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It's fantastic that many of the previous writers are so liberated and mature that they've stopped worrying about their weight and attractiveness and all that other shallow, immature cultural baggage that makes the rest of us unliberated, shallow, obsessive losers. I think that what the author needs is precisely these personal attacks on her character and intelligence (not to mention her feminist credentials) in order to get over her deep self-loathing.
ahem. sarcasm aside, I really sympathize with the author and wish that the rest of the respondents could be a bit more supportive. Self-hatred is a very difficult thing to overcome. Not only that, but she didn't say she wants to be calista flockhart or lara flynn boyle, just that she's very conscious that she doesn't feel good about her weight. I'd have to see a picture to really get an idea if her sense of self is warped but I don't think that her attitude is unusual. I know a LOT of women over and under 40 who are concerned about their weight. If you're overweight and you've made peace with your body and feel good about it, FINE. BULLY FOR YOU. Don't turn around and tear down the women who happen not to share your love for a few extra pounds. You wouldn't do that to a woman who decided to sing the praises of being morbidly obese.
I happen to love being in shape. I feel (like one of the letter writers) depressed, anxious, unhealthy, lethargic and less mentally sharp when I'm overweight and not exercising or eating right. The writer may need to learn to separate "health" and "weight" but generally, eating right and exercising and wanting to be a few pounds lighter isn't anything I think is bad. Americans ARE overweight, we DO overindulge, we DO NOT exercise enough. Why is acknowledging this bad!? why is it sooooo evil and unfeminist to want to feel and look attractive!?
