1. family and parenting
2. babies and toddlers

Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
WOMAN
New
19
PLUS!
HUGE HEALTH
AND BEAUTY
SAVINGS WITH OUR
ASTUTE DEALS
P30
‘Belfies’
and body
hang-ups
YOUNG
WOMEN TELL
US WHY FAT IS
STILL A FEMINIST
ISSUE P20-21
How to have locks
like Kim Kardashian
...your step-by-step
hairstyle guide
P26
Perfect match...
keep it together
with the latest
‘co-ord’ fashions
P24-25
20
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
What’s on
Romford’s
JESSIE J puts
the record
straight. Yes,
she does eat
food when she
is hungry.
@JessieJ
When people see a pap picture
of me eating and they put things
like “hungry, were we?” “Eating
a chip are we?” Erm, yep.
SARAH
MILLICAN,
whose tour
comes to
Essex later this
year, loves her
snap, crackle
and pop any time of day.
@SarahMillican75 Jan 22 I
have just eaten a bowl of
cereal for lunch. It’s one of
those days.
RUSSELL BRAND
thinks the whole
world has got it in
for him, including
his phone.
@RustyRocket
My phone has
turned against me
since the toilet
trip. I don’t have a sister and
who the hell is Harriet?
AMY CHILDS
is gearing up
for the
Channel 4
show Jump
next week and
it sounds like the challenge
is becoming a little intense.
@AmyChilds Me and
@KimberlyKWyatt at
today’s bob sleighing
....#toofast #scary !!!
Samantha Castillos,
20, , from Basildon,
chairman of the
feminist society
“BEING fat is still very much
a feminist issue and you do
not have to be overweight
to be affected by it.
“The idea that women
should conform to an ideal
body type and that fat is
bad and thin is good is
negative for all women. It
means we are all either
getting negative attention
for being fat or striving for
something unattainable and
feeling unhappy.
“We are constantly being
bombarded by things that
tell us that we are not good
enough. The fashion brand
Mango stated that its plus
size range started at a size
12. A 12!
“I have had my own body
issues. I was a skinny kid
and then my body suddenly
changed and I became a
woman. That was pretty
scary for me. I have since
accepted myself and
thrown away the scales.
“It doesn’t mean people
stop commenting on my
body. My dad has said in
the past ‘do you need to be
eating those crisps’ and my
boyfriend sometimes
pesters me to go for a run. I
know they do not mean
anything by it, but people
feel it’s OK to comment on
a woman’s weight.”
When LOUIE
SPENCE
comes back
to Essex,
there is only
one thing on his mind.
@louiespence Where can I find
Bikram Yoga in Essex...
JEMIMA KHAN,
who is apparently
dating Grays
comedian Russell
Brand, relates
some sobering facts about
modern-day slavery.
@Jemima_Khan Fact: There
are at least 27 million slaves
in the world today, more than
were seized from Africa in
the 400 yrs of the slave trade
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
In these days of
‘thigh gap’ and
‘belfies’, fat is
still very much
a feminist issue

Ever heard of a “thigh
gap”? What about a
“belfie”? If not,
consider yourself lucky, but
for a lot of young women
these types of body
pressures are a part of their
everyday life.
Thirty-six years ago, Susan
Orbach wrote the book Fat is
Christina Brown, 24, is
studying for a PhD in
Philosophy, partly on the
subject of fat acceptance
“VERY recently I had a bit of a
revelation and began to accept
myself exactly as I am. My whole
life I have had people watching
and monitoring my weight and
judging me on it. From the age of
five, when I first went to a
dietician, I have been trying to
lose weight. Where I grew up in
South Africa, unless you had a
perfect beach body, it was
perceived there was something
wrong with you.
“Do you think if I could wake
Emily Armstrong, 20,
from Chelmsford
Sian Watson, 20, from
Brentwood
“I WAS home-schooled from
seven to 16 and so I think I
must have been sheltered from
pressures for a while. I am
definitely aware of it now and of
things like ‘thigh gap’ but I don’t
feel pressurised into changing.”
a Feminist Issue about the
implications of judging
women based on what they
look like, rather than as
human beings.
