Why Rosie Waterland annoyed me

Rosie Waterland has annoyed me today. A bit like Lorna Jane annoys me for saying she is all about empowering all women and then not stocking any clothing for women who are larger than the national average. A bit like Oprah Winfrey saying she does not have fans but rather readers, supporters and friends and then charging her mates hundreds of dollars for an hour or so of her time.

Rosie posted a nude selfie today and it annoyed me. How can you say you are an amazing female role model who does not care about the way people look and then post a nude photo? Haven’t we got enough of that crap from the likes of the Kardashians and the social media stars who are so burnt out with posting image focussed selfies that they are having very public melt downs by the time they hit their twenties?

I love Rosie Waterland, always have, ever since I discovered her recaps of the Bachelor. I don’t watch television due to the fact that I am obsessed with Netflix, but I do watch the Bachelor just so I can read her hilarious recaps. I think she is funny, articulate and intelligent. She is someone who has proven she can overcome adversity. She is the sort of role model I would like my eight year old to have.

Must admit I was so disappointed with the nude photo stunt and I rethought about wishing that she was my daughter’s role model.

I think Rosie looked absolutely fine – her body isn’t perfect, but then whose is without airbrushing and touch ups? The first thing I actually noticed was her eyes. I just wish finally some incredible female would say that she has had enough of all the focus on beauty and the way we look and pay it no heed at all. It is really sad but unfortunately due to the way the world works Rosie will now more likely be remembered for the “nude” selfie than anything else.

It might be wishful thinking, but I just wish we had more role models that say, I am fabulous, I am funny, I am smart, I am compassionate, I am kind. And you know what? I am all that and I look pretty good, just the way I am . Then to actually enforce that message by refusing to give any weight of importance to the exterior and instead to actually focus solely on all the reasons you are fabulous. Whoever did that would look fabulous no matter what their size, race, skin colour etc.

I don’t know why it is so common now to post endless selfies, to put nude selfies on social media as if saying, look how brave I am, I am showing my flesh with all its flaws.

We all have flaws, let’s move on and instead focus on the things that make us truly special, how we behave, how we make people laugh, how we can touch them with kindness. I just think it is sad, that kids like my daughter will now probably focus more on the nude selfie, than the amazing book, the brilliant recaps, the live shows. I just wish people would keep their clothes on so we can teach our kids that the way you look and appear will always be about more than just your skin.

What do you think? Do you agree?

Main image source: Twitter

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27 Comments

- - Frankiielot said
  - 21 Mar 2022
    8:41 pm
I don’t even know who she is to be honest! But agree with the whole nude picture thing and I think people really only do it for attention and boosting popularity.
Fine, be comfy with the body you’re in but also didn’t your mum teach you to respect yourself and keep things like that for other peoples imaginations and only for the person you’re being intimate with?!
Anyway, just my two cents on the table, people don’t have to agree…

- - sunflower said
  - 06 Jun 2021
    6:45 pm
I dislike talking about womens bodies in terms of imperfect, and flaws. There is not one way a body has to be, there is not one way a body is better than another body. By using these terms I feel we are still just focusing on ‘beauty’ even though the writer claims to be pushing away from that.

- - mom418449 said
  - 25 Jan 2021
    3:32 pm
I wonder what the publicity stunt was for this woman to post herself naked, and why she couldn’t get that attention without taking off her clothes? :S

- - mom134803 said
  - 13 Mar 2016
    11:51 am
Aw, I don’t know this Rosie, am not into celebrities so Rosie or any other celebrity can’t annoy me. But I do agree that in our society nowadays is too much focus on outer appearance, while it would be good when we look more to the person, the character, the strengths with acceptance for the weaknesses. Very important to set the right example to our kids.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  14 Mar 2016 , 4:57 am
  Absolutey!
- - coastalkaryn said
  - 28 Feb 2016
    11:26 am
I think they get too full of their self importance hey…
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  28 Feb 2016 , 8:25 pm
  I agree – I think they tend to get a bit misguided with their messages as well
- - BellaB said
  - 27 Feb 2016
    4:16 pm
I kinda agree, though I also see what Rosie was trying to do with her “natural” selfie. The reality is, it’s hard not to think about appearance. I’m never going to get anywhere on my looks, but I still make a bit of an effort to look nice.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  27 Feb 2016 , 9:08 pm
  Absolutely – you are spot on. It is almost impossible to get away from the appearance issue. An unfortunately the more people, especially celebrities who do things that are appearance focussed the harder it will be for our kids and theirs. It is a tough one.
- - welshmummy said
  - 01 Feb 2016
    10:21 am
Well I’m pleased that she feels comfortable to do a nude selfie but it does give off the wrong impression sometimes.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  01 Feb 2016 , 9:08 pm
  I agree. The message conflicted with the act. That’s why I found it a bit disappointing. But the fact she has the confidence to do it and it meant something to her – well that I guess is a good thing.
- - Threelos said
  - 31 Jan 2016
    10:07 pm
I definitely think the whole thing was a little confused and contradictory. I do think she had good intentions though.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  01 Feb 2016 , 9:07 pm
  I like Rosie – I am sure her intentions were good. The whole thing was quite contradictory to the message she was trying to convey. But I am sure her heart was in the right place.
- - pakeko said
  - 31 Jan 2016
    8:32 pm
Totally agree with you on this

