October 15, 2009
Meghan McCain: Fat slut, just fat, or just a slut? I report; you decide.

Posted at 4:48 pm, in: Entertainment
Tags: Jessica Simpson, Meghan McCain, Twitter

I have just stumbled upon a CNN.com story about Meghan McCain quitting Twitter because of some picture she took that resulted in people calling her a slut. That post led me to Meghan’s latest column about fat chicks in America and how the media treats them. I barely know where to begin with this one. But, I guess we’ll start with the slut stuff:

Meghan McCain says she’s ready to quit Twitter all together after generating a wave of criticism from users of the popular social networking site Wednesday night for posting a picture of herself in a tank top that left little to the twitterverse’s imagination.

The controversy began quietly enough when McCain, the vocal daughter of the former Republican presidential candidate, tweeted that her self described “spontaneous” night in included reading a biography of the iconic artist Andy Warhol and ordering takeout.

It was there the 24-year old McCain posted the photo of herself wearing a tank top that generated the subsequent controversy .

The photograph apparently generated a string of negative responses, leading McCain to weigh in 15 minutes later: “so I took a fun picture not thinking anything about what I was wearing but apparently anything other than a pantsuit and I am a slut.”

“This is why I have been considering deleting my twitter account,” McCain, with close to 60,000 followers, continued in another tweet, “what once was fun now just seems like a vessel for harassment.”

Fifteen minutes later, McCain weighed in again, tweeting, “When I am alone in my apartment, I wear tank tops and sweat pants, I had no idea this makes me a slut”, I can’t even tell you how hurt I am.”

An hour later, the prolific tweeter said her decision was nearly made: “ok I am getting the f**k off twitter, promise not to delete my account until I sleep on it, thank you for the nice words supporters.”

But McCain did make one final tweet before the evening came to a close, posting a link to her latest column for the Web site The Daily Beast.

It is interesting to me that CNN.com chose to use the term “weigh in” twice and then linked to Meghan’s latest blog post about the media’s obsession with weight, but that’s neither here nor there. I will not speculate on the intentions of those nameless “reporters” over at CNN.com and what they were trying to get at. Let’s concentrate on what’s important, here: Meghan McCain wearing a tank top pushing her breasts out of the top as if she was Pam Anderson and taking a picture of it and posting it on Twitter. That’s what we’re really here to talk about.

NotSurprisingly, people did not respond well to this picture of Meghan being…well, being Meghan McCain, of course. Anything for a little attention. Even if that means slutting herself out by posting provocative pictures of herself on Twitter. What annoys me about it is that she acts all surprised that people called her a slut after posting this pic. We all know what she was going for. I guess when the thing that catapulted you to fame was talking trash about Ann Coulter and having Laura Ingraham call you fat there’s no where to go but down.

As per usual, Meghan misses the point. She doesn’t get why people find her repulsive and labeled her a slut. No, Meghan, wearing a tank top doesn’t make you a slut. Wearing a tank top that’s too small for you that has your breasts popping out and smacking people in the face kind of does. Also, there are plenty of things you can wear in the privacy of your home that people would call you a slut for wearing outside. So, once again, wearing a tank top around the house doesn’t make you a slut, even if it clearly doesn’t fit you. It’s when you post it online for the whole world to see that your sexual proclivities come into question. You can wear lingerie around the house, too and no one would call you a slut, but if you wore it out in public you would be labeled a whore. Should I keep going or are you starting to get the point?

You took this picture and posted it online knowing that you looked like a Playboy Bunny. In fact, that’s probably why you posted it online. I know you’re stupid, but you’re not that stupid. You know why people are calling you names. You’re just mad because you thought you looked good and your feelings got hurt when you realized people became violently ill at the sight of you. But, enough about that and on to your other self-esteem issues, which are kind of related. I have a theory that one of the reasons you are so slutty and desperate for attention is because you are uncomfortable with your weight so, let’s move onto your blog post about the media and fat chicks:

My weight is the great constant in my life, no matter where I am or what I am doing it is an issue that comes up. People approach me in public sometimes to talk about their own body-image issues and commiserate about the cruel treatment I receive. Whether or not the media wants to face this, I believe some women are less likely to speak out publicly about their political beliefs because they see the way I am talked about. Why would any woman want to speak out on television when the inevitable result will be a merciless critique of her physical appearance? God forbid she is larger than a size 4 or under 5 foot 10, because then the way she feels politically is irrelevant. I worry about the long-term damage this kind of weight obsession is doing. We are grooming a generation of women who are less likely to speak out about their beliefs because of the assault that comes on their physical appearance as a result. Just look at the treatment of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton by the media if you need any more evidence. What exactly is the media hoping to achieve by doing this? What does anyone gain by this? The media can do better, this country can do better, if not for women like me then my little sister and all the other young girls in this country.