Today, there are more
outside pressures on
women, but the global
campaign Fat Acceptance
Movement has started to
“IT is strange how other
people react to your body. I
gained four stone while
studying for my A-level exams
and suddenly everyone was
asking me, ‘don’t you want to
lose weight?’
“One woman came up to
me while I was at work and
said ‘should you be eating
those chocolates?’
“Then when I lost the
weight everyone was saying
you look so much ‘better’. For
me, I just lost the weight
because it meant I felt
healthier, but other people’s
reactions to my weight gain
and loss were interesting.
“I think a lot of women have
their food issues and put food
into ‘good’ and ‘bad’
categories. I used to avoid
foods that were more than
three per cent fat. I gave
myself a talking to and now I
think ‘why shouldn’t I eat
those foods?’
“I have seen my mum get
upset about how she looks
and how she would like to
change her body and it makes
me sad. I don’t want to carry
on that negative feeling
towards my body.”
make inroads in helping
women to embrace who they
are, imperfections and all.
LOUISE HOWESON went to
meet members of the
University of Essex’s
Feminist Society to find out
about body hang-ups and
why they are still a feminist
issue.
up tomorrow and be half my
weight I wouldn’t? But it won’t
happen. So, for myself, I am
accepting myself as I am now.
“In this society, overweight
women are not perceived as
sexy, so there is an attitude of
‘well, what is the point of her
then?’ We are either sexy in a
fetish sort of way or ugly. There
is no inbetween.
“I have found support online
from bloggers like
archedeyebrow.com and
nearsightedowl.com. They have
shown me there are women like
me out there.”
 Read Christina’s blog at
asplinterintheeye.wordpress.com
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
WOMAN
New
 Fighting for women’s rights – from left, Vanessa Newman, Roisin Mcaweaney, Samantha Castillos, Emily Armstrong, Christina Brown, Sian Watson and Emmy Howarth
are members of the University of Essex’s Feminist Society
Picture: STEVE ARGENT CO89933_07
Vanessa Newman, 19
The man’s view...
“THERE is a lot of pressure on
women to look a certain way and
to post ‘selfies’ and ‘belfies’ on
Instagram and Twitter.
“It is something that affects
everyone, regardless of body type
and race. I have black friends who
feel under real pressure to
conform to a curvaceous body
type. One very slim friend even
drinks protein shakes to try to
gain weight.
“It all comes down to the idea of
women trying to be something
other than what they are naturally,
and why should we?”
Kit Cherry-Hollie, 19
Emmy Howarth, 19
Roisin Mcaweany, 19
“I STRUGGLED with my own body
issues as a teenager and at one
point I was on the verge of an
eating disorder.
“I have recovered now and I feel
good in my own skin. I think
nothing of going out
without makeup and
I feel
chucking on
good in
jeans and a
jumper.
my own skin.
“I think
I think nothing
with
confidence
of going out
comes a
without
feeling of
make-up
selfassurance.”
“I COULD never leave the house before
without wearing make-up. The more I
am surrounded by positive people in
the feminist society and friends, the less
pressure I feel to look a certain way. I
now happily go out without make-up, I
never post ‘selfies’ and I feel good in
myself.”
‘
Thigh gaps and belfies
STRIVING for a “thigh gap” means
losing enough weight so that your
thighs do not meet in the middle
when you stand with your feet
together. A “belfie” is a full body
photo to show your figure on sites
like Instagram and Twitter.
“WOMEN have every
right to feel upset by
the pressures on
them to look a certain
way.
“Those pressures
are very real and they
are very damaging.
“I have gained and
lost weight and,
although I felt worse
when I was fatter, I
never felt the same
upset and pressure to
lose weight as a
woman would.”
21
22
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
Mums are helping each other
through breastfeeding issues
A
guilt.
NY new mum will
know the myriad of
emotions that come
with parenthood –
fear,
excitement,
Equalities Minister Jo Swinson recently spoke out about the
issue after having her first baby
Andrew, just before Christmas.
She said there is too much of a
guilt culture around parenting
and that people feel judged about
issues such as breastfeeding.
Speaking shortly before she
went on maternity leave, she
said: “There is, I think, far too
much guilt generally in society
around
parenthood,
about
whether or not you breastfeed or
whether or not you bottle-feed.
