Skinny Bitch

[McKenna]

"A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous." Link.

The title caught my eye in the bookstore last night, but not because I thought it was clever, but rather I thought it was rude. Is this a case of negative marketing? I don't know. I picked it up and read the blip. Apparently the authors are former Ford Model Agency models; one has a Master's in nutrition or something, so I would give her some credit, however even if I were in the market for this type of book I wouldn't buy it mostly because I find the title bothersome.

Emphasizing responsible eating and exercise habits, okay, I can get into that. But emphasizing "skinny" and "bitch"? I just don't get it.

Apparently I do judge a book by its ...title.

I wonder if that kind of title is the equivalent of the Loving Wives category here at Lit? You either hate it or you love it, and sometimes you hate yourself for loving it.

Discuss. Or not. Whatever. This was too long for the blurt thread anyway.

http://a1204.g.akamai.net/7/1204/1401/05112117011/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/10400000/10406394.jpg

 

[entitled]

As somebody who's often called a 'skinny bitch' i can tell you that it's often taken as a compliment. It just might sell because of that title. People who want to be seen as one of the 'skinny bitch' types would eat it up.

 

[sophia jane]

"A No-Nonsense, Tough-Love Guide for Savvy Girls Who Want to Stop Eating Crap and Start Looking Fabulous." Link.

The title caught my eye in the bookstore last night, but not because I thought it was clever, but rather I thought it was rude. Is this a case of negative marketing? I don't know. I picked it up and read the blip. Apparently the authors are former Ford Model Agency models; one has a Master's in nutrition or something, so I would give her some credit, however even if I were in the market for this type of book I wouldn't buy it mostly because I find the title bothersome.

Emphasizing responsible eating and exercise habits, okay, I can get into that. But emphasizing "skinny" and "bitch"? I just don't get it.

Apparently I do judge a book by its ...title.

I wonder if that kind of title is the equivalent of the Loving Wives category here at Lit? You either hate it or you love it, and sometimes you hate yourself for loving it.

Discuss. Or not. Whatever. This was too long for the blurt thread anyway.

http://a1204.g.akamai.net/7/1204/1401/05112117011/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/10400000/10406394.jpg

Interesting. I just read thru some of the reviews on Amazon, too, and it seems the book has alot of fans. Personally, I think a book like this could be a good way to present some really boring info. That said, I would never buy a book called Skinny Bitch because I don't want to be a bitch, but more than that I have no desire to be skinny. Healthy, yes. Skinny, never.
Delving into the book's content a bit, it seems they basically bashed everything except a Vegan diet. Again, not a way I'm prepared to go. But that's just my own personal thing. If I had to eat a vegan diet, I would be a bitch cuz I'd be miserable constantly. So maybe the title is a little appropriate.
I do find it sad that society is that obsessed with looks that being "skinny" is a goal. Yeah, America has a weight problem that ought to be taken care of, but we also have a skinny model problem where women who are significantly underweight are held up as the ideal. That's crap.

Sorry for that rant. *gets off soapbox*

 

[McKenna]

As somebody who's often called a 'skinny bitch' i can tell you that it's often taken as a compliment. It just might sell because of that title. People who want to be seen as one of the 'skinny bitch' types would eat it up.

Really??? A compliment?!

Do you ever take it as a compliment Ent?

It just seems so ... disrespectful. Impolite. Something. I'm still trying to put my finger on it.

 

[McKenna]

That said, I would never buy a book called Skinny Bitch because I don't want to be a bitch, but more than that I have no desire to be skinny. Healthy, yes. Skinny, never.

Agreed. Thanks for putting my thoughts into words, SJ.

Delving into the book's content a bit, it seems they basically bashed everything except a Vegan diet. Again, not a way I'm prepared to go. But that's just my own personal thing. If I had to eat a vegan diet, I would be a bitch cuz I'd be miserable constantly. So maybe the title is a little appropriate.
I do find it sad that society is that obsessed with looks that being "skinny" is a goal. Yeah, America has a weight problem that ought to be taken care of, but we also have a skinny model problem where women who are significantly underweight are held up as the ideal. That's crap.

One of the reviews I read at the bottom of that page I linked was from a counselor, I believe, who said something like how books like this glamorize eating disorders. I found that disturbing.

