I actually don't think it's a good thing to be obese, but these ads were offensive to me. Offensive because they suggest that you should be ashamed of stripping for your husband if you're fat. Offensive because they focus on the importance of fashion rather than the importance of health and strength.

And really, REALLY offensive because they are playing on women's insecurities about their looks in order to sell a fucking diet drug "quick fix".

I mean, if feminists want to open a dialogue about women's health, and focus on gaining strength through healthy eating instead of, oh, I don't know, making women feel neurotic and trying to get them to take fad drugs in order to be able to be skinny enough to please their men with lingerie, I wouldn't have a problem with it.

And it has particularly upset me considering that women have DIED trying to get skinny using pharmaceutical fad drugs and fad surgeries (stomach stapling and liposuction anyone?) and it's because of this very attitude that these asses are promoting - I have to get thin at all costs, the faster the better, and health doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that I can wear anything my teenager does, and that my husband likes my lingerie.

[ 23 February 2005: Message edited by: Albireo ]

Rebecca, maybe you should try asking your doctor, and then get back to us so that we can begin a public campaign.

Hi, my name is Julie, and today I met my husband at the front door all dressed up in Saran Wrap -- with nothing underneath!

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I saw one of the ads, and I was just perplexed at the fact that you didn't know what it was advertising, or who paid for it.

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The web site is http://www.curethecatch.ca but I have no idea what it's about because a few hours ago I tried to check it out, but it wouldn't open. I just got the "english/french" choice, and then the next page wouldn't load.

Oh, what crap. I just checked it out now, and it asked all those questions. I didn't answer ANY of the questions, and then at the end it said I have a mild case of "the catch" and that I should enter my e-mail address once they release the cure or something like that.

Um yeah, I'll get right on that!

[ 24 February 2005: Message edited by: Michelle ]

I had the thought that since one of the ads said that "11.5 million Canadians have the catch" that the catch might be the CATholic CHurch.

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Yeah, I'm tempted to make stickers with statistics about how many women were harmed by fen-phen since that's on my mind lately.

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Originally posted by James:
Does it somehow "ghetto-ize" and perhaps weaken the campaign against Wyeth and the complicit distributors to turn it into a feminist issue?

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Sigh.

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Originally posted by Michelle:
I wouldn't be doing it as a campaign against fen-phen, I would be doing it as a campaign against the sexist targeting of women in the I Am Julie ads.

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Or:

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Sounds worse than "Olestra"!
(risk of "anal seepage")

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My weight-obsessed friend brought back some Pringles from the US.

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According to the Globe and Mail (02/24/05) the "Julie's Story" ad
campaign is being funded by Hoffman-LaRoche to promote sales of their
pharmaceutical, Xenical (also known as Orlistat). Xenical is no magic
pill that simply melts the pounds away for those of us wanting to lose a
few, as the ads may suggest, but a prescription medication approved only
for the treatment of obesity.

What Xenical does to your body
Xenical works by preventing the absorption of dietary fats from the
foods you eat, with undigested fat removed through bowel movements. In
the process, the absorption of some important fat-soluble vitamins and
beta-carotene in the diet are blocked. So those taking Xenical must also
take vitamin supplements to get the essential nutrients they are no
longer able to absorb from the foods that they eat.

The most common side-effects of Xenical are the following:

Oily or fatty bowel movements (stools)
Increased number of bowel movements
Urgent need and/or inability to control bowel movement
Bowel movements that are orange or brown in colour
Gas with discharge
Oily discharge
Stomach pain
Irregular menstrual periods.
Xenical is also not recommended for those who are pregnant, planning to
get pregnant, breastfeeding, or who suffer from chronic malabsorption
syndrome or cholestasis.

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Originally posted by Mandos:
This sounds suspiciously like Olestra except that was an actual food additive.

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Well same idea. One replaces fat with something indigestible, the other makes fat indigestible.

I have some friends who teach ESL and FSL in businesses and take public transport at odd hours. Would be a good project for the 8th of March.

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So those taking Xenical must also
take vitamin supplements to get the essential nutrients they are no
longer able to absorb from the foods that they eat.

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What bothers me about the I am Julie ad, in addition to all that you've been writing here, is that men are only attracted to slim women.

A lot of men are attracted to obese women, and I can see why. Obese women are very soft and cuddly, like giant teddy bears,if you will.

My best friend is obsese. In fact, my two best friends are.

I am thin.

My Significant Other has a little round belly. And it does not shake like Santa -- it's just "there," and I love it.

I have no problems with men with bellies, little or big, but I am not attracted to men who are hugely obese. A little extra weight is nice, on men, to me.

"The sponsor of this ad is Hoffman-Laroche who make a weight-loss drug called Xenical. Check the specs on this drug. The side effects aren't very sexy."

