Regina Benjamin, Surgeon General “Too Big”

Obama’s selection of a highly regarded Doctor for his choice as the new Surgeon General has some raising their eyebrows.  People are questioning whether the selection of an overweight woman is the right message to send to the American public, who is already suffering high rates of obesity and related illnesses and what many call an “obesity epidemic”.  The problem, many say, is that the position she is in is specifically related to the public’s health and wellness, and having someone in the position who is overweight and may be put at higher risks for obesity related disease herself is just not setting the best example in these times when obesity is frowned upon, yet so prevalent.

I’m kind of torn here.  While I think it’s great that she is a woman and also a minority, with the administration shattering so many ethnic boundaries with it’s appointments, I do have this one part of me that thinks maybe she should be someone who sets the example of being within weight and fitness guidelines that promote the greatest health.  If she were the Attorney General, I could care less, but because her position is so specifically health related, I feel a bit differently about it.

On the other hand, I feel like women, and men, are put under such a microscope when it comes to their weight, that a part of me feels like someone who is not of the ideal weight and has extra curves is a good example to women who feel they have to be a size 2 to be anything these days.  It’s such a double edged sword, especially for women, that I tend to go both ways on it, especially myself being a woman who suffered an eating disorder in my youth due to the societal pressure to be supermodel thin back then (which still, in my opinion, continues on today although the pin thin idea has eased a bit).

One thing is for sure, her credentials are awesome.  She has been an advocate for the health care of the less fortunate, which definitely gives her a few notches up with me, and she has won awards for excellence in her profession.  Not to mention, she just looks like a really nice and generous woman.  I wish her the greatest luck in her new job, and also with all the criticism from people who can’t understand the appointment of a larger woman to this role!