In 2009, stories that shaped the images of black women ran the gamut. From the awe-inspiring to the unbelievable, from ridiculous to riveting here are a dozen stories that definitely got our attention. So without further ado here’s our countdown:

#11 The Regina Benjamin Backlash— July 2009 (aka: “Size Matters: Objections Against Dr. Regina Benjamin’s Nomination…”)

Oh how I love the ladies over at Jezebel because even if I am out all day, I can count on them to flag something that will be of interest to us. Such is the case with the underground rumblings about Surgeon General nominee, Dr. Regina Benjamin. Namely, they’ve brought to mind that there are some who think that she’s too fat or to be more accurate her face is too fat to serve in that role. (Of course the same was said, and is still being said, about Judge Sonia Sotomayor). Actually, there are people who are trying to figure out Dr. Benjamin’s BMI to ascertain whether she is technically obese. No, I’m not kidding.

Jezebel led me over to Francis Kissling’s piece on Salon.com which looks at this whole size issue. Kissling gives us Benjamin’s qualifications pointing out that she has rebuilt her rural Alabama clinic twice in the last few years, she’s a MacArthur genius and spent the majority of her career caring for the underserved. She also thinks that having Benjamin in this role may be a good thing since she more closely resembles the frame of the majority of women in the US versus say HHS Secretary Katherine Sebellius.

But Kissling also writes something else:

From her photos, it appears that Dr. Benjamin will need a generous size 18 military uniform.

That statement gives me pause. Because to me at least the subtext in that statement is that a size 18=a fate worse than death. Now don’t get me wrong, obesity is a big problem an epidemic in this country, but when did one’s size come into play when we talk about qualifications for the job. It certainly has for two women of color: Sotomayor and Benjamin. But what about the men? Not so much. In fact, the folks over at Jezebel list all the male nominees who have been immune to such scrutiny. Sounds a little like we are imposing Hollywood standards on the women all of a sudden. But the fat backlash is real, evidenced by some of the comments on this NY Times blog post . But Benjamin makes no bones about the health challenges her family has faced but she also believes that it makes her even more passionate about changing the health fate of this nation.

What’s really interesting, however, is how this fat backlash is occuring at the same time that big girls are becoming the newest thing in television programming. Ruby over at The Style Network, has been a runaway hit. It follows the everyday challenges of a morbidly obese woman in Savannah, GA. While over on Oxygen there’s Dance Your Ass Off a hybrid of “The Biggest Loser” and “Dancing With The Stars”. Then on Lifetime there’s the not so bright blonde model reincarnated in the form of a bright, big-boned lawyer in Drop Dead Diva. Finally, Fox will enter the field later this month with its dating show “More to Love”, the full-figured version of “The Bachelorette”.

So I am left wondering whether in Hollywood, where image in everything, big girls are suddenly in? While in Washington, where experience and intelligence once reigned supreme, are big girls automatically out?
This is absolutely crazy.

UPDATE: Dr. Regina Benjamin was quietly confirmed as the 18th Surgeon General of the United States last month.

If you liked this post, we think you might like these too:

1. Size Matters: Objections Against Dr. Regina Benjamin’s Nomination & How It Relates to Hollywood’s Big Girl Boom
2. Dr. Regina Benjamin Talks About Obesity
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4. TBGS Year in Review: #3 The Creamy Crack Debate
5. TBGS Year in Review: #2 The Night That Changed Rihanna’s Life