(It’s been pretty serious up in herrrrrrre and today’s post is no different. So if you need a laugh before you dive in — check out the vlog I did for Fitblogger.ca and learn three things about me that you probably didn’t know!)
I’ll say it –
Good for you, Marie Claire.
Source: shrinkingsisters.com
Don’t start throwing organic tomatoes at me until you see why I’m giving the much-maligned (deservedly) magazine, its publishers and its writers a little bit of love.
It’s not for the content of its most recent articles [which I hate passionately and deeply.] The reaction to the content has already been summed up by hundreds of others, covered on the major news networks and handled in a way that’s incredibly powerful.
My personal contribution: As a member of the fit blogging community, I am fiercely loyal to everyone who is struggling with disordered eating, poor body image, self-inflicted emotional abuse or bullying of any kind.
I have zero tolerance for hateful comments, in person or in print, and will turn into a rabid animal when provoked. Furthermore, I am extremely sympathetic to friends and blends who feel victimized by either of the articles listed below or any other controversial media coverage. That side of me wants to make like Gail and have a little BBQ.
What follows is from the more rational journalist side of me.
I’m offering kudos for the editors’ social media response. For the second time in months, Marie Claire and its writers find themselves on the bad end of blogger outrage — originally for its “Hunger Diaries” article and now for “Should Fatties Get a Room?”
Thousands of comments, tweets and Facebook posts prove that these are very sensitive topics — and when handled flippantly, as in the case of “Fatties,” they can be incredibly damaging.
I’m all for thought-provoking posts and even a little respectful debate…but it seems that writers and editors are losing their way. And I’m not just talking about the original decision to publish these articles — but the response, or lack of response to the hot debate that follows.
Until now.
Marie Claire has slowly and sluggishly started to react and acknowledge the incredibly heated emotions that its work has caused, and for that, I think we need to take a step back and say “thanks.” After all, the biggest problem people had in the wake of “Hunger Diaries” was that MC seemed to gloss over the largely negative commentary, which only further made readers feel ignored and unimportant.
I thought that the response might have prevented an article like “Fatties” from being posted, but apparently not. It should have. So let’s move forward. What did change
- Author Maura Kelly responded to the 109 pages of comments with a mea culpa — not a justification, but an explanation for why she wrote what she wrote.
- Two days after Kelly’s post appeared online, Marie Claire began soliciting and running several counterpoint posts.
- Marie Claire referenced the response on Twitter.
- Joana Coles responded and offered clarification on a popular fashion blog.
- Major media outlets covered the story — and not JUST the article itself. They focused on the response from readers and the social media community.
None of those things happened after “Hunger Diaries.” Is it enough? Not even close. Marie Claire has done the bare minimum and has not done the hard and important work — moving past the surface social media efforts and really committing to responding AND making substantive changes.
- Respond to the people posting on your Facebook wall.
- Reach out to the people using #unfollowmarieclaire on Twitter.
- Have Maura Kelly post a statement on Twitter or at least respond to the many who have sent her messages.
- Consider donating some or all of the proceeds you’ve gotten from the page views and comments on these articles to worthy causes that celebrate people of all shapes and sizes.
- Hire a community ombudsman to review upcoming articles/online posts and reach out BEFORE it goes public for counterpoints and reviews (even though many will be negative).
And, let me share that just like I did after “Hunger Diaries,” I reached out to Marie Claire, let them know my post was coming and asked for an official statement or some kind of response to the reaction. And once again, I got no response. I understand that I’m not NBC or The New York Times, but since there are millions of people just like me, there should be a response mechanism set up to reply to each and every person that provides feedback.
So, I guess what I mean to say is…
Good for you, Marie Claire. But not good enough.
About Katy
Very Good post on a different view of what they are and should be doing! Love the honesty
I thought this was a great post, wrapping up what MC did and what they really need to do. I will say that Joanna Coles’ response was what angered me the most, I think. It was billed as an apology/explanation, but was neither.
Also, it took me a minute to figure out that the magazine was on the grill. I was like, “Whoa, what does that girl do to her magazines?” Haha.
This was very informative. I have to be honest and say that my reaction the article was negative for a different reason than most people – I saw it as a way to get attention and publicity. I had never even read Marie Claire online but now have read two articles. And their name is out there all over. Isn’t there an old saying that no publicity is bad publicity? I just wondered at the reasoning behind the article; maybe it was an honest freedom of speech. But maybe it was intended to spark a reaction that included the publicity that followed.
Karen,
I know — I don’t read MC either, and keep responding! I won’t buy it, but then again, it’s not really targeted to me. I’m into healthy, frugal living and barely know how to dress myself in jeans and a t-shirt.