“We know the evidence is
very strong in favour of
breastfeeding and the
benefits of that, but it
shouldn’t mean we make
people feel bad if they
can’t do it.”
I went to the NCT group
in Noak Bridge to chat to
new mums about their
experiences.
Keeley Simpson
was the first to
have her baby out
of her NCT group
of
friends. It
came as a blessing when her
daughter, Ella,
was born, but
WOMAN
New
By LOUISE HOWESON
[email protected]
also an added pressure as her
three friends looked to her to
find out about motherhood.
Keeley smiles: “I got lots of
texts from them asking me what
it was like being a mum. It was
hard, but I couldn’t just say that
to them because I didn’t want to
scare them, so I said ‘it’s fine!’
“Then when we had all had
our babies, we would all give
knowing looks and say ‘it’s hard,
isn’t it?’ and now we can joke
about it.”
Keeley, Ana Romero,
Anita
Horwood
and
Claire Dunworth met
through the NCT antenatal group and they
have remained firm
friends now their babies
are five months old.
Talking to Keeley, Ana, Anita
see how women can feel pressurised about breastfeeding.”
and Claire, it’s clear the presClaire, 45, from Vange,
sures and guilt surrounding
says that she had already
breastfeeding
have
decided to try breaststruck a chord with
feeding when she had
them – but they say
her son Liam, but she
having a friendship
also prepared for the
group has helped
fact it might not hapthem cope.
pen.
“I put pressure on
She says: “I gave
myself to start with,”
breastfeeding a go and
admits Keeley, 25,
fed Liam the first milk
from Wickford. “I
colostrum, but after
tried to breastfeed and
that the milk didn’t
it didn’t work out. Ella
come. I felt like I
had trouble latching
on and then she was  Speaking out – took back control
losing weight and we Equalities Minister when I decided I was
going to bottle-feed
had to take her to hos- Jo Swinson
because I could
pital at one point.
leave the hospital
After that I decided to
and take Liam home.”
change to bottle-feeding.
Ana, who has a son, AJ, and
“I felt a lot of guilt at the time
Anita, who has a daughter,
and I was getting looks
Joanna, both breastfeed,
from people judging
but they can see why
me, because I was
women feel presfeeding a young
sured.
baby formula
Ana, 38, from
milk. I am fine
Wickford, came
about it now,
to live in
but I can
 Mums in it
together – left,
Claire Dunworth,
Anita Horwood,
Keeley Simpson
and Ana Romero
with their little
bundles of joy
the UK from Columbia five years
ago. She says: “In Colombia, they
only really promote bottle-feeding, because it is more commercial, but I still think more could
be done to promote breastfeeding and inform women.”
Anita adds: “You have to sit in
sectioned-off areas in lots of
places. I was breastfeeding in a
baby changing area once and a
lady directed to me another area
for feeding babies. I was in a
baby area!”
The social meetings are not
limited to just the mums and
babies groups. The gang met for
Christmas lunch and for cinema
trips. They text each other regularly to check everyone is OK.
Claire says: “We all had
different lives before
having babies and
that is what has
brought us together.
We are all different
ages and have different
backgrounds and all
have
something to contribute.”
The Noak
Bridge Village Hall
group is
run
by
a
l
V
Wilcox on
a Wednesday
at
10am.
For more
information
call
NCT on 0300
330 0770 or visit
nct.org.uk
Who we’re loving this week...
IN ESSEX...
ALREADY a popular fixture amongst
the staff and pupils, Dr Margaret
Wilson is now officially the best
secondary head in the county.
The headteacher of King John
School, in Thundersley, was named
teacher of the year at the
inaugural Essex Teaching
Awards. She said: “I was
absolutely delighted. There
are a number of outstanding
headteachers in Essex.”
IN THE UK...
SOUTHBANK centre director Jude
Kelly has called for changes to be
made in the classical music world
so more women can succeed. She
says that the refusal to introduce
family-friendly work policies and
sometimes blatant prejudices have
been holding women back.
She says: “It’s a
tendency of men to
support other, younger
men.”
.
AND ABROAD..