- - mom93821 said
  - 30 Jan 2016
    9:52 pm
I love Rosie Waterland and her book The Anti Cool Girl about her traumatic childhood. I give her full marks for being able to share the photo. I have seen celebrities bare more flesh on the red carpet in see through dresses and barley there thongs. They make it to the magazines as fashion icons and sell magazines. I do get Rosie’s point, women should be judged by there intelligence and attributes and not by their bodies. I understand why she did this, even if it is something that I would not do.
- mom93821 replied
  
  31 Jan 2016 , 7:00 am
  Oops! should read barely and not barley!
  - Lara Flanagan replied
    
    31 Jan 2016 , 8:51 pm
    
    I love Rosie Waterland too and loved her book and have the utmost respect for her. What I could not understand is if someone says the we should stop focussing on appearance, why make something solely about appearance. I think if she had of kept her clothes on she would have made so much more of an impact on young people in particular, in teaching them that the way you look and appear is always going to be more than your skin.
- - mom94125 said
  - 28 Jan 2016
    5:29 pm
yeah time and effort could be better used. you can still bring awareness to a cause etc, with your clothes on! it really is a self-respect thing. keep that private lol
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  28 Jan 2016 , 8:30 pm
  I agree. Well said!
- - mom160421 said
  - 27 Jan 2016
    6:32 pm
Totally agree Lara. I really wish people would focus on their achievements and good deeds rather than their bodies. Our society is too focused on the superficial.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  27 Jan 2016 , 8:26 pm
  I think the more people focus on their bodies and do so in the form of selfies, especially nude ones the more people will become obsessed with their appearance. I have 8 year olds who worry about the way they look which horrifies me. Someone who is smart and intelligent, articulate and witty buying into it is such a tragic shame.
- - mom145947 said
  - 27 Jan 2016
    5:49 pm
She posted afterwards because she got some backlash over the conflicting message and explained why she did it. Maybe check that out.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  27 Jan 2016 , 8:29 pm
  I actually wrote my article after her second post. In her second post explaining why she did it she said, “Because I really do believe that we should not be obsessing over appearance, so I didn’t want to feed that obsession by talking more about it.” I found the whole thing very confused and convoluted. If you genuinely do believe that we should not be obsessing over appearance, it makes no sense to me to actually do something that makes people solely focus on your appearance.
- - Lizbef said
  - 27 Jan 2016
    1:19 pm
I see your point but then I see the purpose behind the nude selfie. If it boosts her confidence then good on her!
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  27 Jan 2016 , 8:34 pm
  If it was something that she needed to do to boost her confidence then I am all for anything that boosts people’s confidence. I just can’t for the life of me fathom how posting a nude self-taken photo for the world to see is a confidence boosting act. And if that is what someone needs to do, then I find it disappointing for so many reasons. But mainly for the message that it sends to younger generations. We have tweenagers now who are increasingly familiar with things like sexting. I know of 12 year olds who have gotten into a world of hurt due to the pressure by olders boys for them to text and post risque images. As far as I can see these actions are more damaging the esteem building. If the act boosted Rosie’s confidence that is great. (Though I have my doubts if you read the comments, that she will be too reading, that the act ended up being something that boosted her confidence).
- - mom90511 said
  - 27 Jan 2016
    12:57 pm
Hear! Hear! I agree wholeheartedly! I am so sick of the endless self absorption of so called ‘celebrities’ who are sending such bad messages to our young people. Who wants to see them nude anyway! Show us pictures of doing something worth while like volunteering or helping those less fortunate. Those people are the role models I want my kids to see.
- Lara Flanagan replied
  
  27 Jan 2016 , 8:36 pm
  I think it is the self absorption that I do not understand. We are bringing up children who will see more of the world through a hand-held screen than they will with their own eyes. So many celebrities are sending the message that this is ok. Luckily there are so many amazing role models out there who are doing things differently.