Buy Walking VideosJ.K. Rowling Talks About Weight Issues
J. K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, had a series of events happen to her that made her stand up and notice the pressure that all women are under to be thin.
She saw a woman whom she hadn’t seen for three years and the first thing the woman said was how thin she was. Rowling’s instinctive response was perfect.
“I’ve produced my third child and my sixth novel since I last saw you. Aren’t either of those things more important, more interesting, than my size? But no – my waist looked smaller! Forget the kid and the book: finally, something to celebrate!”
She goes on to say,
“Let my girls be Hermiones, rather than Pansy Parkinsons.”
But she has failed to notice that the actress playing Hermione has wasted away to a skinny skeleton of herself.
None of us are exempt from this body judgment, not even world-famous authors.
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April 17th, 2006 at 9:56 pm
I am sure that her second question would of been about the family. Unfortunately, we all do it and then later tell someone what the person looked like compared to the last time we saw them.
April 18th, 2006 at 1:13 pm
I think when she pictures characters, she pictures her written ones rather than the actors and actresses who play them. I’ve seen comments to that effect before. So it’s the Hermione of the book she’s talking about.
It’s too bad so many still think the big compliment is to say you look thinner. Second to that is that you look younger. I get this a lot and I’m always reluctant to respond positively to it because then it looks like I’m endorsing the notion that we all should strive to look younger.
All I can say to J. K. is thank you for challenging this notion because many young girls will read these words.
April 19th, 2006 at 11:18 am
Yes..way too much emphasis is spent on physical characteristics of people, that’s why I’ve become a “volumist” and started a blog espousing the view that folks should be judged more on how much space they take in the world based not so much on size, but on their personal habits and choices. Check it out. It makes sense! http://noweighting.blogspot.com