A Waisted Opportunity

Are they really talking about Oprah's weight gain at the Massachusetts Conference for Women? I put down my fork, looked at my colleagues and realized that yes they were! The keynote panel which included many powerful and knowledgeable business women such as Leslie Stahl of 60 Minutes were actually spending their time chatting about Oprah's weight. Why? Did they know the impact on the women in the room? Did they think about the hundreds of girls who were part of the special young women's track? This is EXACTLY what we should not be talking about as women if we want to be seen as professional, self assured and worthy of getting paid the same dollar a man.

Yes, the keynote speakers are victims of our society that tells women we need to look good, be thin - at any cost - to be seen as credible and worthy of other's respect. They all were mature so maybe it was the generation that they were raised in. Or maybe they too struggle with body image and did not realize that using this time to discuss Oprah's dress size was an injustice to the mission of a women's conference. Whatever it was, it made me angry, then sad, then angry again. And when I get angry I take action!

So what does this have to do with money and chicks making "cents"? Everything. Women spend billions of dollars on cosmetic surgery, beauty products and clothes. As a group we don't invest in our retirement funds or spend time with other women discussing how to be financially savvy. We spend our time buying material possessions, driving up our credit card balances and hoping that some man will make it all better. Yes, the Cinderella Syndrome is alive and well.

What can we do about it? A lot! Here are some of ideas on how you can take action and not accept the status quo.

1. Write a letter to the Massachusetts Conference for Women. If you were at the conference (or not) and were upset that the keynote presenters were talking about Oprah's waistline instead of how we can learn from each other and support each other to be the best we can be as individuals and professionals, get busy writing. Using our voice, individually and collectively, can and has made a BIG difference. We have gained the right to vote, the right to make choices about our bodies and the right to run for (and almost get) elected President.

2. Stop talking about Oprah's weight. She is an accomplished business woman and a caring individual. Do not fuel the fire for I truly believe she struggles to accept her genetics, which do not fit the beauty ideal of this country. Look at her impact on the world when she is not weight focused. Imagine what we all could do if we spent our energy on pursuits unrelated to our dress size. Maybe we could even make more than 76 cents to every man's dollar.

3. Watch America the Beautiful: This is a great documentary about the cost of beauty in our country and exposes the absurdity of our quest to look good at any cost. Go see it when it comes to your town. Take it one step further and invite the director to your women's group or organization and sponsor a showing of the movie.

We can make a difference. Let's not let another opportunity like the Massachusetts Conference for Women be a 'waisted" one.