But having said all that --and basically this is a discussion of judging a book by it's cover, or title-- I suppose I should refrain from further comment about the book itself because I haven't read it. But I won't read it, either, because the title throws me for a loop. It seems to emphasize the wrong idea about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I don't feel the urge to spend my money to support that kind of philosphy.

 

[entitled]

Really??? A compliment?!

Do you ever take it as a compliment Ent?

It just seems so ... disrespectful. Impolite. Something. I'm still trying to put my finger on it.

It is disrespectful, impolite, rude, nasty... All of those things. But yes, i take it as a compliment.

As far as i'm concerned, it's a jealousy thing. It's not healthy to be this thin, but society in the US today has made it a desireable thing. It's not anybody's fault bue the media, but it's inherant in everyday life. So if somebody who weighs a little more than i do makes the comment to somebody else that she can't stand those skinny bitches like me i see it as a good thing that the image is there that i'm beautiful enough to be the object of jealousy. Even if i would rather gain a few pounds and be healthier.

 

[McKenna]

It is disrespectful, impolite, rude, nasty... All of those things. But yes, i take it as a compliment.

As far as i'm concerned, it's a jealousy thing. It's not healthy to be this thin, but society in the US today has made it a desireable thing. It's not anybody's fault bue the media, but it's inherant in everyday life. So if somebody who weighs a little more than i do makes the comment to somebody else that she can't stand those skinny bitches like me i see it as a good thing that the image is there that i'm beautiful enough to be the object of jealousy. Even if i would rather gain a few pounds and be healthier.

I'm glad you can take the disrespectful and rude comments of others and turn them into a good thing.

To me, calling someone a "skinny bitch" would be as bad as calling someone a "fat whore."




That said, I just realized I owe someone an apology for referring to her as a "stick figure." I believe sometimes that the things we dislike so much about another person are actually the very things we dislike about ourselves. It's like they hold up a mirror and force us to look at our own actions and behaviors we find less than appealing. It's so much easier to find fault in another; much more difficult to realize the fault we're finding is really in ourselves. And sometimes when you can find little else to fault in another, you concentrate on differences that really don't matter; it's like generating fault where there isn't any.

My apologies. You know who you are.




P.S. Lest I lead someone astray, I am no stick figure. I'm more like a pear than a banana.

 

[entitled]

I'm glad you can take the disrespectful and rude comments of others and turn them into a good thing.

To me, calling someone a "skinny bitch" would be as bad as calling someone a "fat whore."

It's all in the raising. We were raised in a family that's horrible about teasing each other mercilessly. We grew thick skins pretty early. Shoot, back before potty training i was known the neighborhood over as the little pooper. Thanks, Mom.

It's rude, but harmless, unless it's misunderstood. Which is quite often the case. To use a fairly recent example from here: i've told somebody that they're full of shit. Not as a bad thing, but because i personally found what they were saying funny. Hard to take that in a good way without vocal inflection.

 

[Aurora Black]

Is it a bad thing that I read the beginning of this thread and my "inner skinny bitch" had a tiny orgasm?

 

[lucky-E-leven]

I do find it sad that society is that obsessed with looks that being "skinny" is a goal. Yeah, America has a weight problem that ought to be taken care of, but we also have a skinny model problem where women who are significantly underweight are held up as the ideal. That's crap.

I think it's along this vein that I find it a bit odd. It kind of raises up Skinny as the goal and adds Bitch to it because what do people who want to be thinner typically call underweight models? Skinny Bitches. I don't think they're separate at all.

In all seriousness, though, the people who are in the market for a book like this are most likely more interested in trends than they are in truly following a health regime. They get to read, for however many pages, what two ex-supermodels did to stay thin. I doubt all the drug use and purging and fasting are included but who knows? I don't really see people with serious weight loss in mind picking up this book and putting it to good use. It strikes me as a bit like Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus. People read self help books, in my experience, most often because it feels good to know you're not the only person with a problem. Relationships, dieting, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, etc... There's one for every problem out there and it all sort of goes back to Bridget Jones. Live by The Rules (of dating) and you're not the one held accountable for the failures. If the program doesn't work and the reader does not become a Skinny Bitch then it's the book's fault.

The authors have already been paid, though. No loss to them.

