Plus-size mannequin sparks a weighty issue
A plus-size female mannequin displaying Nike gym gear has caused a furore in London.
On one side are health professionals who say the shop window display further normalises obesity, on the other are those who say that bodies come in all shapes and sizes and plus-size people should not feel ashamed.
The controversy kicked off when a journalist from The Telegraph wrote an article titled “Obese mannequins are selling women a dangerous lie”.
It stated: “The new Nike mannequin is not size 12, which is healthy, or even 16 – a hefty weight, yes, but not one to kill a woman.
“She is immense, gargantuan, vast. She heaves with fat.”
This prompted an avalanche of comment on social media – mainly from women – intent on tearing down the perception that being plus-size was unhealthy, comments such as: “I look like that @nike mannequin, and I’ve done a 10k, a half, & a marathon this year. And there’s another 10k & a half coming up. If you think obese women can’t run you’ve clearly been living under a rock.”
In an ABC report, Jasmine Fardouly, a researcher from Macquarie University, said that too often, health was linked to a person's physical appearance.
“People can be unhealthy at any body size and exercising is good for everyone,” she said.
“Statistically, larger body sizes are normal within our society, so having a plus-size mannequin is perhaps more representative of the general population than the very thin mannequins often used in stores.”
What do you think?
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