Hollywood & Pacific Shore NOW Demand Better, Dr. Regina Benjamin for Surgeon General, Weight Should Not be an Issue
Hollywood & Pacific Shore NOW reject discriminatory claims circulating in various media outlets.
Hollywood, CA, July 29, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Two local chapters of the National Organization for Women (NOW) – Hollywood NOW and Pacific Shore NOW – oppose the discriminatory claims circulating in various media outlets questioning the qualifications of Surgeon General nominee Dr. Regina Benjamin based on her weight.
Benjamin, the first African American woman on the American Medical Association's board of trustees, was chosen by President Barack Obama on July 13 to be the next Surgeon General. If confirmed, she will be the third African American and the third non-acting woman to hold the position. She personifies the message of NOW's Love Your Body Day (LYBD) campaign, which promotes equality for all people regardless of physical appearance.
Actress, plus-sized model, and chair of the LYBD committee for Hollywood NOW, Chenese Lewis, said Benjamin’s professional background and stellar achievements should be the deciding factors in her appointment to the role of Surgeon General, not her physical appearance.
“Discrimination based on appearance is wrong in any form, period,” Lewis said. “It's unfortunate that this is even an issue when Dr. Benjamin is more than qualified and capable of handling the position of Surgeon General. This is yet another example of how society puts more value on outer appearance over ability, integrity, and character.”
Zoe Ann Nicholson, President of Pacific Shore NOW, also expressed outrage over the discriminatory media propaganda surrounding Benjamin.
“When I see Dr. Benjamin, I see a woman I can trust,” Nicholson said. “If I have chest pains, it might not be a heart attack or something related to weight. She might understand that just because I am big, a doctor should not give me double doses. Both of these things have happened to me. Since most American women are size 14 or more, I am really encouraged to have a Surgeon General who can see us as people, not as number on a body fat scale chart.”
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. The Hollywood Chapter of NOW has brought a new face to feminism and tackled contemporary issues facing all women, including healthy body image, safety, and peace. To learn more about Hollywood NOW’s Love Your Body campaign, go to www.LoveYourBodyDay.com.
###
Interviews with Chenese Lewis and Zoe Ann Nicholson are available upon request.
Hollywood NOW: www.myspace.com/HollywoodNOW
Chenese Lewis: www.cheneselewis.com
Love Your Body Day: www.LoveYourBodyDay.com
Pacific Shore NOW: www.pacificshoreocnow.com
Zoe Ann Nicholson: www.onlinewithzoe.com
Benjamin, the first African American woman on the American Medical Association's board of trustees, was chosen by President Barack Obama on July 13 to be the next Surgeon General. If confirmed, she will be the third African American and the third non-acting woman to hold the position. She personifies the message of NOW's Love Your Body Day (LYBD) campaign, which promotes equality for all people regardless of physical appearance.
Actress, plus-sized model, and chair of the LYBD committee for Hollywood NOW, Chenese Lewis, said Benjamin’s professional background and stellar achievements should be the deciding factors in her appointment to the role of Surgeon General, not her physical appearance.
“Discrimination based on appearance is wrong in any form, period,” Lewis said. “It's unfortunate that this is even an issue when Dr. Benjamin is more than qualified and capable of handling the position of Surgeon General. This is yet another example of how society puts more value on outer appearance over ability, integrity, and character.”
Zoe Ann Nicholson, President of Pacific Shore NOW, also expressed outrage over the discriminatory media propaganda surrounding Benjamin.
“When I see Dr. Benjamin, I see a woman I can trust,” Nicholson said. “If I have chest pains, it might not be a heart attack or something related to weight. She might understand that just because I am big, a doctor should not give me double doses. Both of these things have happened to me. Since most American women are size 14 or more, I am really encouraged to have a Surgeon General who can see us as people, not as number on a body fat scale chart.”
The National Organization for Women (NOW) is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. The Hollywood Chapter of NOW has brought a new face to feminism and tackled contemporary issues facing all women, including healthy body image, safety, and peace. To learn more about Hollywood NOW’s Love Your Body campaign, go to www.LoveYourBodyDay.com.
###
Interviews with Chenese Lewis and Zoe Ann Nicholson are available upon request.
Hollywood NOW: www.myspace.com/HollywoodNOW
Chenese Lewis: www.cheneselewis.com
Love Your Body Day: www.LoveYourBodyDay.com
Pacific Shore NOW: www.pacificshoreocnow.com
Zoe Ann Nicholson: www.onlinewithzoe.com
Contact
Chenese Lewis Productions LLC
Amy Lyons
323.578.1980
http://www.loveyourbodyday.com
Amy Lyons
323.578.1980
http://www.loveyourbodyday.com
Contact
Categories