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Today I read something that scared me to my (healthy and well-protected) bones. "Size Zero is back." After all the brilliant progress that we have seen recently - Size 16 model Chloe Marshall winning Miss Surrey and entering the Miss England finals in July (Go Chloe!), the work of the Model Healthy Inquiry and Beat (Eating Disorders Assn) at London Fashion Week, the Dove campaigns, the Nivea campaigns, Marks & Spencers introducing size 12 mannequins (bring on the size 14 as well!). I thought people were beginning to wise up! I thought that FINALLY healthy, realistic beauty was being accepted, celebrated even. But then you get Allison Pearson in the Daily Mail bitching about the beautiful, curvy, healthy Princess Beatrice. She's backed up by Julia Hartley Brewer on Richard & Judy. And now I read in the Observer (08.06.08) that the dreaded size zero is once again flaunting its bones, & I shiver at the thought of how many young people will suffer. So I do the only thing I can do right now - shout about BODY GOSSIP. Size Zero threatens the health of young people by portraying a devastatingly dangerous form of beauty - women and men with their bones poking out their shoulders, young girls who no longer have their periods, people who are fainting, losing their hair, even DYING. BODY GOSSIP does the opposite. It celebrates the REAL stories about REAL people's BODIES- the beautiful bumps, the cute curves, the marvelous man boobs and the brilliant bums! If Size Zero is BACK - then Body Gossip needs to get BIGGER! Go to www.bodygossip.org and get involved in this extraordinary campaign! Write your story about your body, tell your friends, write on my Bebo page, find 'Sofa Sogood' on facebook and be our friend! LET'S START A BODY REVOLUTION!

OK OK I know she's royalty, but I think I'm allowed to talk about Princess Beatrice's bottom for just a second, seeing as journalist Allison Pearson and Julia Hartley Brewer seem so obsessed with it. Am I allowed to get damn angry for a minute? Allison Pearson wrote in the Daily Mail that Princess Beatrice should wear a sarong, rather than show off her beautiful curves in a bikini. WHAT?? How dare this journalist publically slag off a 19 year old young woman who has a NORMAL body. She's not only unfairly criticising Princess Beatrice. She's also giving a damn right DAMAGING and CRUEL message to young people everywhere - she's suggesting that curves are wrong and that we should all starve ourselves. I'd go so far as to say that people like Allison Pearson are contributing to the rise of eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. She's causing young people all over the world to starve themselves to death in persuit of "perfection". But what is this "perfection"? Forcing their bodies into a shape that isn't natural for them? To me, Princess Beatrice looks like a healthy, beautiful woman - and for that I celebrate her, because she's being REAL. Did you know that if a woman had the dimensions of a shop mannequin, she wouldn't menstruate. Is this what you want Allison Pearson? If I could meet that woman, I'd tell her that everyone has a natural, healthy body shape. Princess Beatrice has hers, I have mine, you have yours. If we're healthy, eat well and exercise in moderation, we'll see our healthy, natural body looking at us in the mirror. And it's bloody hideous that an ignorant journalist, out to sell her column, is willing to criticise Beatrice's natural, healthy body - she's only perpetuating a problem that's already killing too many young people. You want my advice? Love your NATURAL body. It's yours, and it's up to you how long you live with it - starve yourself to keep Allison Pearson happy, and you won't be around for long. Love, a very angry Ruth x

Hey, really exciting news - the Body Gossip sofa has been invited to the Alternative Fashion Week in London's Spitalfields Market next week - 21-25 April. I'm really excited, because the Alternative Fashion Week looks AWESOME - check it out at www.alternativearts.co.uk ALSO Chloe Marshall, the fantastic, beautiful, size 16 supermodel, is 100% on board with Body Gossip and I'm really looking forward to chatting to her about all the ways that she wants to support our Body Gossip campaign! Love, Ruth x

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