Alberta Newspaper Says It Fat Shamed Health Minister By 'Mistake'

[taco.vidal]

http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/13978040?

No, this isn’t a headline placed on a story about weight loss or dieting. It’s one about the Alberta government’s ongoing work to reduce health procedure wait times.

The headline, combined with a pull quote next to a picture of Health Minister Sarah Hoffman, is “spectacularly insulting“ and a form of “casual misogyny,” according to critics on social media.

The headline appeared on the article in a print edition of Calgary Sun earlier this week. Online, a different version ran: “NDP vow to cut wait times a work in progress.”

Editor Jose Rodriguez took to Twitter to apologize Wednesday, conceding the print version was a”mistake” and a “poor attempt at a pun.”

[llwhiteoutll]

What picture were they supposed to use other than a picture of the person being quoted?

[Weitz]

I've got no problem with it, but I am sure that will draw ire.

[northcrunk]

Who cares? She is an overweight health minister. She is going to get criticized. It's happened when a overweight male is health minister.

[Nufy]

Great...more ammo for the NDP to use to deflect from the real issues...

I wonder if we get another emotional speech ala Sandra Jansen.

[Locke]

Was it The Sun?

Because 'Poor attempt at a pun' pretty much defines the Calgary Sun's existence. It should be engraved on their tombstone.

[Wiggum_PI]

Reminds me of that guy in the PC party who called her "morbidly obese" in a facebook post.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2029953/pc...orbidly-obese/

[northcrunk]

The pantie waist fascists are up in arms again. I wonder if they will call in the RCMP because feelings were hurt.

[calculoso]

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

What picture were they supposed to use other than a picture of the person being quoted?

Did they need a picture?

Could they have used a picture of a stopwatch instead?

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by Wiggum_PI

Reminds me of that guy in the PC party who called her "morbidly obese" in a facebook post.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2029953/pc...orbidly-obese/

Saying she is morbidly obese is probably pretty close to fact. This case is probably a bunch of Tumblr "activists" trying to find something to be offended about.

[transplant99]

Im curious how it can be construed as misogyny.

Between Sandra Jansen and some other things in the last few months, im starting to believe that criticizing any female politician about anything will be called misogyny.

Political correctness running rampant i guess.

[Locke]

I feel so bad for that poor woman, she seems like an intelligent lady but shes the NDP's de-facto sacrificial lamb.

Whenever its time for the torches and pitchforks to come out she is always the one they put in the line of fire.

I think shes going to write a really interesting book one day.

[llwhiteoutll]

Originally Posted by Locke

I feel so bad for that poor woman, she seems like an intelligent lady but shes the NDP's de-facto sacrificial lamb.

Whenever its time for the torches and pitchforks to come out she is always the one they put in the line of fire.

I think shes going to write a really interesting book one day.

It was an article about hospital wait times. Who were they going to have out in front of it? The justice minister?

[CroFlames]

If the health minister was a smoker, would a newspaper be able to criticize or mention that or be chastised for it?

Being hugely overweight is a health problem and a health minister should exemplify healthiness. It's like if the environment minister drove a 1984 turbodiesel Mercedes or something. You kind of need to practice what you preach.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by Locke

Was it The Sun?

Because 'Poor attempt at a pun' pretty much defines the Calgary Sun's existence. It should be engraved on their tombstone.

The only reason anyone should ever read the Sun is if they went to Mickie D's and got the free paper. Besides when I want absurdly trashy headlines and terrible puns, the New York tabloids are where it's at.

[jeffporfirio]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

If the health minister was a smoker, would a newspaper be able to criticize or mention that or be chastised for it?

Being hugely overweight is a health problem and a health minister should exemplify healthiness. It's like if the environment minister drove a 1984 turbodiesel Mercedes or something. You kind of need to practice what you preach.

Touche.

[northcrunk]

What happened to "sticks and stone will break my bones but words will never hurt me"? How was it replaced by "words matter and your words hurt me so I am calling to police"

[Looch City]

Sounds like something off of tumblr...

[afc wimbledon]

Its an interesting question, if you were an active addict you couldn't work in a rehab, if you are actively unhealthy can you be considered fit to be a health minister?

[REDVAN]

It's certainly offside, but I don't know what it has to do with misogyny.