SkinnySongs intends to make you think thin - is that really what we want?

And I just can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not. Shouldn’t it be songs to make you think healthy? Or…good about yourself? Or strong?

From Ladies Who Launch:

On the surface, she had it all. Heidi Roizen was a pioneering businesswoman and venture capitalist who achieved the highest levels of professional and economic success. As co-founder of a Silicon Valley software company in the 1980s, she grew the business to $15 million in revenues and sold it to become a vice president at Apple. She was written up in numerous “who’s who” lists of trailblazing women leaders in the high-tech industry. She married, had children, and threw some of the most popular house parties in town.

One thing she had too much of though, Heidi realized, was body mass. A long hard look in the mirror and a fateful step on the scale changed her life. When she looked for music to help motivate her to meet her new weight-loss goals, nothing was quite doing it for her. No one was producing tunes with an energetic beat and inspiring lyrics. There was only one solution.

Heidi launched her newest venture, SkinnySongs, in 2007, releasing a CD of the same name in December. The lyrics provide just the kind of uplifting messages Heidi had in mind … because she wrote them. With titles like “Skinny Jeans,” “Incredible Shrinking Women,” “Thin!,” and “I’m a Hottie Now,” Heidi is sharing her positive affirmations with the world.

And here’s the media enjoying pushing the image of thin with what on the surface at least seems like a more palatable way to push it, with a woman-owned venture:

She has gotten top-tier press in the months since launching, appearing on “The Martha Stewart Show,” Oprah’s radio network, and the CBS “Early Show.” She’s also been written up in USA Today and in dozens of other newspapers and blogs.

I’m really torn about this. I know I have a playlist on my iPod for working out - songs that have the words and/or beat to keep me moving. But the idea of radiating audio to keep me thinking thin? Or “skinny” as the title says?

Plus, the fact that this woman had accomplishments, serious accomplishments, in non-stereotypical settings for women somehow makes me crinkle my forehead even more.

I’m just not sure. What do you think?

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 10:20 am April 8th, 2008 in Marketing, Social Issues, Women, Culture, Media, Parenting

Comments

6 Responses to “SkinnySongs intends to make you think thin - is that really what we want?”

1 Heidi Roizen on April 8th, 2008 1:45 pm

Hi Jill, I enjoyed your post about SkinnySongs. I’m of course a little biased, but for me SkinnySongs is about finding motivation to look AND feel good, not about a particular weight or size. I went from a 14 to an 8, trust me I’m not ’skinny’ by any means. The lyrics are intended to be fun and somewhat tongue in cheek, but also provide images of things we can relate to, to motivate us (at least me) — like fitting back into a favorite pair of jeans. As someone from the American Heart Association recently said to me, “you could sing about the joys of having lower cholesterol but would that really be motivating to anyone?” I recognize the choice of the word “skinny” is controversial, but the spirit behind the songs is truly about taking good care of yourself and in pursuit of health, a little bit of ‘vanity’ can often be a good thing. Best wishes — Heidi
2 Jill Miller Zimon on April 8th, 2008 5:28 pm

Hi Heidi,

Thanks very much for reading and commenting. I especially appreciate you seeming to take my post in the way it was meant - I really do get mixed emotions about something like this.

I absolutely get why this is motivating for some women. I guess part of me just wonders why it’s this that’s motivating to the point of success, as the individual defines it, versus the other - such as, knowing you’ll get healthy or fit, as opposed to skinny. Why is it that the skinny image that does it for us?

I am saying that I think it’s the whole association with skinny as desirable. I know this is a bit of overthinking, but I have a daughter in her tweens and language about body image is so important at that age. So I’m really sensitive to this kind of thing.

I love your initiative and follow-through. I’m only wishing that the spirit behind the songs could be conveyed with less loaded language and still appeal.

I think the comparison to singing about cholesterol is a hoot - maybe Weird Al could get us moving for it, but not too many others, eh?

Good luck to you and thanks again. I’m probably going to post this over at BlogHer too.
3 Jeff Hess on April 8th, 2008 6:47 pm

Shalom Jill (and Heidi),

In teaching meditation one of the concepts I work with is that we become what we think about.

If your goal is to match your personal image of skinny, then it makes sense to listen to skinny songs, whatever those might be.

B’shalom,

Jeff
4 Have Coffee Will Write » Blog Archive » MY COMMENTS… on April 8th, 2008 6:51 pm

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5 The King on April 9th, 2008 2:48 pm

Dear Mrs. Zimon:

If she really wants to perform a public service, she should send free copies to the middle aged men in our neighborhood who insist on gardening with their shirts off. Enough with the manboobery.

Sincerely,

The King
6 Jill Miller Zimon on April 9th, 2008 2:51 pm

King! You win the prize for making me laugh the hardest today! Manboobery! So long as no one has to watch those men try to get skinny by dancing, that’s a great idea. rofl