I admit it. There are times when I get on my soapbox about various issues: the gender gap, the countless exposes written about how women should strive to have a “work/life balance” (despite that fact that men are rarely “educated” about the same topic), and even sometimes the difficulty of finding professional clothing that is age-appropriate but doesn’t scream, “I’m objectifying myself to get ahead.” And most of the time, my (better natured) friends and family are patient and supportive enough for me to take a deep breath and channel my frustration into something productive. But there are times when I am simply dumbfounded and angry…and this is one of those times. Recently, Bob Grisham, a high school football coach in Atlanta, made an incredibly offensive remark about Michelle Obama, calling her a “fat a –” and criticizing her for being overweight. He went on to make several additional, inflammatory comments about the First Lady’s appearance AND the LGBT community (because only making sexist comments in one dialogue is simply insufficient). But perhaps the worst part about this story is that Grisham was recently voted “Coach of the Year.” It is at times like these I am reminded that despite the many advances women have made in the last century, we still have so far to go. It is still acceptable for people to make comments about a woman’s weight or appearance and for it to be deemed a legitimate criticism about her personhood. We still live in a time when successful women (e.g., Hillary Clinton or Michelle Obama) are questioned about their hairstyles and their clothing designers when they are the Secretary of State or the First Lady of the United States.

This is unacceptable. It reinforces the notion that women are valued (or devalued) as objects or as the attractive counterpart to The Man In Charge. As a professional whose career has been built around studying, treating, and preventing eating disorders, I see this cultural value as an assault on the tireless work of each of my patients who has struggled. As a woman, comments like Grisham’s anger me and make me fearful for the next generation of men who might look up to him and be heavily influenced by his comments. But that is not to say Grisham’s comments are wholly without value, because, most importantly, they serve to inspire me. They inspire me to work harder and to make meaningful contributions in what I do. They inspire me to write letters, emails, and sign petitions that fight gender inequality and other forms of social injustice. They inspire me to mentor the next generation of girls (and boys!) so that perhaps one day, women will be valued not based on their appearance, but on their character and their contributions to society. So while initially Grisham’s comments left me frustrated about the lack of change, I am instead now instilled with hope and a clear sense of purpose that will fuel not only my professional work, but my personal life as well. Turns out soapboxes are useful platforms after all…

By: Dr. Christine Peat