National Enquirer's Latest Fat-Shaming Cover Could Be Deadly

In March, Delilah Cannon purposely overdosed on prescription medication at age 12, after being frequently cyberbullied and called "fat" by other kids. In 2018, Andy Hudson, 12, hung himself after constantly being told by a group of school bullies that he was "fat, ugly, and worthless." In 2016, Brandy Vela, 18, shot herself in front of her family after being horribly harassed about her body size by her peers.

And this week, the latest edition of the National Enquirer hit newsstands with its annual cover story "50 Best and Worst Beach Bodies," with a subtitle of: "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly." The cover shows images of Kate Hudson with a belly pooch, Gerard Depardieu in swim trunks—and inside, there's a photo of fat fashion model Tess Holliday splashing happily in the ocean in blue floral bathing suit.

Guess what label the Enquirer gave Holliday's "beach body"? "Worst," of course. Ugly. Fat. Like the labels thrown at Delilah, Andy, and Brandy before they died. Holliday, fortunately, is a grown woman who has had years of learning, support, and therapy for her "atypical" anorexia and has become an incredibly inspiring figure for women all over the world. She publicly called out the tabloid for the offensive piece and is receiving lots of online support.

Weight Stigma Linked to Suicidal Ideation

Also fresh off the presses this week? A new study out of Texas A&M and North Dakota State University that links weight-based stigmatization to increased suicide risk. The mere existence of this cover story—the fact that these images and shaming words are sitting out in the open, on American store shelves—supports and fuels a culture of fatphobia and bullying that sends too many people, often children, to their deaths each year.

The cyberbullies who tortured Brandy Vela were indicted on manslaughter charges. What should we as a society do about mass media outlets that continue to contribute to the culture of fat-shaming and bullying that makes people like Vela's tormentors think their actions are okay?

I don't have an answer, and it's doubtful that shaming through social media posts and think pieces will work (it is the National Enquirer after all). But I'm not giving up on educating the people behind the publication. As a long-time journalist, I'm in an industry LinkedIn group with Dan Dolan, the Enquirer's editor-in-chief. And I have offered him and his staff a brief lunch-and-learn Zoom session on weight stigma and the biopsychosocial model of eating disorders like the ones Holliday, and I myself, suffer from.

While I wait for a reply that is unlikely to ever come, I think I'll tag the social media accounts for stores that host the tabloid on their shelves—and perhaps offer them some education, too.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please text Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.