My Letter to YM - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

~*Hannah_Lee*~ · 04-07-2003, 11:17 PM

Okay, I am writing this letter to YM magazine because of their Swimsuit article. Tell me what you think.

Dear YM,

When I first saw your May issue, I groaned when I saw the cover. “102 Sexy Swimsuits: Modeled by Real Girls with Real Bodies.” Typically, when a magazine has an article about swimsuits, it consists of anorexic-looking, size 0, 5’10’ girls (a size which most girls are NOT). However, when I looked through your pages of swimsuits, I saw that there was in fact a girl who was not a size 0. But I was aggravated by the fact that there was only ONE girl! As I flipped through the other pages, I was infuriated when I saw that the girl who wasn’t super-skinny was never centered in any of your pictures. The girl was pushed to the side and could barely be seen in some pictures! What is up with that? And, what is up with the bigger girl having to wear a one piece suit? Did it ever occur to you that girls who AREN’T model-size may wear bikinis and tankinis, too? And why did all of the slimmer girls have to wear two piece suits? Not all girls who are model-size like to show off their bodies. Some girls are modest and prefer to wear one-piece suits. Even though you did feature one REAL sized girl, I was over all disgusted with the article. Sometimes it seems as if magazines forget that full-size girls have a fashion sense, too, since there are rarely articles addressed to them.

Hannah, 15, Alabama.

-*Leah*- · 04-07-2003, 11:25 PM

Good job Hannah !

The only part I see thats messed up is this part "(a size most girls aren't)" you put most "girl"

I am glad that your taking a stand !!!

~*Hannah_Lee*~ · 04-07-2003, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by leah02_06
Good job Hannah !

The only part I see thats messed up is this part "(a size most girls aren't)" you put most "girl"

I am glad that your taking a stand !!!

Oops, I guess I didn't proofread it as well as I thought. Thanks for supporting me!

ks · 04-07-2003, 11:39 PM

Right on!

ks

DarleneIllyria · 04-07-2003, 11:47 PM

You did a great job. Your letter sounds very good.

Mysty Eyes · 04-08-2003, 12:09 AM

Yes, I like it. It gets your point across without being at all offensive. That is the way to get their attention: by being calm and logical and making a valid statement.

Frankly, I'm a little miffed that they had the audacity to claim "real girls with real bodies." That is very misleading. It implies that the reader will see non-model types. They of course can get away with this ploy because, well, models are real and do have real bodies. But it's deceptive nonetheless.

While I have long long ago ceased to be a "girl" (I'm 48), magazines have, for as long as I have been reading them and longer, glorified the "model look." In reality very few people look like models, regardless of age or gender. In fact models oftentimes look sickly; who really wants to look like that to begin with? Not I.

Faith · 04-08-2003, 12:42 AM

Very well put Hannah, you did a great job..

Czas na Zywiec · 04-08-2003, 12:54 AM

And this is why we have so many anorexic and bulimic people in this country. Thank you, once again, for making perfectly normal people starve themselves by leading them to believe that beauty = 0 lbs.

~*Hannah_Lee*~ · 04-08-2003, 01:42 AM

I'm glad to see that people agree with what I am saying.

AKA · 04-08-2003, 01:59 AM

Hannah,

I've said it before and I'll say it again: you are a very intelligent person. I agree with your sentiments wholeheartedly.

Brandon · 04-08-2003, 07:52 AM

my friend showed me those pictures, and there were plenty of girls who weren't perfect. i saw a few bigger girls, and some average sized girls and about 1 or 2 anorexic looking girls....

Jem · 04-08-2003, 09:54 AM

Good job, Hannah. It's important for magazines to realize that they have to show more normal weight people in their magazines. I bet if they did it would probably stop problems of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Probably the only reason people suffer from those disorders like that now in the first place is because swim suit magazines among others show models like that. Sometimes while just looking at teen or seventeen magazine I see the pictures of models that look so sickingly skinny, they look anorexic.

~LadyJess~ · 04-08-2003, 12:05 PM

Go Hannah! I totally agree with what you said, I can't stand models that they put in magazines. Sure some people look like that, but not a lot, and most people can never look like that no matter how hard they try because of their body type. It's not right that the image of the "perfect woman" that society puts out there is 100 lbs and size 0.

Kay Scarpetta · 04-08-2003, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brandon
my friend showed me those pictures, and there were plenty of girls who weren't perfect. i saw a few bigger girls, and some average sized girls and about 1 or 2 anorexic looking girls....

Then you must need some glasses... Every single one of those girls with the exception of the one Hannah mentioned looked like they eat nothing at all.

ISmellFine · 04-08-2003, 03:24 PM

*nods* I agree wif yoo, Hannah.