NEVER ones to condone violence, but
we couldn’t help admiring TV’s Melissa
Gilbert’s honesty when it came to her
ex-husband’s “other woman”.
She has accused the former
Charmed actress Shannen Doherty
of sleeping with her ex Bo
Brinkman. When asked, on a US
chat show, what she would do if
she met Shannen, she said: “I
wouldn’t say anything, I’d just
punch her in the nose.”
23
24
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
Going vegan was
a revelation...I
can eat chips and
beans guilt-free!
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
JAEGER DUO...
PRIMARK PAIR...
TAILORED print suits can take you from
boardroom to bar stool. Jaeger’s
jacquard geometric print is
dazzling on the eye and the
body, with its slimming panels.
Go Victoria Beckham-style by
wearing a slinky cami
underneath. Jacquard Panelled
Jacket, £250; Jacquard
Trousers, £150; both available
end of January jaeger.co.uk
IF you want your
co-ords to pack
a punch, opt for
a bold print.
Primark’s set
takes its catwalk
inspiration from
Celine’s
maximalist
multicoloured
brushstrokes.
Keep accessories
and jewellery to a
minimum to
avoid cluttering
the arty impact.
Top, £8; Skirt
£10; both
available
February
primark.co.uk
SADIE
HASLER
The writer, performer and
radio presenter with her
take on the peculiarities
of modern life

I
The two-piece has undergone a dramatic 2014 makeover.
LISA HAYNES is seeing double with matching co-ords.
Banish the frumpy notion of twin sets and pearls from your mind.
KNEW I wasn’t a natural
at being vegan when I
spent ten minutes staring at a yoghurt trying to
remember what it was made
of. The fact it was white
hinted that it was probably
dairy-ish, but other than
that I remained unsure for a
worrying amount of time.
had egg in it, I had a revelation: baked beans.
I have always had a profound respect for the humble
bean. They would get me
through. And they did – until
dinner.
Then I had another revelation. Chips. I could have chips
and for one day it would be the
choice of an elevated conI was “going vegan for the
science, not the guilty decision
day”. I felt under a lot of presof a dirty one. Chips heroicalsure and kept pausing to quesly consumed, I knew I was on
tion key things, like “did this
the home straight.
sandwich once have legs?” and
At a bar later that night, we
“did this come out of a teat at
all stood round chatting with
any point?”
Wendy, and I was somehow
If the breakfast yoghurt
glad that we didn’t much disdithering was anything to go
cuss the shared theme of our
by it was going to be a long 24
day.
hours.
Chips and beans didn’t feel
I was doing it for my friend
like much of an effort, really.
Wendy. She could think of
Not far off an ordinary day. I
nothing she wanted more on
was glad I’d done it, but I was
her birthday – more than any
uncomfortably aware of the
presents or stream of profhypocrisy of making a gesture
fered drinks or social gatherI would no doubt go back on
ings – than to invite her
shortly afterwards.
friends to be vegan for a day.
It’s not that I am a savage
She tried to calculate how
carnivore whose incisors pang
many animals would be saved
for steak – I don’t eat a lot of
by us giving up meat and relatmeat – but I don’t feel ready to
ed products. This makes her
give it up.
sound a bit heavy and didacBut my vegan day made me
tic, but she is nothing of the
realise that my eating
sort. She is unstinting
meat is not a preferin her passion for
ence more than it
animal rights, but
Vegans
is habit and lazinever
makes
have
to
ness.
us feel like
I don’t want
chumps for likreally think.
to
have
to
ing bacon.
They have to
think. I selfishShe has the
ly pick other
sweetest heart
research. It takes things
to be my
I know.
life’s priorities,
She puts her effort if you want
and
a
big
money where her
to eat well
“change”
would
mouth is too, our
slow me down.
Wends – saving badgVegans have to really
ers, protesting, volunthink.
Vegans
have
to
teering at sanctuaries – and
research. They have to stay
never to make herself look
focused. It takes effort and
good.
resourcefulness and creativity
She just does what she feels
if you want to eat well and not
is right. And this year on her
get bored.
birthday she started a small
I considered having vegan
movement. Not to preach, or
days more often; being more
to convert, not to feel good
organised and actually earnabout herself, but to turn her
ing my right to cry over stories
special day into a pragmatic
of animal cruelty, knowing my
approach to her cause. It’s
tears alone don’t mean a thing.
easy to give a day to Wendy.
