I wanted to commend the courageous woman who spoke out against the offensive ad run by Gainesville Health and Fitness.
It depicts what appears to be the ass of a prepubescent girl in a feeble attempt to recruit new members. This image and its accompanied slogan, "To get here, start here," sends the message to girls and guys alike that body image should be one's sole incentive to engage in physical activity.
I completely agree with Wednesday's letter to the editor that this is precisely the attitude towards fitness that drives body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in our disillusioned society. This is just one of the many advertisements that we are bombarded with daily. They are all alike in their motive to stir up deep-seated insecurities and profit from the patronage of the countless Americans who resolved to "get in shape" this New Year.
Her letter to the editor eloquently illustrated how conforming to the media's twisted standards of beauty will only leave one feeling isolated and insufficient.
I can't express how honored I am that this woman shared her experience with our community. She managed to bring awareness to an epidemic that is pervasive in our world and yet rarely addressed. She unknowingly connected countless readers who have ever felt alone in believing their bodies to be inadequate or imperfect.
Namasté, my brave solider of truth. Namasté.
