You know the statement, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.”
Well, I’m here to offer a “spin” on that statement.
“If what you are saying does not make sense, then be quiet!”
If given the opportunity, I would probably say that to writer Alice Randall. Randall recently wrote an opinion piece in the New York Times titled “Black Women and Fat.”
The headline (and the nudging of my newsroom manager) was certainly enough to garner my attention so I read the piece.
I wish I hadn’t.
Not only was I irritated by Randall’s perspective, I also acquired a tremendous headache from my frustration with the piece. Ugh!
Randall basically said that 4 out of 5 Black women are obese because they want to be. Really?!?!
In her article, Randall explains how Black women are different than their Caucasian counterparts who seek to be thin. In contrast, she says Black women simply want to be fat and also have big hips and big thighs. She also describes how “sane, handsome, successful” Black men worry when their women start losing weight.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand that women in general (not just Black women) want to be shapely and have curves, but to suggest that Black women want to be fat to, among other things, please a man is ridiculous and appalling. It’s also an embarrassing misconception that can easily become a stereotype of Black women. What makes matters worse is that Randall is a Black woman herself. She even cites her lawyer husband as being one of the “successful” men who don’t want Black women to be less than 200 pounds.
I wonder what isolated rock Randall has been living under?
First of all, I don’t know one Black woman who simply wants to be fat and strives towards maintaining a lifestyle that incorporates being overweight.
I do, however, know Black women who are overweight because of stress and a lack of sleep – both major contributing factors to obesity. But more significantly, I know Black women who are obese because they live in neighborhoods that have an influx of liquor stores, gas stations and fast-food restaurants; but very few grocery stores that offer fresh fruits and vegetables. I also know Black women who are overweight because they can’t afford a gym membership, nor do they have the necessary transportation options to get them there.
And then there are the Black women, who are simply uneducated about healthy food options. They don’t understand that healthy adults should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium and that individuals with high blood pressure should have 1,500 mg of sodium or less per day. By the way, the average chicken dinner at a fast-food restaurant that is probably the nearest and most convenient to lower-income level people has approximately 2,243 mg of sodium.
So naturally when I read Randall’s article I was aggravated. How could a seemingly educated woman be so clueless?
I guess this is where the difference in book smarts and common sense come into play, huh?
While Randall did mention that she was now striving to stay under 200 pounds, I feel her article in general was a missed opportunity to educate a mainstream audience about the plight of obesity and the challenges that many people – not just Blacks – face in trying to overcome it. The Centers for Disease Control’s statistical information notes one-third of Americans are currently obese and another one-third are seriously overweight proves that this health concern is one that transcends one particular demographic.
There seems to be concerted efforts from some fast-food chains to combat obesity as many now provide the caloric intake of certain menu items. Some even offer healthier food options. Walgreens drug store should also be commended as they now offer fruits, vegetables and other healthy food options at stores in economically-disadvantaged areas.
There is power in words and it is the media’s responsibility to take the platforms we have to effectively educate the public seriously. I wish Randall would have been more accurate in her depiction of Black women.
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