And I wrapped up a tin of
Loads of us said yes.
beans for Wendy – as a silly
Mid-morning, as I found
memento of the day she made
myself beseeching a doughnut
us all think.
to just give in and tell me if it
‘
WOMAN
New
T
HIS season, doing the double has
never been so chic. Co-ordinates,
or ‘co-ords’ in fashion speak, are
the instant cheat to a put-together
look.
The matching is ready-made for you
and the top-to-toe cohesion makes for a
streamlined, slimming silhouette.
Celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, right,
are even swapping their gowns for slick
co-ords on the red carpet.
Statement print or colour blocking,
sharp tailoring or loose jersey, trouser suit
or skirt set; there are no rules in the form
that your co-ords come in,
just make sure they’re
matchy-matchy.
These are separates
that belong together but
they can also have a
second life in your
closet, teamed with
other staples, to make
your purchase work
harder.
Double up and
work the two-piece
trend.
GEORGE DUPLICATE...
PENCIL skirts can
sometimes look a
tad too prim ‘n’
proper, so add a
matching top for
instant cool.
George’s G21 twin
set features a busy
floral print on dark
textured material for
non-cling figure
flattery. G21
Textured Floral
Crop Top, £10;
Floral Midi Skirt,
£12 george.com
WAREHOUSE TEAM...
BLACK and white makes its
biggest impact with a strict
silhouette. Warehouse’s
monochrome duo is stark and
graphic in a textured twotone finish. Wear with flats for
day and heels by night, for a
modern take on the LBD.
Mono Textured Top, £35;
Mono Textured Pencil Skirt,
£35 warehouse.co.uk
MATALAN MATCH...
TOP-to-toe leopard is a touch extreme but animal
print in mono is uber-contemporary. Matalan’s co-ord
set ticks off multiple trends in black and white. Pare
the look down by layering a longer shirt under the top
to break up the print. Leopard Print Top, £12; Skirt,
£12; both available February matalan.co.uk
FLOWERS have gone supersized for spring. Look bloomin’
gorgeous in Marks & Spencer’s Autograph floral set. Team with
towering heels for instant leg lengthening in those ankleskimming trousers. Autograph Top, £79; Autograph Trousers,
£79, both available end of Januar marksandspencer.com
TOPSHOP TWOSOME...
THE pastel pink
obsession
continues for
spring. Offset the
girly prettiness with
Topshop’s pink
double act in
structured jacquard
– the perfect
alternative to a
dress. Textured
Bubble Crepe Tee,
£32; Bubble
Jacquard Midi Skirt,
£48 topshop.com
GET THE
LOOK
COAST COUPLE...
THERE are floatier silhouettes
to be found with co-ordinates.
Coast’s Dolita floral duo
features a feminine cami top
and matching ombre pencil
skirt. Wear as an alternative
wedding guest ensemble if
you want to subtly break the
norm. Dolita Cami, £35; Dolita
Skirt, £55; both available
February coast-stores.com
MARKS COMBO...
OASIS SET...
Who said tweed has to be boring?
Invigorate your office uniform with
Oasis’s structured spring tweed set.
Wear with black tights in the deep
freeze and bare legs and flat loafers
once temperatures rise. Spring Tweed
Top, £35; Spring Tweed Mini Skirt,
£35 oasis-stores.com
KELLY
BROOK
shows the
timeless
appeal of
the LBD
– that’s
‘Lace
Black
Dress’. Get
a similar
version with
F&F at
Tesco’s Lace
Tunic, £20
clothingat
tesco.com
25
26
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
WOMAN
New
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
Keep it simple like Kim
W
HEN it comes to fashion,
there is an old adage –
less is more and the
same can be said when it
comes to hair.
 Loose and simple
– Kim Kardashian’s
new look
Smart celebs know this and they
often look at their best when they
keep their hair simple. But as
with make-up, getting a simple
natural look is far from easy
and, often takes just as much
prep as a more complicated
style.