 

[kendo1]

I'd like to put my finger on a skinny bitch.
The wife won't let me

She is down to 12 stone though. 4lbs heavier than me.

I've promised her a convertible if she gets down to 10 stone.

 

[McKenna]

In all seriousness, though, the people who are in the market for a book like this are most likely more interested in trends than they are in truly following a health regime.

Yes! I like the way you clarified this. I knew there was something I didn't like about it, I just couldn't seem to verbalize it. Between you and SJ, I think I'm finally figuring it out.

...There's one for every problem out there and it all sort of goes back to Bridget Jones. Live by The Rules (of dating) and you're not the one held accountable for the failures. If the program doesn't work and the reader does not become a Skinny Bitch then it's the book's fault.

Accountability, what a concept. Once again, Chickadee, you've blown me away with your intellect.

 

[McKenna]

I'd like to put my finger on a skinny bitch.
The wife won't let me

She is down to 12 stone though. 4lbs heavier than me.

I've promised her a convertible if she gets down to 10 stone.

I looked this up because I was curious. Give me a riddle and I'm naturally inclined to puzzle it out.


12 stone = 168 pounds = 76 kg

10 stone = 140 pounds = 63.5 kg


I wish your wife every success, kendo!

 

[Aurora Black]

Accountability, what a concept. Once again, Chickadee, you've blown me away with your intellect.

She is a nurse, after all.

 

[Aurora Black]

I looked this up because I was curious. Give me a riddle and I'm naturally inclined to puzzle it out.


12 stone = 168 pounds = 76 kg

10 stone = 140 pounds = 63.5 kg


I wish your wife every success, kendo!

So do I. Ironically, I first learned about stones from reading the Bridget Jones books.

 

[McKenna]

So do I. Ironically, I first learned about stones from reading the Bridget Jones books.

You're just cute, do you know that?

 

[Aurora Black]

You're just cute, do you know that?

What did I do?

 

[McKenna]

What did I do?

I can just picture you reading Bridget Jones, that's all.

 

[Aurora Black]

I can just picture you reading Bridget Jones, that's all.

Edge of Reason is my favorite of the two. The movie sucked ass in comparison.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I think it's along this vein that I find it a bit odd. It kind of raises up Skinny as the goal and adds Bitch to it because what do people who want to be thinner typically call underweight models? Skinny Bitches. I don't think they're separate at all.

In all seriousness, though, the people who are in the market for a book like this are most likely more interested in trends than they are in truly following a health regime. They get to read, for however many pages, what two ex-supermodels did to stay thin. I doubt all the drug use and purging and fasting are included but who knows? I don't really see people with serious weight loss in mind picking up this book and putting it to good use. It strikes me as a bit like Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus. People read self help books, in my experience, most often because it feels good to know you're not the only person with a problem. Relationships, dieting, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, etc... There's one for every problem out there and it all sort of goes back to Bridget Jones. Live by The Rules (of dating) and you're not the one held accountable for the failures. If the program doesn't work and the reader does not become a Skinny Bitch then it's the book's fault.

The authors have already been paid, though. No loss to them.

Nicely said. I stopped reading the thread with this post just to reply here, simply because I've been struggling with how to verbalize this idea for quite some time. May have to go read Bridget jones however...

Q_C

 

[ElizabethWest]

So do I. Ironically, I first learned about stones from reading the Bridget Jones books.

I first learned about stones from, ironically enough, the book The Thin Woman.

 

[sophia jane]

Edge of Reason is my favorite of the two. The movie sucked ass in comparison.

I turned off the movie about twenty minutes in. I loved the books, tho.

 

[ElizabethWest]

P.S. Lest I lead someone astray, I am no stick figure. I'm more like a pear than a banana.

I most resemble a pineapple.

Is it the Phyllis Diller hair or the scales? I wonder.

 

[JamesSD]

It's attention grabbing, which in book sales is a huge chunk of the battle.

It looks like they're trying to combine diet books with the whole "chick-lit" style.

I don't think there have been a lot of huge changes in nutrition in the past 10 or more years. So with diet books it's a lot about marketing.

 

[kendo1]

Looks like the wife is going to get a convertible.
She keeps losing weight.

I used 'stones' as most peeps around here are US- not converted yet.

Ken