At least that’s what New York Times essayist Harriet Brown thinks.
In an article for the paper entitled ‘For Obese People, Prejudice in Plain Sight,’ Brown claims that “Fat stigma affects everyone’s health – fat, thin, or in-between” and suggests that rather than help children, Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign only makes them feel worse about themselves.
The ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, which was set up by the First Lady back in 2009, aims to get children away from computer screens and video games and outside doing physical exercise. Since the launch of the campaign, vending machines have been removed from schools and 400 million dollars has been spent on the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. Even celebrities have been getting involved; R&B singer Beyonce starred in a video for the campaign earlier this year.
Harriet Brown insists however, that in a nation where the ‘thin ideal’ is praised and a perfect ‘bikini body’ is the ultimate goal, the campaign encourages low self-esteem and shines the national spotlight on a sensitive issue.