Take this fantastic Kim Kardashian look. Alan Kenny, from
Central Hairdressing Academy
believes it is one of Kim’s best
looks and shows off her recently blonded hair to great effect.
But, when you wear the hair
loose and simple like this,
Alan believes it must be in
the best condition possible.
Alan added: “When long
hair is worn down like this,
it is easy to see where it is
dry or damaged so your
hair needs to be in the best
possible condition possible.
“To ensure your hair
stays in good condition,
use a professional shampoo and conditioner as
recommended by your
hairdresser for your specific hair type.”
 To get the look, use either
hair straighteners, large
tongs or a large curling
wand. Alan recommends
looking for heated tools that
come with gloves to protect
your hands. And, remember,
the smaller the tongs or
wand, the tighter the waves,
so stick with something
large.
Start by taking the hair
from behind over the
shoulders and cutting a
loose wave through it. To do
this, hold the straightener or
other tool upwards, letting
the hair wrap around and
then sliding downwards,
ensuring you get the very
ends in too.
When curling the sides,
make sure to keep away
from the face as you do not
want the curls to drop onto
your face.
To keep the look as soft as
possible, when you have
finished curling the hair, flip
your head upside down to
shake the hair out and
loosen the curls while
keeping volume at the roots.
Finally, gently separate the
The best
beauty
quick
fixes
hair by pulling open fingers
though all the strands and
add extra shine and gloss
with a shine spray or serum,
such as Redken’s Vinal Glam
Spray or Glass Look
Smoothing Serum.
Central Hairdressing
Academy is the largest NVQ
Level 2 training provider in
the UK and is based at 112114 London Road, Southend.
To find out more about
starting an exciting career in
hairdressing, call 01702
333262 or visit centralhair
dressingacademy.com
 Olay Regenerist TenMinute Miracle Primer
Countdown to youthful skin,
anyone? Just 10 minutes is
the exact time that science
boffins at Olay have
calculated it takes for this
product’s optical-blurring
particles to kick in and
mimick younger, smoother
skin, £29.99 (Boots).
 Garnier Five-Second Perfect Blur Primer
This diminutive tube is like carrying around your
own flattering lighting system. In the five seconds it
takes to smooth onto pre-moisturised skin, this
primer blurs shine, wrinkles, open pores and fine lines
for all-day perfection, £12.99 (Boots/Superdrug).

Set your
stopwatch
and reap
the beauty
rewards. LISA
HAYNES reveals
the best in
insta-glam
products that
promise results
in minutes.
 Decleor Three-Minute Flash Radiance Mask
Refresh dull skin with this lightweight express
mask. Apply an even layer to cleansed skin, put
your PJs on, brush your teeth and the quick-fix
mask will be ready to rinse off for instant
illumination, £29 (decleor.co.uk).

uk.loccitane.com).
 Lancome Visionnaire
One-Minute Blur
If your skin isn’t fit for foundation
coverage, prime first with this
instant skin perfecter. Creating a
Photoshop effect in 60 seconds
flat, the gel texture smoothes
skin and blurs the appearance of
imperfections and pores, £40
(lancome.co.uk).
 Rimmel 60 Seconds
If the idea of a 30minute mani sounds
implausible, reach for
Rimmel 60 Seconds.
The nail polish is touch
dry within one minute
flat, and bone dry
within the hour, £3.69
(Boots/Superdrug).
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
CHARITY
SHOP CHIC

With a huge variety of
charity shops in south
Essex, we are spoilt for
choice when it comes to
bagging a thrifty bargain. This
week, LOUISE HOWESON
heads to Havens Hospice
charity shop, in London Road,
Hadleigh.
Plus-size Barbie...
a great idea or an
advert for obesity?
TALKING
POINT
 Denim shirt by Love Denim,
size 14, £3.50
It’s time to
stop making
generic dolls
for little girls
Gemma Cruickshank,
24, from Grays, a
plus-size model who
runs her own clothing
company, says...
