The Odd Files

Despite the fact that we should all know better, a shocking number of people think that it's acceptable to comment on women's bodies -- curvy, skinny, short and tall alike. However, women who fall outside of the thin "ideal" face a specific type of weight discrimination. The comments often directed at these women make it glaringly clear that fat stigma is (sadly) still alive and well. The term "plus-size" itself is a point of contention for many women. Obviously no one should be singled out for their body size, or treated differently because of their weight. But the fact remains that strangers, friends, family members and colleagues often feel empowered to comment on a woman's size -- especially when that size is not petite. In a January 2012 piece for xoJane, Lesley Kinzel wrote about being criticized for her weight in public places such as the grocery store, the gym and a parking lot: The frequency with which fat-shaming happens means many fat ...

Brown University is about to play host to a week-long celebration of nudity. The "Nudity in the Upspace" week goes from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5 on the Ivy league campus in Providence, R.I. The organizers write on the Facebook page the week intends to confront stigmas about the naked body and open a space space for discussions on it, with "All bodies welcome!" So what will go on at nudity week? On Tuesday, Oct. 1, there will be a nude yoga class that promises to "stretch your body perhaps in ways that it hasn’t been stretched before." Organizers will provide mats, but ask attendees to bring a towel. There will be nude cabaret, nude open mic night, nude body painting, personal testimonies about nudity and a panel on how issues like race and class intersect with nudity and body image. All events will be held in the Production Workshop Upspace in one of the campus buildings. The organizers were clear to note on the Facebook page "absolutely no p...

Citizens of Scott Township, Pa., are in a nutty battle over a set of concrete pillars that some people feel look like concrete penises. The pillars, actually bollards, were recently erected to keep traffic from driving into nearby structures. Four were installed at a bus stop near a church while six others are arrayed across the street, Philly.com reported. In theory, most locals were behind the idea, but the elongated shape and rounded top of the pillars have aroused the wrong kind of community, according to resident Pat Martin. "People are laughing at it. They're calling it Penis Road," she told the township commissioners Tuesday, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. One commissioner, Eileen Meyers, said she didn't see the bollards before they were ordered and conceded that she would have preferred "something more antique" Commissioner Bill Wells suggested flattening the tops of the bollards might improve the appearance, but offi...

Football pundit Robbie Fowler ­apologised to TV viewers yesterday after accusing two Premiership stars of “pulling at each other like a pair of girls”. The former Liverpool striker made his controversial remarks on BBC1’s Final Score show while discussing clashes between Fernando Torres and Jan Vertonghen during the Chelsea v Spurs game. He later apologised, saying: “I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to offend anyone.” His comments were made on the same day that former Radio 4 newsreader Charlotte Green became the first female to read the classified football results on BBC Radio 5 live. Angry viewers took to Twitter suggesting that Fowler, 38, was being derogatory about women’s football. Celebrity publicist Mark Borkowski wrote: “Robbie Fowler eating humble pie for dissing women’s football on #BBCFinalScore. ­Charlotte Green 10 v sexist git 0. New pundit in the wings.” But others tweeted in support of the former England player, and criticised the BBC for being too po...

Beachgoers in Vera, Spain, may have caught an eyeful on Sunday as a large group of exhibitionists went for a swimsuit-free dip in the Mediterranean Sea in a bid to break the skinny dipping world record. The 729 nude swimmers were apparently successful, surpassing the previous world record set by 506 festivalgoers in New Zealand last year, local news sources report. According to the Europa Press, about 600 people were expected at the event. Vera Mayor José Carmelo Jorge was pleased with the turnout, calling the mass nude swim a "tremendous success." Organized by the town of Vera and the Spanish Naturism Federation, the swimmers showed up to Playa El Playazo beach in throngs Sunday morning before disrobing and taking a collective dip in the Mediterranean around noon. Though funds raised during the event will be donated to charity, the record-breaking attempt was meant to bolster tourism in the small resort town of Vera, which is home to several natur...