It's my body....

It’s my body, and I’ll sell if I want to,
Eat if I want to,
Dress like I want to…..

Thanks, Lesley Gore, for the inspiration for the title!

There’s a wonderful daytime actress (Susan Flannery), who has been in the business for YEARS! She has played glamorous roles on Dallas, is on a very popular daytime drama (okay, “soap opera”), has directed, and is a veteran in her craft. She went from being the typical skinny glamour type to the full-figured, strong, independent, fiercely protective, and no-nonsense matriarch of a very powerful family in the FASHION business on this particular soap. Her once long, thick hair is now quite short, thin, and very white. Her once single-digit dress size has now changed to plus-size pants suits. A friend recently made a comment about how Susan had gained all that weight and would look better thinner. I whirled my 1X figure around and said, “Is she still a good actress? Can she still play the role? Has her size affected her dramatic ability in any way?” “Uh…no,” was the response.

As a matter of fact, the show celebrated episode 5000 last week, and the writers showed the full extent of their love and respect for their cast member. They wrote a STEAMY script for her – involving a wonderful love scene with her long-time hubby. When she asked him if he wished that she were 30 pounds thinner, he replied, “A waist is a terrible thing to mind.”

So, let’s hear a RIGHT ON for the Bold and the Beautiful (my 30-minute lunchtime escape from the world of medicine).

Now, on to Tyra Banks. A tabloid recently took a picture of her during a swimsuit photo shoot in Australia and then doctored it up to make her look VERY full-figured – cellulite and all. She appeared on her show – in the same swimsuit, curves and normal woman weight (not like a model) and showed the original photo in its untouched form and poked fun at the tabloid photo. She then went on to tell her viewers that anyone who puts someone else down because of appearance or any other reason can, “KISS MY FAT ASS!!!!!!” Hooray, Tyra!!!!!!

However…..She did a segment last night on the Bunny Ranch in Nevada – a legal brothel. She started the show off with a sermon against prostitution and how she wanted to show what “really” went on. Cameramen were allowed in the ranch. The owner, the madam, and several others were on the show. Where am I leading? If a woman is of the personality that she wants to sell her body, why should it be illegal or bad or anything else? It’s no one else’s business. These ladies live safely on the ranch and have to conform to some pretty strict rules, especially where health is concerned. These women have real goals – financial security, investments, the ability to retire in comfort. Sound familiar? They’re not at the mercy of a company who will pull the plug on a pension plan just when you’re about to need it. They’ve got their own investment portfolios! Come to think of it, they go to work and have to listen to the boss and do their work for pay just the way the rest of us do. Think about it…….

Back to Tyra. She heads up an empire, including the reality show, America’s Next Top Model. Uh, Tyra, isn’t modeling putting your body up for sale? So, before you criticize the folks in Nevada, take a look back at our Victoria’s Secret days and some of the photo shoots you had your “Top Model” contestants do. Hmm..

Meanwhile, time for a snack!