 Cardigan by Savoir, £6
 Blue top Gok for TU £3.50,
size 16
 Beaded
dress, by
Next, 14,
£6.50
(original
price £65)
 Ankle
boots,
size 5,
£5.50
“WE
should
mix it up
a bit and
get away
from the
thin
blonde
with long
straight
hair. Let’s
show children there are
all sorts of body types
out there, including plus
size, and that’s OK.
“If you only produce a
plus-size Barbie and a
‘normal’ Barbie that
will just spark a debate
that it is encouraging
obesity.
“What we should do is
make dolls that
represent the women
that really exist: tall,
small, large, thin, black,
white, curly hair and
straight hair. That way
we will make every
person and body type
feel included.”
WOMAN
New
Your views...
TammyandGaz Haggerty: “I don’t
know about that, but they should
all start making and selling bigger
size clothes. It’s OK if you are a
size 6, 8 or 10...there is nowhere to
buy larger size clothes.”
Sailor Geri Waller: “If there’s so
much pressure on people to be
slim, why are there so many obese
people in this country? I think it
would send out the wrong
message to people in the fact that
By LOUISE HOWESON
it becomes more socially
[email protected]
acceptable to be over weight. No
matter how you look at it, Barbie is
ARBIE has been little
too thin, too fat, too tall, too short
girls’ favourite doll for
– someone somewhere will have
decades. The superan opinion on it. It’s about
slim, long-legged
education with children, not what
and glamorous toy
they play with.”
has had her fair share of
Suzi Jones: “I very much doubt
criticism from people who
that the five-year-olds who play
say she’s too thin and inapwith Barbie make any association
propriately dressed to be a
with her body shape and their
young girl’s toy.
own!”
But now plussizemodeling.
Shane Poynter: “Next they will be
com has asked the question,
wanting fatter stick men.”
should
companies
start
making a plus-sized Barbie
Louise Ewing: “How
It’s
doll?
ridiculous. You can’t
The question on their
blame being insecure on
about
Facebook page has drawn
toys. I was fine with
what you
more than 43,000 likes and
myself as a kid until I
articles in the national press
eat
and
your
got bullied, being
generated comments both for
called fat when in fact I
diet, not what
and against.
was underweight. Now
We asked our readers what
you
play
with
I’m
fat in the eyes of the
they thought, and a Colchmedia – I just can’t win.
ester-based nutritionist about
It’s not all about weight
the health implications of promoteither. Girls and boys open
ing plus-size dolls.
magazines to beautiful people that
have been PhotoShopped.”
Tomme Darlington: “Let’s have a
Barbie called teen pregnancy
Barbie. How about a heroin addict
Barbie? If obese Barbies are to be
made to make larger children feel
shape of a healthy woman
Nicola Ragon-Paxton, who
better about their weight, how
which
is
somewhere
in
the
runs the I Love My Greens
about an extra-thin one for
middle. That is often absent
nutrition consultancy, in
children with anorexia?”
from magazines and TV,
Billericay, says...
which teaches
Paula Goddard: “So we now want
you
to
to use dolls to let our children think
“I DON’T think promoting
strive for
its OK to be obese! So who
either obesity or extreme
the unatdecides if we buy the normal
thinness is a positive thing
tainable
Barbie or a plus-size Barbie for our
for women’s health. We
body and
kids? Would the plus-size Barbie
should be promoting a
accept an
also wear skimpy clothing or
healthy size and normalisunhealthy
would it wear trackies and a
ing that.
body size.”
hoody? I think our kids should just
“Often there is a tendenbe allowed to play without
cy to normalise obesity, but
introducing discriminating,
it is not healthy for women
judgemental opinions.”
and neither is being too
thin.
Bitsyboo Pool: “Leave her how
“It would be positive for
she is. It’s about what you eat and
young girls to see a normal
your diet, not what you play with.”
B
‘
We should be normalising what
is healthy, not the extremes...
Westminster allegations highlight harassment issue
THERE are allegations of sexual
harassment being bandied
about in Westminster against
Lord Rennard.
With mud-slinging on both
sides, the women who have spoken up about the sexual harassment claims have also received
criticism.
What example does it set the
rest of the UK if sexual harassment allegations are rife in the
corridors of Westminster?
Deputy Prime Minister Nick
Clegg has admitted the controversy has been mishandled by
the Lib Dems. He said the Lib
Dems had “not responded in the
right way” in the past and he
took full responsibility for a
lack of “proper leadership”.
