firmly into the latter category), some fat, some thin, size isn’t what matters in health, and, in the case of many accusations concerning the obesity epidemic, nor do outside appearances as long as you aren’t starving yourself (or, following your proposals) or your mobility isn’t seriously hampered by your girth, in fact even in these cases what’s outside isn’t what counts, it’s what you’re like on the inside.

Indeed there are the so-called ‘TOFIs (Thin Outside Fat Inside), who are unhealthy due to not exercising and eating a lot of junk food (heck, I’m very probably one of them), not to mention that there is evidence that being fat is helpful (it’s even in the tabloids (well, the Daily Fail Mail), which are usually very fatophobia-y) to health, ironically enough given every one’s expectations.

So yeah, I’m going to assume you either don’t know what you’re on about, which is pretty bad, or you don’t care, which is worse, either way, please kindly bugger off with these statements. Because after this I’m not giving you the time of day.

No love, LissyNumber
[note: this was originally posted on my Tumblr,( link )]

[EDIT: 2/1/2012 (yes almost a year after this was first published): finally adding paragraph spacing into this, hopefully it's less of a Wall of Text now]

2 comments:

  1. You're completely right; he has no concept whatsoever of what being Anorexic actually means! Nor does he seem to understand that women are genuinely different shapes and sizes. I'm intrigued as to how, exactly, he cames to the conclusion that an eating disorder is even remotely manageable.

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  2. He completely lacks any kind of empathy. He's the centre of the world and everything should conform to his wishes.

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