Fat shaming

Wow. I'm sure the orchestra was also thrilled to be described as "background wallpaper." Sounds like management was a hot mess anyway.

That is just horrendous.

That is the nature of our society. Looks first, talent second.

It just blows my mind!  What a completely insensitive thing to do.  

This is local to me.  Very upsetting.

Here is the link from CBC Canada: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/orchestra-email-outrage-1.4260556


Management resigns, organization shuts down

"My heart went out to the two people targeted in the email," said Kristina Bijelic. "Just the fact that in an email that went out to everybody ... the writer would call them out in such an aggressive way."

Since receiving backlash, management sent another email Thursday afternoon with a notice of resignation and announced it will be shutting down as a result.



"We sincerely apologize for any embarrassment/harassment that you may experience from media representatives or other individuals/parties as a result of misconstrued/malicious allegations and extremely negative/destructive/evil intent," it read.

The orchestra board has 11 members, but it was unclear how many chose to resign.

In a statement sent to CBC Toronto, the company said that as a result of the resignation, "the entire organization will cease to exist in due course."

The company says the closure is due to the loss of financial funding for community service and music training programs.

"I cannot believe they are turning the story of our embarrassment and fat-shaming that we have shared with the public and deeming it 'evil intent,'" Leone said.

Dunitz, who also owns and works at a fitness studio, said the management's words can seriously impact the self-esteem of people, particularly women.

"Some people have spoken up and said the email affected them and they deal with weight issues and self-consciousness," she said.

WTF is wrong with people?

Daily reminder patriarchy is alive and well!

More bullshit about women having to hide and feel shame. To the menstruation hut, confined to your bedroom, and now under a pile of loose clothes. "You can't wear this although it is available in your size because of your 'dietary indulgences'!" Eff that. I'm so pissed off.

I went shopping for yoga wear with an overweight friend recently and couldn't believe how freakin' hard it was for her to find appropriate technical gear in her size (don't get me started on the irony of how little workout clothes are made for people who get told all the time they just need to get off their lazy derrières and go to the gym). But apparently when a miracle occurs and a specific item of clothing is found in the right size they are supposed to shun it because society can't handle a piece of fabric hugging some extra belly, booty and thighs? What?

This is the least of the problems this orchestra has. They're a not-for-profit that plays for events such as weddings. Their musicians are scouted from local talent and are payed nothing. The orchestra is paid by the event organizer and the musicians get squat. Oh, except for 'exposure'. At weddings. And bar mitzvahs. I just st don't get why any musician would subject themselves to that for free.