Meghan McCain Lashes Out Against Image-Oriented Bullying

The fashion industry has often been criticized by the media for promoting size-0 models and a body image that is neither healthy not attractive. Yet, the same media is also bringing down woman after woman in public life, if they happen to be larger in size than Hollywood stars (which is not to say they’re overweight). Meghan McCain, daughter of US Senator John McCain and a budding author herself, is the last one to have come under heavy attack for her weight.

As it happens, Meghan is not the one to take this quietly sitting down. In her most recent blog post on TheDailyBeast, she responds to the criticism she’s been receiving for her weight, while also stressing that the media engaging in image-oriented bullying against women must be put an end to. Bringing a lady down on account of her weight has become, McCain says, a prejudice that our society still tolerates and, in some cases, even encourages.

“In today’s society this is, unfortunately, predictable. Everyone from Jessica Simpson to Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey, and Hillary Clinton has fallen victim to this type of image-oriented bullying. […] After Kelly Clarkson’s recent appearance on American Idol, the first commentary I read on the Internet was about her weight gain instead of her singing.” Meghan adds. She can relate to all these women because she too has often been criticized for her weight although she is a size 8 (going up to 10 at times), which does not mean she’s overweight by any standard.

“The question remains: Why, after all this time and all the progress feminists have made, is weight still such an issue? And in Laura’s [Ingraham, who openly attacked McCain for her weight] case, why in the world would a woman raise it? Today, taking shots at a woman’s weight has become one of the last frontiers in socially accepted prejudice.” McCain writes. Since a solution for this issue is nowhere in sight right now, Meghan points out, “All I can do is try to be a positive role model for women of my generation and, I hope, help show that no matter what industry you are in, what size you are has nothing to do with your worth.”