Cutting Edge – Body Shaming

Earlier this week I watched Brendan O’Connor’s “Cutting Edge” programme on RTÉ. I wouldn’t always have a been a fan of Brendan O’Connor in the past but on the few occasions when I have sat down to watch this show, I have enjoyed it. Newstalk’s Chris O’Donoghue is a regular guest on the show and is, in my opinion, a fantastic broadcaster. The show is feisty while still keeping news and current affairs at the top of it’s agenda.

This week, Vogue Williams appeared on the show along with Niamh Horan of the Sunday Independent. There was debate on the topic of body shaming and while I didn’t see it during the show I watched it back when I heard there was controversy. Niamh Horan, and I will admit this is the first experience I have had of her in the media as I don’t know much about her writing, came across to me as completely ridiculous. Vogue, who is a model, but someone I believe has a great deal of substance behind her, has been body shamed through social media. People have called her fat, blatently. It is one hundred percent unacceptable to comment on someone’s weight whether they are overweight, underweight or otherwise and the fact that Niamh Horan demeans this to just being someones opinion is crazy. Yes, Vogue puts herself out there and people can have opinions but no body said they have to poison the rest of the world with those opinions.Haven’t they heard the saying if you don’t have anything nice to say then don’t say anything? Obviously not! Horan goes on to say that if she puts an article out there people can like it or dislike it and that is there opinion and that that is no different to people commenting on Vogue’s weight simply because that’s their opinion. Insanity. Sounds like one woman jealous of another woman if you ask me…

As someone who has pretty much grown up with people commenting on my weight I can honestly say there is nothing more annoying than people passing remarks. People make vast assumptions and believe they are right when they really have no idea what that person’s story is nor have they a right to. Chances are if you are close to the person you will know their past in more detail anyway but this notion that people think it’s ok to call someone X,Y or Z based on their build is one that drives me absolutely crazy. Needless to say I won’t be making any intense efforts to familiarise myself further with Niamh Horan in the future. Rant over.