“Mad Men” star Christina Hendricks was recently in Australia for a 2012 Spectacle Wearer of the Year event, a contest that awards one lucky winner a year-long modeling contract with MOT Models, a London modeling agency.
However, the focus was more on her curves than her peepers.
During a recent interview with The Sydney Morning Herald’s Kate Waterhouse, Christina Hendricks talked about how she’d been spending her time in Australia, how “Mad Men” has affected not only her life, but the lives of her co-stars, and – naturally – her love for glasses.
Yet, the 37-year-old actress drew the line when Waterhouse wanted to discuss the inspiration Hendricks has provided as a full-figured woman:
Kate Waterhouse, Sydney’s Sun-Herald: “You have been an inspiration as a full-figured woman. What is the most inspiring story that you can remember where you’ve inspired someone?”
Christina Hendricks, laughing uncomfortably: “Um, I don’t know (nervous laughter from Waterhouse). I don’t know. I’ve gotten — I’m sorry.” Hendricks shoots a glare off-camera to someone, probably her publicist, who asks Waterhouse to rephrase the question.
Waterhouse, again: “You’ve been known as an inspiration for women as being a full-figure… ”
Hendricks, quickly interrupting: “I mean, you just said it again.”
It was an awkward situation, to say the least, but both Waterhouse and Hendricks carried on in a professional manner.
Afterward, though, Waterhouse had her say:
I hope she realises [sic] that refusing to own up to the fact that she is full-figured only breeds more insecurity on body acceptance.
Unfortunately, she has now made the term full-figured a dirty word.
Waterhouse went on to explain that Hendricks was misunderstanding the term “full-figured” entirely:
For the record, full-figured is defined as ”amply proportioned”, it does not mean fat or obese. It is a term to describe buxom and shapely, with broad hips and lots of sensuous, womanly curves as opposed to an androgynous waif-like figure. To me, this is political correctness gone mad.
I admit I’m disappointed. I’ve been in love with Hendricks and her sassy curves (and her unapologetic attitude toward them) since “Mad Men” premiered, as have so many other folks (Hendricks was voted Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive in 2010 and during the same year, Hendricks told Health magazine that she welcomed the attention on her body).
Of course, I understand if Hendricks is tired of talking about her fuller figure (I’m sorry, that’s what it is – she is amply proportioned, shapely, and curvy), but by telling Waterhouse she “said it again,” I’m led to believe – like so many other reporters and bloggers before me – that Hendricks at least also has a problem with the term itself and not her actual body. I feel like instead of making an awkward showing of avoiding the question (and that term), she could have told a story about how her figure (and her usual confidence about it) has inspired someone, thus avoiding any body image stigma that might surround the term.
What say you, readers? Do you think Hendricks simply didn’t want to discuss her body at the time (despite that Waterhouse actually wanted to talk about the inspiration Hendricks has provided, rather than her actual physical body), or does she seem to have a problem with the “full-figured” F-bomb?
Could her reaction negatively affect other women will full figures who have, so far, looked to her for inspiration?
No comments:
Post a Comment