In a world that’s already brimming over with body-shaming messages, what we really needed was that kind of negativity coming to us straight from our tableware. According to someone at Macy’s, anyway.
On July 22nd, writer, podcaster, and host of Netflix show Brainchild, Alie Ward, spotted some bowls stocked by the well-known retail chain’s New York flagship store that she found disturbing. Made by a company called Pourtions, the bowls had different lines supposedly indicating how much food someone wearing a certain kind of jean style could eat.
Whether intended or not, the message that comes over is that we should only think about food and how much we eat in terms of how it will affect the size and shapes of our bodies. This approach to food can lead people to fixate on how much food they eat, rather than the nutritional value and enjoyment they get from it, which can lead to an eating disorder.
Ward tweeted a picture of the bowls, with a sarcastic caption stating that she’d like to get them banned nationwide — and Twitter lit up. As of writing, her original tweet has 46.5K likes and has been retweeted 5.4K times.
How can I get these plates from @Macys banned in all 50 states pic.twitter.com/1spntAluVl
— Alie Ward (@alieward) July 21, 2019
Macy’s took note. They followed up with Alie, letting her know that they would be pulling the plates.
Hi, Alie — we appreciate you sharing this with us and agree that we missed the mark on this product. It will be removed from all STORY at Macy's locations.
— Macy's (@Macys) July 22, 2019
Many people appreciated Ward’s attempt to save people from the food- and body-shaming messages.
As someone who has a friend who struggles every day with an eating disorder, thank you. This can be very dentramental to the progress she has made. There's no reason to have plates that make people feel bad about themselves
— MikkiP (@Mikkip03) July 23, 2019
Including actress and anti-body-shaming activist Jameela Jamil, who was as delightfully blunt as ever.
People who’d previously had eating disorders were especially keen to emphasize the potential damage from this kind of messaging.
I appreciate @Macys for acting so quickly. This was far more serious than most people realize. Coming from years of disordered eating, this is a PROBLEM and can trigger so many. Would you want your children eating off of this plate? Fuck no https://t.co/LpkFdhxPsf
— G (@haddady_o) July 23, 2019
Especially since there seems to be a gendered element.
Some are angry that Macy’s went there in the first place.
@Macys, appreciate you've removed the plates. But is it enough? What were you thinking in the first place? Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all mental disorders. Not a joke. https://t.co/xNYh4438uW
— SteelerFanMom 🟦 (@SteelerFanMom) July 23, 2019
How did no one involved in making these plates see the issue?
They tried to make up for it by withdrawing the plates. However several people would have been involved in the design and production. One of them must have realised it was an incredibly stupid decision to go ahead and manufacture/sell them.
— Ofrupaul (@Tempus_fugit81) July 23, 2019
Despite everyone who wants to tell us it’s all just a joke we’re not getting…
@Macys it's too bad you gave in on those plates. I would have bought them!! Some people need to be offended by something at all times. What we NEED is more humor, like those plates
— Grneyedwomanchild (@ToshTalarico) July 23, 2019
The company that makes them wasn’t joking about using their plates for “portion control”:
I don't believe the plates were intended to be funny, though. They are made by a company called Pourtions which make products for portion control. They were intended to be more 'useful' than comical.
— Amanda Thayer (@amandamaethay) July 23, 2019
Since this is Twitter, there were plenty of people who couldn’t see the issue.
it’s just a plate…
— ra ra rasputin (@daddyrosee) July 23, 2019
SOMETIMES IN ALL CAPS.
Others stepped in to help explain why equating less food with being skinny is problematic.
Skinny doesn’t necessarily mean healthy.
it’s not about eating healthy, you could fill that plate with salad and call it healthy yet it’s shaming people to eat less just so that they can wear certain clothing, when in reality they should be comfortable wearing anything no matter how their body looks.
— georgia (@georgiaxbriann) July 23, 2019
Others were just done.
they simply refuse to open their mind up to new information and the idea that something on a plate could actually be very morally wrong. i hope you understand what i'm saying here and are willing to give it a bit more thought than you initially would have. you have a good day.
— niene (@nieneplume) July 22, 2019
Ward somehow stayed remarkably cool, despite all the backlash — and she has a message for everyone.
“Banned” was hyperbole — I just think this logic is flawed, harmful & people shouldn’t make money off of making women feel bad— but Macy’s agrees and is pulling them. General sidenote: speak up for others, contact your reps & vote in local, state & national elections k thanx https://t.co/TfFvqcIVI1
— Alie Ward (@alieward) July 22, 2019
Trying portion control in a healthy, supervised, carefully managed way, with the aim of improving overall health rather than just losing weight, can work for some people. But tableware that tries to tell you how much to eat based on which jeans you’ll be able to fit in is not a dinner companion anyone needs.