Lord Rennard is considering
legal action after he had his
party membership temporarily
suspended.
Andrea Williams, from the
South Essex Rape and Incest
Crisis Centre Service, explains
how sexual harassment can
affect all women.
She says: “Although many
people seem to regard sexual
harassment as a minor matter,
suitable for joking about, many
girls and women have sought
support from us because of the
significant negative impact sexual harassment has had on their
lives.
“They can experience alienation from colleagues and
friends, having to leave a job or
the area they live in, serious
body image issues, problems
with intimate relationships and
a loss of confidence. The harassment can escalate to more
extreme sexual violence such as
sexual assault and rape.”
For
more
information
visit sericc.org.uk or call
01375 380609.
27
28
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman
WHAT
WE’RE
DOING...
Competition
for talented
teen singers
IF you know a teen who
is crazy about singing,
then get them involved
in a competition at the
Palace Theatre, in
Southend.
Teen Star is being
launched from February
1 and is open to all
teenagers across the
UK.
Whether they are a
vocal group, duo or
rapper, all musical
styles are welcome.
The competition is for
ages 14 to 16.
Auditions run from
noon to 6pm.
E-mail webteam@
openmicuk.co.uk
Bidding for
a bargain
BID for unique
antiques, jewellery and
collectibles at Stacey’s
Auctioneers and
Valuers, in Rayleigh.
The auctions take
place at the Essex
Auction rooms in
Webster’s Way today
and tomorrow, at
10am.
For more
information, visit
staceyauction.com or
call 01268 777122.
Cuppa with
company
TAKE a break with
friends with a weekly
coffee group at the
Crowstone Christian
Centre in Westcliff.
It is a fun and friendly
drop-in group open to
all those who fancy a
cuppa and some
company.
Visitors can play
board games, cards,
knit or simply have a
chat.
It runs on Mondays
between 10am and
noon.
Call 01702 352668 or
e-mail emer.mcneela@
crowstone.org
When I felt
stressed, I
used to eat
...now I go
for a run
W
comfort.
HEN the stresses
of life took their
toll on Victoria
Smith, she would
turn to food for
Now four stone, nine pounds
lighter, she enjoys a happy relationship with food and is more
likely to put on a pair of trainers
and go for a run than turn to
comfort foods.
Victoria, 37, from South
Ockendon, says: “When
life got stressful, I
would turn to food. I
have lost weight in
the past, but then
when things happened, like my
daughter going in
for surgery to
have her thyroid
removed and my
dad Frank having open-heart
valve surgery, I
found it hard to
deal with.
“I
gained
three
stone
quickly through
over-eating and I
was feeling pretty
terrible.”
Things came to a
head when her eldest
daughter was teased
at school for having an
overweight mum.
This really affected Victoria and made her determined to
lose weight.
She says: “My daughter came
home from school and told me
one of the boys asked her if the
whale in the corner at her party
was her mum. Kids can be cruel,
I know that, but at the same
time I didn’t want my weight to
be the reason my daughter was
getting teased.
“It was what instigated my
WOMAN
New
By LOUISE
HOWESON
[email protected]
weight loss, but the real reason
was for my health and to be well
for my kids.”
Victoria joined her local
Slimming World group
and lost the weight in
a year and five
months. She now
weighs a slim nine
stone,
seven
pounds.
She has also
found a passion
for exercise that
has seen her confidence increase.
“I do Zumba
classes
three
times a week. I
danced for 15
years from childhood, so I really
felt I had got my
mojo back.
“I also go out for a
run four times a
week and I find it really calms me
down if I am
stressed and
I didn’t
stops me reaching for the comwant my
fort food.”
weight to
Victoria
now runs the
be the reason
Slimming
my daughter
World sessions
on
Tuesday
was getting
evenings
at
teased
South Ockendon
Village Social Club
Hall, at 5.30pm and
7.30pm.
BEFORE
‘
AFTER
 Super slimmer
– Victoria Smith
lost four stone,
nine pounds
29
30
Echo Monday January 27, 2014
echo-news.co.uk /newwoman