Re: Julie ads
compasspoints
2005-02-25 17:57 (link)
http://www.xenical.com/hcp/3_productinfo.asp#5

Re "counter-postering" "I am Julie" - Do a search for "make stickers with your printer"
at http://www.google.ca/ to get started in
simple, easy and inexpensive methods to make stickers with a printer and labels.

[ 13 March 2005: Message edited by: yankcanuck ]

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Originally posted by thiswoman:
One of the biggest problems about ads like the one you are describing (I haven't seen it anywhere yet in BC), is that women in general, regardless their age, are either slavishly over-exercising (exercise is very good and makes one feel extraordinarily vibrant, but too much of a good thing...), eating far too little for their energy needs, or obsessed with their ability to attract/keep a partner and literally killing themselves to be what they may never be (we are not all tall and lithe). When women are kept so occupied with these physical endeavors, men who wish to maintain their hegemony over women are very pleased not to have to 'compete' with them in the real world. It is time for women to realize that there is more in life than maintaining the cultural icon of the "beautiful woman." This is a game played by the media and is ultimately a lose/lose scenario because the rules always change. The best weight loss program in the world, should you wish to lose weight, is to see yourself as a valid person with a good head on your shoulder. When you look at this person in the mirror, the reflection that looks back is one that projects a self-empowerment and is not dependant on the opinion of others. You see the person, not the body.

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Women in general are slavishly overexercising? Are you kidding?

Sorry, but with rates of obesity -- and I don't mean just a little more body fat than the cover models, I mean clinically obsese -- rising in North American and Britain rising to epidemic proportions, overexercise does NOT seem to be the problem. I'd say overexercisers of either sex are few and far between in North America.

Men who "wish to maintain the hegemony"? Yeah, like there's this great conspiracy of men who are actively maintaining the hegemony. They meet in the dead of night to plot how to drive us to further nefarious heights of self-depletion. They're all in it, too -- ALL OF THEM!!!!!

I don't disagree that the best path to a healthy lifestyle is to start on the basis of self-worth, but until you start learning and practicing good nutrition and taking regular exercise, no amount of self-love is going to change your shape. I also think that most women are plenty smart enough to realize that there is more to life than measuring up to the icon of "beautiful woman", and that most of them do realize it. I find the suggestion that women in general don't get that to be condescending in the extreme -- as much or more so than any male bent on maintaining the hegemony.

[ 13 March 2005: Message edited by: Zoot ]

Someone posted a sticker underneath that said "Girl, make him apologize!"

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Someone posted a sticker underneath that said "Girl, make him apologize!"

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Originally posted by Mr. Magoo:

Because somehow this is all a man's fault. It must be... right? Good grief.

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Originally posted by Bacchus:
Ick quarter page ad for it in the Life section of the Star this weekend

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The Star wants to know if you would run the "I Am Julie" ads again.

So, you know what to do.

The worst part of it is that this drug is NOT for people who just want to lose a few pounds to fit into a new evening dress. It's only supposed to be prescribed to people with serious health-threatening obesity. Basically, these ads are asking people to ask their doctor to commit malpractice.

[ 20 March 2005: Message edited by: Doug ]

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Originally posted by Doug:

The Star wants to know if you would run the "I Am Julie" ads again.

So, you know what to do.

The worst part of it is that this drug is NOT for people who just want to lose a few pounds to fit into a new evening dress. It's only supposed to be prescribed to people with serious health-threatening obesity. Basically, these ads are asking people to ask their doctor to commit malpractice.

[ 20 March 2005: Message edited by: Doug ]

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Read the accompanying Star story. The publisher says that Canadian drug advertising rules treat readers like children. More of this "choice" crap!! Anybody read Doug Saunders in the Grope yesterday? Bloody good article.

[ 20 March 2005: Message edited by: fern hill ]

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Originally posted by Amy:

Yeah, actually, I find that particular response rather poorly thought out as well.

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It's a line from an ani difranco song

Zoot, I just noticed this:

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Vaseline on the lens and the whole glamour bit...

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Anyway, vaseline was used on lenses in the early days, but later on filters were developed to produce the same effect, so "vaseline on the lens" is really just a figure of speech.

"Today I wore an adult diaper to the beach for the first time....tee hee hee."

Good job, sistah! *gives the room high fives all round, but only ironically, because she knows deep down its corny*

But seriously, how did you make sure the bus driver didn't see you?

[ 31 March 2005: Message edited by: Granola Girl ]

I've put up three or four of them, it's easy cuz the bus I ride has only the one ad, so I have a bunch of the stickers in my purse. I deploy them during my usual commute (I put up two today, one going downtown and one coming home), and so far no-one's said a word to me, lol. (Touch wood).

I have a great idea for a sticker for the stripper ad, but I haven't seen it on the bus yet.

eta: I mean, I vandalize the ad that has the naked child on it, I don't vandalize the ad with a naked child.

[ 14 April 2005: Message edited by: Mophead C. Joseph ]