Eat Less?
Confession. I like Urban Outfitters. Not as much as its big sister Anthropologie but I still can’t help to peek my head in for a glimpse of individuality for the masses. It’s the hipster mecca of the world (although no true hipster would ever admit to shopping there) and what mini van driving suburban mom doesn’t try to convince herself that she’s hip every once in a while?
Urban Outfitters, no stranger to controversy, decided last week to pull a shirt from their website that says “Eat Less” on the front due to an outcry that it promoted body image and eating disorders.
With America facing a serious health crisis I don’t have a problem with the philosophy of “eat less”. Go to any buffet in America and it’s hard to argue that a good many people should, in fact, “eat less”. However, I DON’T think it’s the “responsibility” of a store that caters to young impressionable people who may or may not be struggling with body image/eating disorders to shove this message in their face via a t-shirt clinging the the body of a very thin model. (Anyone else find that picture disturbing?)
If someone is obese, eating less is their personal responsibility. Period. The message doesn’t belong on a t-shirt catered to young women and I find it mockery to those who are struggling on a daily basis.
I highly doubt that Urban Outfitters was surprised by the outcry. In fact, I would wager that it was an intentional decision knowing that it would drive traffic to the site and the stores.
While I may try to think of myself as “hipster at heart” (despite the mini van and sweatpants) I’m going to think twice before I step into Urban Outfitter… unless of course they are having a sale.
What do you think? Offensive? Comical? Weird?
Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn
This is my (almost) sane quest for insane health. Let's 
Absurd. That’s about all I can say about that. I think you said it perfectly. Their company knew exactly what they were doing by putting that shirt out there. It’s sick to me that they would do that to get more attention. I’ve never shopped there before and now I’m glad I haven’t.
Crazy. ESp when you have it featured on a model that is pretty thin. Just sends the wrong message.
Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores, but I wasn’t thrilled with the t-shirt either. Not because I think it will send someone into an eating disorder. I mean, lets face it, it takes way more than a t-shirt for that to happen. But I think it’s insensitive and rude for overweight people who are already struggling to have that smug little message shoved in their faces. As if they don’t know that eating less = weight loss. DUH! Most of us realize it’s not that simple for everyone.
But they got what they wanted out of it. There’s no such things as bad publicity, right?
you asked if anyone else finds the picture disturbing… Very. It makes me tummy hurt to look at such a waif thin young girl wearing that shirt. As a mother of an 18 year old, beautiful young woman, who has struggled with body image problems since she was 10, and will always be curvy, it disturbs me on many levels.
I enjoy your posts so much.
I don’t know, I kind of agree with the take of this doctor’s post, where I first saw this shirt.
If it isn’t the “responsibility” of UO to tell obese people to eat less, you could argue by the same reasoning that it also isn’t their responsibility to worry about NOT telling people with eating disorders or imbalanced self images the same thing. I agree with you that obesity (as well as the other concerns mentioned here) are a personal responsibility.
As you suggested, I just took this as an interesting publicity stunt, based on a generally true idea/joke that many more people (in the US at least) need to worry about eating less than some of those other concerns, and I’m sure that even includes teenage girls (overall / on average).
I see “offensive” shirts on (mostly) young girls all the time.
Your boyfriend is checking me out
I love to study…boys
My boyfriend is hotter than your boyfriend
I’m a cutie… you’re not
Maybe “offensive” isn’t the right word for these shirts, but INAPPROPRIATE sure is!!
They make these shirts in size 6- as in a 6 year old would wear them! SICK!
I’d like to see this shirt as part of the fast-food-chain uniforms.
I completely agree w/ Crazysox. These shirts seem to be worn by the younger girls and I just can’t believe their parents would let them wear stuff like that.
It’s definitely offensive to have an “anorexic-like” model advertising “eat less”. It could definitely see how this can promote eating disorders or body image issues. While the message itself is a good one, a majority of the public should eat less, how it is advertised is pretty hypocritical. I could hardly imagine a thin person wearing this shirt, let alone a healthy or thicker person.
Oy. On the one hand, obese people don’t need to be reminded to eat less- they know this. Anorexia shouldn’t be glorified by having a tshirt saying “eat less” on a waif. I think it was just a publicity stunt to get more people raising their eyebrows, gasping and chattering. Not that that is always a bad thing, I do still find the campaign disturbing.
Thank you for raising the question!
Hmmm. I think inappropriate is an appropriate (hehe) word for that shirt. Unnecessary also comes to mind. But there are a ton of t-shirts out there with stupid and/or ridiculous messages on them, so it isn’t all that surprising.
clearly a publicity stunt on their part. at the expense of women’s self image and self construct. not cool.
your comment to be about liking being a SAHM.. me too! I do miss being in the working world but dont actully miss the work. haha!
hollar next time youre down in SD. Would love to see you!
I’m so glad you wrote this! I saw this pic and was so disturbed by it that I haven’t been able to get it out of my head ever since. My first thought was “that model is sooooo tiny – what on earth would that shirt look like on me?” It’s definitely not meant to be worn with hips and boobs! I agree with everything you said. I hate how our society tells women that we are only as good as our weight is low, all other characteristics be darned. I can well imagine what this shirt would have done to me had I seen it as a teen. I hope other fragile girls will not see it.
I love you for writing this post! [Okay, I love you anyways!]. It means a lot to me seeing & knowing that there are people out there [like you] that are calling UO out on their shit. Seeing that shirt again…it just made me speechless.
Anyway, you rock!
[I’ll explain more of why it’s so important to me tomorrow after acro!]