04-07-2003, 11:17 PM	#1
~Hannah_Lee~ Let's dance in style Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 09, 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,358	My Letter to YM Okay, I am writing this letter to YM magazine because of their Swimsuit article. Tell me what you think. Dear YM, When I first saw your May issue, I groaned when I saw the cover. “102 Sexy Swimsuits: Modeled by Real Girls with Real Bodies.” Typically, when a magazine has an article about swimsuits, it consists of anorexic-looking, size 0, 5’10’ girls (a size which most girls are NOT). However, when I looked through your pages of swimsuits, I saw that there was in fact a girl who was not a size 0. But I was aggravated by the fact that there was only ONE girl! As I flipped through the other pages, I was infuriated when I saw that the girl who wasn’t super-skinny was never centered in any of your pictures. The girl was pushed to the side and could barely be seen in some pictures! What is up with that? And, what is up with the bigger girl having to wear a one piece suit? Did it ever occur to you that girls who AREN’T model-size may wear bikinis and tankinis, too? And why did all of the slimmer girls have to wear two piece suits? Not all girls who are model-size like to show off their bodies. Some girls are modest and prefer to wear one-piece suits. Even though you did feature one REAL sized girl, I was over all disgusted with the article. Sometimes it seems as if magazines forget that full-size girls have a fashion sense, too, since there are rarely articles addressed to them. Hannah, 15, Alabama.
	__________________ Some are like water, some are like the heat Some are a melody and some are the beat. Sooner or later they all will be gone. Why don't they stay young? It's so hard to get old without a cause. I don't want to perish like a fleeing horse. Youth is like diamonds in the sun, And diamonds are forever. Forever young, I want to be forever young. Do you really want to live forever? Last edited by ~Hannah_Lee~; 04-07-2003 at 11:32 PM.

04-07-2003, 11:25 PM	#2
-Leah- Back for More Forum Fanatic Join Date: Jan 15, 2003 Posts: 10,563	Good job Hannah ! The only part I see thats messed up is this part "(a size most girls aren't)" you put most "girl" I am glad that your taking a stand !!!
	__________________ i'm obsessive when just one thought of you comes up i'm aggressive just one thought of closing up you got me stressing, incessantly pressing the issue cause every moment gone you know I miss you :::::::::::::::::::::::::: this time please someone come and rescue me cause you on my mind it's got me losing it

04-07-2003, 11:39 PM	#4
ks Certifiably Insane Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 21, 2000 Location: I live in my hole... Posts: 5,501	Right on! ks
	__________________ "Ya gotta have a little faith." C.D. DeLerenzo

04-08-2003, 07:52 AM	#11
Brandon Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 03, 2003 Location: Hell Above The Soil Posts: 2,838	my friend showed me those pictures, and there were plenty of girls who weren't perfect. i saw a few bigger girls, and some average sized girls and about 1 or 2 anorexic looking girls....
	__________________ <center> <img src=http://www.tvlinksonline.com/boards/attachment.php?s=&postid=875292> Break back another heart attack!

04-08-2003, 09:54 AM	#12
Jem Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 625	Good job, Hannah. It's important for magazines to realize that they have to show more normal weight people in their magazines. I bet if they did it would probably stop problems of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Probably the only reason people suffer from those disorders like that now in the first place is because swim suit magazines among others show models like that. Sometimes while just looking at teen or seventeen magazine I see the pictures of models that look so sickingly skinny, they look anorexic.
	__________________ There is no such thing as revenge You will not give as good as you got There is no such thing as an eye for an eye If you think you're the giver, you're not There is no such thing as regret There is no point in placing the blame Hate destroys the one who hates And everyone suffers the same There is only love and respect To thine own self be true When you point the finger There are three fingers pointing back at you

04-07-2003, 11:47 PM	#5
DarleneIllyria Gone Forum Star Join Date: Oct 15, 2000 Posts: 19,086	You did a great job. Your letter sounds very good.

04-08-2003, 12:09 AM	#6
Mysty Eyes Dreaming... Senior Member Join Date: Feb 04, 2002 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 1,144	Yes, I like it. It gets your point across without being at all offensive. That is the way to get their attention: by being calm and logical and making a valid statement. Frankly, I'm a little miffed that they had the audacity to claim "real girls with real bodies." That is very misleading. It implies that the reader will see non-model types. They of course can get away with this ploy because, well, models are real and do have real bodies. But it's deceptive nonetheless. While I have long long ago ceased to be a "girl" (I'm 48), magazines have, for as long as I have been reading them and longer, glorified the "model look." In reality very few people look like models, regardless of age or gender. In fact models oftentimes look sickly; who really wants to look like that to begin with? Not I.

04-08-2003, 12:42 AM	#7
Faith Internet Junkie Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 07, 2002 Location: HELL Posts: 9,879	Very well put Hannah, you did a great job..

04-08-2003, 12:54 AM	#8
Czas na Zywiec what up Forum Star Join Date: Jun 28, 2001 Location: Southwest Side, Chicago Posts: 18,398	And this is why we have so many anorexic and bulimic people in this country. Thank you, once again, for making perfectly normal people starve themselves by leading them to believe that beauty = 0 lbs.

04-08-2003, 01:42 AM	#9
~Hannah_Lee~ Let's dance in style Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 09, 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,358	I'm glad to see that people agree with what I am saying.

04-08-2003, 01:59 AM	#10
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Hannah, I've said it before and I'll say it again: you are a very intelligent person. I agree with your sentiments wholeheartedly.

04-08-2003, 12:05 PM	#13
~LadyJess~ Football Chick Forum Fanatic Join Date: Mar 15, 2002 Location: At the Shamrock doing shots with Mo Posts: 8,260	Go Hannah! I totally agree with what you said, I can't stand models that they put in magazines. Sure some people look like that, but not a lot, and most people can never look like that no matter how hard they try because of their body type. It's not right that the image of the "perfect woman" that society puts out there is 100 lbs and size 0.
	__________________ 8/26/05 Jessica & Anthony

04-08-2003, 03:24 PM	#15
ISmellFine Zim Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 13, 2001 Posts: 4,886	nods I agree wif yoo, Hannah.
	__________________ Milton: "...and it's not okay, because if they take my stapler...then I'll set the building on fire."