Obliviously I love myself a tutu, as I have even written about how when I don't wear one, it makes me sad.
So when I saw this post go viral on Facebook about Self magazine and their bs meter about wearing tutus :
Excited to see our tutus in SELF Magazine ... but shocked to see that running tutus are classified as lame. Especially considering the fact that this picture is from last year's LA Marathon when Glam Runner founders Tara and Monika ran together as superheroes ... because Monika was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and was running a marathon in the middle of a year of chemo.
I was pissed. Beyond pissed. I honestly felt like my way of running, having fun and dressing up and wearing tutus, was being attacked as not "real running", which should not be the case.
Then when I learned the whole story that Monika was recovering from a brain tumor, I was even more pissed! And even worse? They contacted her to use the picture and did it with such hatred really made my blood boil!
How could a magazine that's supposed to support and build up women (enough things on this planet bring us down including ourselves) could have a BS meter where they print things like this?
The fact they did not do their research:
- umm.. Tara's bib says DIE TUMOR DIE
- It is clearly a race (not just a run in central park)
- it's the LA marathon
- a marathon-who cares what you wear as long as it's comfortable for 26.2 miles!
- they never asked for the background
- the costumes are so cute and well done
- the costumes are done by themselves and sold and donations made to charity
- do people really believe that wearing a tutu makes you run faster?
- All of these add up to one thing: lack of research, lack of integrity, lack of support to the cause they claim they are for: women.
Well it did not take long for this to blow up on social media especially around the Disney groups (including rundisney weighing in and showing support for tutus) as so many people enjoy dressing up in costume for runs.
At the same time, the Self facebook page was pretty much attacked with people saying they were cancelling subscriptions and could not believe it. It was turning into a PR nightmare and surprisingly Self was pretty quiet.
It took Self longer to respond than I thought it should. Within 2 days the editor in chief had released the following statement:
"I am personally mortified," Lucy Danziger, the magazine's editor-in-chief, told USA Today. "I had no idea that Monika had been through cancer. It was an error. It was a stupid mistake. We shouldn't have run the item."
Yes it was great for them to speak out but the damage had been done. The fact that they apologized because she had cancer and not because it was not how people should treat each other was still sitting wrong with me. The fact that they said they would interview her for a future issue also did not sit well with me. They also said they would be donating to Girls on the Run, which is a good start.
Well they must have felt the same way as the interview is out NOW and done by the editor in chief herself.
Do I accept the apology and appreciate the interview the editor did with Monika? Of course! and Monika's composure and graciousness should not be understated as she is truly an inspiration.
Do I think its great that they will not be doing a bs meter? Yes!
Do I plan on subscribing to self anytime soon? NOPE! It seems like they have a negative slant and are trying to be edgy which I personally don't like. I read a few comments/references about how Self was trying to "appeal to millennials" with this level of snark and that does not go over well with me either as a millennial. I like things that are supportive and good for all.
Also I believe they are only apologizing so openly because it's a PR nightmare. They have not commented on the 5k diss ( where they said you should run 10k because there are "more bragging rights than the shorty 5k"). What about that diss to all of the people that run 5ks? Or do they not count because it is a "shorty 5k"? What else have they been writing in the magazine that has been looked over?
and I wonder as well if the person they had posted a picture had been anyone different (someone not so well-mannered, not recovering from cancer, not donating proceeds to charity), if they would have done anything. I guess we can just hope that they would!
However since this has been going on the better part of a week, let's put it to bed and #changetheconversation to be more positive.
As a runner, I feel that it is much harder than people give it credit for. There is a lot of training, planning and commitment that goes into being a runner no matter the distance whether it is a 50m dash to an ultra marathon of 100 miles. If it was easy, everyone would do it! All runners should be celebrated not torn down over something as trivial as an outfit. We are all in this together!
So going forward, run in the tutu, sparkle skirt, costume, WHATEVER YOU WANT as long as you are safe and comfortable and celebrate everyone's accomplishment!
We are all on different journeys but we are all runners: we gotta support each other! and I think rundisney put it best to show their support for #rockthetutu with this picture of the first tinkerbell winner:
Click 'Like' to show your support for everyone who has the courage to take the first step towards the Finish Line of their personal journey!
It is about the journey. It is about the finish line, not the finish time! Let's all get out there and have a good run! As for me, I will still be out there rocking the tutu! I do it because it is fun, not because I think it will make me faster (even though I have run some great races in costume!) #rockthetutu
What are your thoughts on the Self debacle?