Have you ever had that experience where you talk about something, and then voila! An ad pops up in your Facebook timeline for that product or one of its competitors? Yeah, it happens, and it’s pretty freaky. But as much as we find ourselves asking, “dang, is my phone listening to me?” because of all the conveniently timed ads that appear on our Facebook timelines and elsewhere on our mobile phones, sometimes the targeting is laughably off-base.
For example, for the past week or so, I’ve seen ads in my Facebook timeline featuring a morbidly obese woman (or even more than one) in really tight-fitting outfits, dancing around like sexpots—and not ironically. This unattractive barrage of gyrating cellulite comes courtesy of a celebrity named Lizzo. I’ve never been cool, and I’m certainly behind the times now, but Lizzo, it turns out, is a singer. I can’t tell you if she’s any good because I honestly don’t know, but she must be famous enough to have launched her own shapewear line, called Yitty, which I’ve seen ads for.
Yitty launched earlier this month, and Lizzo “announced” the launch of her shapewear by boarding a private jet and wearing black leggings with butt cutouts—apparently from the Yitty line. I don’t care if you get angry with me for showing you because, frankly, if I had to see this, you have to as well.
When you’re done bleaching your eyes, I must tell you that Yitty’s Facebook page similarly boasts images of half-naked women wearing Yitty wear. Believe me when I tell you, these women genuinely have no business being half-naked and pretending like it’s something to brag about. I desperately wish I could unsee it all. I’m nearly tempted to file a complaint to OSHA about hazardous workplace conditions for all the gross things I’ve had to see as part of my research for this article.
And yes, I know I’m no Adonis who has any business being critical on this subject. But there’s a huge difference between offering products for people at varying levels of obesity and celebrating obesity—which the ad campaign for Yitty clearly seems to be doing.
Of course, I know I’m behind on the times. Lizzo isn’t celebrating morbid obesity … well, she is … but “celebrating morbid obesity” has simply been rebranded as being “size-inclusive” or “body positive” or some other ridiculous woke term to make the excessively fat excessively content to be fat forever instead of daring to aspire to embrace a healthier lifestyle.
According to the CDC, 14.4 million children and adolescents 2-19 years old in 2017-2018 were obese. Childhood obesity is undoubtedly a serious problem in the United States, and Yitty and its mastermind Lizzo equating morbid obesity to sexiness and attractiveness certainly won’t help.
It wasn’t all that long ago when unrealistically thin models were stirring up controversy and being blamed for an increase in anorexia and bulimia among teen girls. This celebration of obesity seems like a bit of an overcorrection, don’t you think?
According to Yitty’s website, the brand is “based on the principles of self-love, radical inner confidence, and effortless, everyday wear,” and boasts an “industry first: no-shame, smile-inducing shapewear designed for all body types from size 6X to XS, centered around self-love.”
Call me crazy, but maybe “no-shame” is the problem. Are we no longer allowed to tell people that their lifestyle is unhealthy and that they should eat better and exercise if they want to live a long and happy life? It sure is starting to feel that way.