Julie Neumann

Recent Activity

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  Julie commented on the article | over 2 years ago

  Newsweek's "Sexist" Cover Photo Stirs Up False Controversy

  I agree, the title of the story seems more controversial than the picture. Though I'd rather interpret the Sound of Music connection as commentary on her continuing downward spiral from quasi-politician to campy pop phenomena. But the picture? Strange but not necessarily sexist. I don't agree with Meacham that it represents the story, primarily because working out and being athletic usually signify strength. She just doesn't look very problematic to me. And I don't think showing skin should necessarily be equated with sexism, as if women being properly covered from head to toe to project their morality isn't sexist.

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  Julie commented on the article | over 2 years ago

  Are Men Really Happier than Women?

  I read Maureen's column yesterday and was rather annoyed she responded so demurely.

  
  

  One point came up that I've never really seen discussed before:

  
  

  "Across the happiness data, the one thing in life that will make you less happy is having children," said Betsey Stevenson, an assistant professor at Wharton who co-wrote a paper called The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness. "It's true whether you're wealthy or poor, if you have kids late or kids early. Yet I know very few people who would tell me they wish they hadn't had kids or who would tell me they feel their kids were the destroyer of their happiness."

  
  

  I feel like I should have heard more about this little factoid. And if it is true, it seems to prove that "happiness" is the wrong measurement, or it is being interpreted different by men and women. Jen, I really like your redefinition of the issue in terms of fulfilment. It seems not only a more worthy measurement but also a more feminist approach.

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  Julie commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  The "Roll" of Fat in Fair Pay

  If that is the case, then why are overweight men over represented?
  
  There is certainly nothing inherently more successful about thin women. Yes, our cultural rewards them for it, but the numbers on the scale have nothing to do with business acumen. I would argue that any woman who is obsessed with her food and weight will ultimately be less successful. That control quickly becomes chaos, a consuming cycle that will interfere with other aspects of their life.
  
  Of course these obsessions don't guarantee you'll be thin. I was in treatment with several people that were overweight. And being skinny doesn't mean you have a Type A personality either. Genetics play an extremely important role in your body type, which is why some people are overweight even when they diet, and other people are underweight even when they live at McDonald's.
  
  I do think it's a very interesting idea, there may be some truth behind it, but that brings me back to the high percentage of overweight male CEOs. Why would they be accepted when overweight women are not? Are male CEOs expected to have different personalities than female CEOs? Or is it really an issue of aesthetics?

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  Julie signed the petition | about 3 years ago

  Urge Senators to Support the Paycheck Fairness Act
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  Julie commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  A 19 Cent Raise in 45 Years? Women Deserve Equal Pay Now.

  I hadn't seen those statistics for women of color... African-American women earning $.69 and Latinas earning .$59 for every dollar paid to men? As if $.78 wasn't bad enough! It's obvious that we must continue to fight for women's rights. Sure, we've come a long way in this country, but we still have a long way to go.
  

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  Julie commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  Food For Thought: The Link Between Eating Disorders and Vegetarianism

  From what I can tell, this is the first study that specifically looked for a connection between the two. It has popped up as a tangential finding in other studies, most prominently when looking at diets in adult women. Cutting out food groups, which ranges from low carb to vegetarianism, is one of the most popular dieting methods. And it appears that if there is any connection, that is the direction it is going -- vegetarianism does not cause these issues, but people with disordered eating and eating disorder may use vegetarianism as an excuse for their behavior.

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  Julie commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  The Soda Tax: Down, But Not Out

  My problem with this bill is that it's being couched as a weight issue, not a true health issue. What is more important, that people lose 2 pounds per year, or that they improve their overall health by eliminating toxic foods from their diet? People of all sizes, even those we think of as skinny or fit, can develop medical problem due to their diet.
  
  When it comes to sodas, I think poor dental health is a bigger issue than obesity. Just research "Mountain Dew mouth," http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=6863173&page=1? It is a serious epidemic in Appalachia, causing decay and enamel erosion from drinking excessive amounts of Mountain Dew. It effects the entire population, even people that are thin and young.
  
  There is a lot of misinformation about obesity, http://www.obesitymyths.com/ is an interesting site sponsored by the Center for Consumer Freedom, and supporting this as an "anti-fat" bill is problematic. But, as you pointed out, there are many health benefits to reducing soda consumption, especially for children.
  

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  Julie commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  Food For Thought: The Link Between Eating Disorders and Vegetarianism

  Thank you for sharing your story Dawn!
  
  My parents weren't critical of my vegetarianism per se, but they also made it clear no one would cater to my diet. I completely understand that position, my parents were busy and didn't have time to cook two dinners every night. But it did make hiding an eating disorder much easier. Because I had a set a precedent of not having dinner with the family, they didn't realize when I was restricting or eating strange things or whatever.
  
  To be clear, vegetarianism is not an eating disorder! I've seen several articles in the mainstream media that are sensationalizing this study. But I do recommend parents remain supportive and involved so they can have a positive influence on their teen's diet.
  
  As for the "supportive" comments... I'm still trying to figure that one out. No matter what people say, or don't say, it never feels right. And when they ask me what they should say, or shouldn't say, I don't have an answer. Because I know that even when I'm healthy, my brain is applying an eating disorder filter to comments about food and weight.

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  Julie signed the petition | about 3 years ago

  Pass the Military Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Act
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  Julie commented on the article | about 3 years ago

  Valerie Bertinelli and the Bikini Body Disorder

  Have you guys heard of Health At Every Size?
  
  If not, I encourage you to check out this new article from the APA's Monitor on Psychology. I wish I read it before I wrote this post, it would have helped me clarify the issues involved in People's portrayal of Valerie Bertinelli. Here's an excerpt:
  
  "The aim is to empower women to claim their natural body size and enjoy the full spectrum of life through counseling that employs research about what fosters good health and what doesn't. For starters, 'Health at Every Size' takes the focus off weight, since research shows that diets often fail and that yo-yo dieting can lead to additional weight gain and health problems, Burgard says. It also acknowledges that weight is an unhealthy preoccupation for many women across the weight spectrum.
  
  'A huge tenet of [the model] is weight neutrality,' Burgard says. 'We're not against people losing weight. We're against the focus being on the pursuit of weight loss.'"
  
  Read more here: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/04/weight.html.