I agree with this. I don’t think they are going to respond too much, because this is totally what they wanted. They’re being talked about. In other SM crisis situations, a company has looked really bad and had to do damage control (like the Kevin Smith/Southwest thing). With this, I don’t think MC sees a crisis at all. Like you said, the healthy living blog community is not exactly the same demographic, so having them mad at us doesn’t affect their bottom line too much. Also, the “Fatties” story was deplorable, but the truth is there are a lot of people who feel the same way Kelly does (and THAT’s what we should be working to fix). It’s an interesting case study, but I think we need some more distance from it to really see it’s affects.
P.S. I’m a new reader, and as a total social media junky, and someone who’s coming to terms with her own “not a food blogger” status, I love what you are doing!
A very fair post by you, I’d say. My initial response when I read Maura Kelly’s article was to laugh. It might have been that cRaZy laugh that should never go public, but it was a laugh just the same. I guess I couldn’t believe the audacity after “The Hunger Diaries” article, but then I thought perhaps MC was trying to show they are an equal opportunity offender. Regardless, at least this time, as you mentioned, some type of effort is being made. It all just seems a little too late, though, as the damage has already been done. Just as with “The Hunger Diaries” article, the “…Fatties…” article seemed to start an onslaught of hatred on the fansite of FB – people attacking people. I guess it just goes to show insight into human nature…and that is perhaps the saddest side effect of all.
You might need to videotape that crazy laugh so I can see it
Definitely too little, too late from both MC and Hearst as a parent company.
Katy, I think your freakishly bendy arms are crazy! haha!
This is such a well written post. I think it was interesting that this was on the Today Show this morning and both Kelly and the editor refused to be interviewed. I just want to know what is up with them lately… their magazine seems to be batting 1000. geeze.
I just think MC still believe it’s too good for bloggers, especially those in the healthy living space. I wish I knew what it would take to shake them up.
I’m just extremely confused at the message that MC is trying to send. In “Hunger Diaries” they sent the message that healthy living bloggers are dangerous and have the potential to push people towards disordered eating and over-exercising. THEN they publish an article that is downright mean towards people who are struggling with weight. How do they rectify the dichotomy of those two messages? Do they not realize that blogs like Operation Beautiful focus on embracing a person’s body, regardless of size?
Thanks for continuing to facilitate these conversations, Katy!
this is an incredible post – thank you!
my main concern is that they have found a new way to gain viewership – and how far will they go?? who is next month’s target?
LOVE your construction suggestions!!
This is a great post! I really like that you give them some pointers on how to react along with saying they haven’t done enough. I think it is much more effective if instead of just disagreeing with Marie Claire you give them some solutions. Keep up the Great Work, Katy
Thanks, girl…if only I believed someone inside MC was giving the same advice! Maybe this whole debacle will make them audit their work a little.
What an informative post. Marie Claire is the the perfect case study to see what went wrong and how not to act. Granted they are doing some things right, but for they are still alienating their target audience and, in turn, pushing people away from their publication. On the flip side, they are getting tons of publicity, but not all publicity is good publicity.
I wonder, sadly, if they *are* alienating their target audience. Those of us who believe in healthy living are the same who speak out against emaciated models and crash dieting. And I don’t know too many people who spend $5,000 on a purse (maybe in running equipment!)
I wish our outrage would make a difference, but I am doubtful.
I just read J Coles’ response and I’m sorry, but what in the freaking world does this mean:
“Maura Kelly is a very provocative blogger,” Coles told us. “She was an anorexic herself and this is a subject she feels very strongly about.”
The subject she feels very strongly about is making fun of overweight people, but it’s OK because she had an eating disorder? WHAT???
I think the real proof that Joanna is making a bad situation even worse is that she admits never watching the show — and wrongly asserts that the show is making fun of fat people. Therefore, justifying her blogger’s work.
The whole thing is ugly, and as I said in reply to other comments, I think the tragedy is that we aren’t the target audience for MC, so despite our outrage and best efforts to effect some change, it probably won’t do much.
But MC is a Hearst brand, so maybe there’s value in reaching out to some of its other magazines and editors? I dunno, girl…there are so many things that are wrong that it’s hard to know where to start.
Loved your vlog! I’ve done many but don’t have the guts to post it up on the blog *shyness factor*
MC doesn’t deserve anymore recognition, traffic or my sympathies
Boo!
Im so so so stuck wondering is this is all a snarky masterplan by them to sh*tstir and get more press?!
I didn’t agree with “The Hunger Diaries” but I think for the “Fatties” article, the author was just speaking her mind, even though it maybe shouldn’t have been published by Marie Clare since it is their responsibility as a women’s health magazine to not promote negative body image. However, when it comes down to it, people shouldn’t be fat. It is not healthy to be obese.
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