I joke that some of these political Web sites should have separate sections for people to blog about the size of my ass (still a size 10, for those of you who are keeping score).

My only answer is to refuse to take it. I refuse to be bullied, and I refuse to let Jessica Simpson be bullied. This is the way I look, this is the way my body looks, which by the way is a completely separate issue from the way I feel politically. This country and the media are doing a horrible injustice to the young women in this country but I for one refuse to be a part of it. I also am reassured that in some small way, I hope my refusal to conform to the media’s standard of an ideal body image makes it easier for other girls out there.

Because the only heavy thing that truly matters here is the burden.

WARNING: HEAVY SARCASM ALERT in 5…4…3…2…1…

You go girl! You refuse to take it. You are so brave, out there fighting the good fight, defending Jessica Simpson! I can’t imagine how hard it is to live a day in the life of Meghan McCain, the girl who has accomplished nothing but being the daughter of a famous politician and made her own name by trashing the political party she claims to belong to and the women in that party who earned their fame through hard work and dedication. Excuse me, I just feel so bad that I can’t stop these tears. I have to get a tissue. Boo-hoo, Meghan McCain!

I may be a rarity, but I don’t believe the media is to blame for girls having eating disorders. And, you know, I’m kind of offended that you aren’t standing up for all of the men out there who suffer from anorexia and bulimia. Are you sexist? Is it because after you give yourself away to any man you pass on your way to the restroom he doesn’t even have the curtousy to help you up off the bathroom floor?

Eating disorders are very complicated mental diseases (not that I expect you to understand the simplest of things). Their causes and cures are difficult. Although the focus is food, they are more about control. People don’t start starving themselves because of skinny models in a magazine. If they did, then there would be way more women (and men) suffering from it. The truth is, the percentage of people in our society with eating disorders is very small and there are other underlying causes at play. The control of food entering or exiting their body is a manifestation of some larger problem. They may point to a picture in a magazine as the cause, but that’s not the case. It’s the simplest response, which explains why it’s the only cause you can possibly understand.

I’m sick of fat people talking about media images, body images, and eating disorders. The only eating disorder we seem to have a problem with in America is overeating. America is the most obese nation in the world. We have a growing obesity epidemic, and you’re seriously going to argue that people are dying because the media promotes skinny people while denigrating fatties? Really? That’s where you’re going to go with this? I’m sure there are many more people dying of complications of being overweight than under.

If you’re fat and you know and you really wanna show it, good for you! And, if Jessica Simpson wants to pack on the pounds eating at Olive Garden, good for her. It’s the price you pay for putting yourselves in the spotlight. I’m glad that you’re proud of being fattastic, except that I don’t think that you’re proud of it. Sexual promiscuity is a sign of low self-esteem. All of your desperate attempts for attention show me that you have very low self-esteem and the more you protest my conclusion the more you convince me I’m right.

If you really weren’t concerned about your weight you wouldn’t be posting questionable pictures of yourself on Twitter in a misguided attempt to look sexy and you wouldn’t be obsessing about it to the point of writing this lengthy blog post about it. It’s like I have said before, you’re like the former dorky chick on an episode of Maury ten years from now bringing back the boy who wouldn’t kiss you in high school to tell him how over it you are. Except, you’re obviously not over it because if you were you wouldn’t be concerned with bringing the guy on Maury and telling him about it.

UPDATE: My boy over at American Power just came through with his own thoughts on the McCain Boobette situation.

UPDATE II: Why is The Other McCain refusing to show me some linky-love on this Little Miss Booberrific stuff? Was I too mean? Did I go too far? I know, he said no fat jokes, but I didn’t think I made any. OK, perhaps there was some offensive words (fattastic?), but it’s not like I’m claiming to be the Camp of Saints, over here. I’m a HotMES! It’s all in the name.