Comments on: Our 14-Year-Old Responds

By: serenity

serenity — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:11:48 +0000

That’s rubbish, Ja rule. If you live in a world where all you see, and value, are `thin people’ , and everyone else is invisible to you, then what you say may hold true. In the real world, people judge one another on their actions, on their character, and how they make them feel about themselves.

By: Ja Rule

Ja Rule — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:49:01 +0000

I don’t think we are doing the fat girl a favor by deluding her into a false sense of security. Like it or not, the world does not take kindly to confident fatties – they’re fine with sad fatties they can look down upon, but not fatties who think they’re just as good – and when the fat girl comes up against this, it will destroy her delusion, and send her even deeper into self-hatred and shame at her former delusions.

By: JenJen

JenJen — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:50:08 +0000

To The Young and Beautiful 14 Year Old Girl,

You are one of the many who are (thankfully) realizing that you are so much more than just your body.

The fact that you took the initiative to write that e-mail meant quite a bit.

I wish I had to more to say, but I’ve been left speechless, and in a good way.

Just remember that you are BEAUTIFUL, and remember that you are WORTHY, and that you are LOVED, and will always BE LOVED.

Sincerely,
Jen

By: Gaia

Gaia — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:09:13 +0000

“The industry doesn’t own me anymore! I’m free!”

Oh man, I totally lost it when I got to this spot in this young woman’s response. I’m still wiping away tears and thinking to myself, “My God, maybe we really will see a day when all 14 year old girls can feel this good.”

By: superblondgirl

superblondgirl — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 23:07:32 +0000

That is the most amazing thing I think I’ve read in a loong, long time. You know what? Thank YOU, Ms. Anonymous 14 year old, for that amazing letter. Because that’s something I can look back and read when I’m feeling awful about myself (like today, when my skin is falling apart with zittiness and my stomach is pooching out madly). Your beautiful letter made my day, and made me feel so much better about myself. Thank you.

By: Alice

Alice — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:35:15 +0000

Way to go, 14-year-old! I can’t tell you how happy I am to read your words. You are seriously inspiring to me. With your self-acceptance, you will RADIATE beauty- and that’s not something that any amount of dieting, makeup or surgery can give you. I wish you every happiness.

By: henriette weber andersen

henriette weber andersen — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 07:57:12 +0000

yey ! -that’s wonderful – and everything is about making a difference right =)…

rock on

By: AnnieMcPhee

AnnieMcPhee — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 05:27:47 +0000

Let me echo others – MoPie? This is what these blogs exist for. To counteract the negative messages that are thrown at us ceaselessly and teach insecure people that they. are. fine. Sure, at 14 your moods go up and down like fireworks at a fairground, and of course she’ll have her down days too – but now she knows where to go to get lifted right back up! God bless her. And you.

SLR – welcome to FA!!! Unfortunately for me, I have big ol’ Fred Flintstone feet and cankles. But you know, I have people who love me, a husband who lusts after me, and when I bother with it, pretty hair (hair which used to be my bane because it’s inordinately CURLY and used to grow straight out from my head in an afro lol.) But I have soft skin, my husband loves to curl up into my very warm fat body at night, I have an intelligent brain, I have marketable and useful work skills, a good work ethic, a kind and generous heart, hella good knitting skills – hell, there’s a lot there to be happy about. On the health side, I’m not dying anymore (I was real sick for a long time), I have perfect BP, perfect blood sugar, and I’m alive. There’s too much to be happy about to waste time thinking about some ridiculous arbitrary beauty standard. You enjoy and pamper your feet, and start thinking about all the other things you have going for you – hell, you’re 17 and have a whole long and profitable life stretching before you! Treasure it, and don’t waste time on negativity, girl. You go!

By: mo pie

mo pie — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 04:37:04 +0000

That’s not just a start, SLR, it’s a GREAT start. Welcome!

By: SLR

SLR — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:16:07 +0000

As a seventeen-year-old who’s been lurking around the fatosphere since I read about it on the NY Times website, there’s a lot I’d like to say that I cannot put into words at the moment, but for now: tonight after reading this girl’s story and all the incredible comments surrounding it, I realized how much I like my feet, so I painted my toenails and am currently feeling gorgeous. It’s a start!