Kate Moss came under fire earlier this year for saying “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” a quote which became the mantra of anorexic girls everywhere after being emblazoned on a t-shirt … one that only came in a small. Capitalizing on that momentum, Urban Outfitters has made their own pro-ano shirt, which simply says, “Eat Less.” This didn’t sit well with the divine Sophia Bush, who took the opportunity to speak out ” in defense of all of us who have ever looked in a mirror and felt less than fabulous” by releasing a very strongly worded public letter to Urban Outfitters, which has been replicated below: Ladies! This is OUTRAGEOUS. I hope none of you will stand for being told such a thing, in such a way. Being healthy, eating right, and staying active is one thing. Being told to starve yourselves by a fashion company? Not cool. UO, I have been a supporter of your store for many years, but now I’m through. I am fortunate enough to star on a wonderful TV show called One Tree Hill. I play a fashion designer named Brooke Davis, who started a campaign on the show called “Zero Is Not A Size” and the outpouring of love and gratitude that came my way from girls and women ALL OVER THE WORLD who have body image issues brought me to tears. To promote starvation? To promote anorexia, which leads to heart disease, bone density loss, and a slew of other health problems, not least of all psychological issues that NEVER go away? Shame on you. I will no longer be shopping at your stores. And I will encourage the tens of thousands of female supporters I have to do the same. I have fought to boycott BP. I never imagined I would also be boycotting affordable fashion. You should issue a public apology, and make a hefty donation to a women’s organization that supports those stricken with eating disorders. I am sickened that anyone, on any board, in your gigantic company would have voted ‘yes’ on such a thing, let alone enough of you to manufacture an item with such a hurtful message. It’s like handing a suicidal person a loaded gun. You should know better. I sincerely hope that next time you decide that making fun of serious issues is comedic, or ‘snarky in a cool way,’ that you rethink your decision. With Sincerity but NO respect, Sophia Bush Article by New York Post * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * First of all, how awesome is she?! I am so glad that someone with some publicity and power behind them finally stood up about this. I think if more high-profile people would do similar things whenever something irritated them, we’d live in a very different world. But maybe it’s not just up to them. Maybe we should be the ones joining the fight. If you feel a certain way, there are thousands who share your feelings, and even if only a small percentage of those people take measures to speak up, we will have made an impact. That being said, I think I have a lot of emails and letters to write!
About The Author
Patricia Colli, Editor of Beutiful Magazine, is a human rights activist, equality advocate, and promoter of health, acceptance and wellbeing. Having experienced disordered eating, unhealthy exercise patterns and poor body image, she is especially passionate about shedding light on eating disorders and the power of body acceptance.
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