Gok knows how to be kind about body image
I’m a relative newcomer to the joys of Gok Wan. Previously, I had only seen him as a panelist on quiz shows or a judge on reality shows and never quite knew who he was or what he did. Last week I read an interview with him, watched How To Look Good Naked and his other programme, the fashion fix one, and have come to the conclusion that he’s great! When I watched his show, what struck me was how nice Gok is to the ladies he features, telling them their good points, explaining why certain clothes make them look bad, and the whole ‘body dysmorphia line-up’ is amazing. Basically, a woman will say ‘I hate my bum, it’s huge’ and Gok then gets a line-up of ten women ranging ten inches in bum size from the lady in question. He’ll then say, ‘which bum is the same size as yours?’ and the woman will invariably pick one that’s four inches bigger than hers. He then points out the one that is the same size as the woman’s and the look on her face when she realises, ‘hey, that bum’s not bad’ is so wonderful. I guess Gok has known what it’s like to be have a body that’s not so perfect – he weighed 21 stone when he was just 20. He also uses non-skinny minnies in his campaign for his underwear.
Anyway, all this was brought on by reading today that Trinny & Susannah have lost, like 4.5m viewers. No surprise, I thought to myself, when you compare their ‘Your tits are so saggy, hee hee!’ approach to Gok’s ‘actually, you’ve got really good legs, let’s focus on those’ approach. (Having said that, I did watch their show and enjoy it, although my favourite show was the one where they got couples to strip naked and talk to each other behind a screen. There was even an episode where they had to blur out the guy’s erection. Lord, I was mortified for him.) Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to say is, all hail Gok and his crusade to make women love themselves just that little bit more.
Oh yeah, lovely Gok. He just seems to genuinely love women, always hugging them and being positive.
I enjoyed Trinny & Susannah in the past but their dynamic can be a bit cruel-to-be-kind at times. And what’s with all the breast pinching? Get your hands off my tits, you mad cow!
Still, they have done good work in getting women to dress for their shape, which works for sure.
i love gok he’s a legend!! he’s last show ” gok’s fashion fix” was brill really showed people all the tricks of the trade. i wish he’d come to ireland for one of his street style thingy’s
Hehe, the breast-pinching/bum-grabbing was kind of excessive alright.
Also loved Gok’s fashion fix – he’s a whizz with a needle and thread and shows how easy it actually is to customise something.
I love Gok! He seems to genuinely care about making people feel better about themselves, and his programme is really positive and sweet. And I’ve got to admit, there are times when I’ve got a bit misty eyed when the ladies finally proudly strut their stuff at the end of the episodes.
Trinny and Susannah, on the other hand, are just mean. Although not as mean as that vile Nicky Hambleton-Whatsit of Ten Years Younger, who harangues poor unfortunate women into hating themselves so much they get serious surgery. Whenever I catch a glimpse of that horrible programme, I want to send the poor ladies on it to Gok who would just give them a haircut and some flattering fashion tips and encourage them to like themselves a bit more.
I kind of like Nicky, but I think it might have something to do with her vast array of lovely specs. I’ve got specs envy.
Eh, I don’t really like or dislike either. I don’t like the focus on women’s bodies even if it’s “positive” – it’s still all about encouraging women to prioritise their appearance in a way that men don’t have to.
Mary, this is true too, but at least they’re not saying you have to be this size or this shape.
Good point, Mary. I suppose I find Gok the lesser of two evils – he may be taking part in a fucked-up system that emphasies women’s looks, but he does so in a kind and positive way. Which is, alas, the best we can apparently hope for in today’s misogynistic mainstream media. Sigh.
I like Gok, too. I only recently saw his show for the first time. I don’t watch it regularly, but if it’s on when I turn the TV on, I’m happy to watch it. I’m a bit bored with makeover shows, to be honest.
I cannot stand Trinny and Susannah anymore. I used to like them, when they first started, but now I’m just tired of them and I absolutely hate the way they talk about ‘tits and arse’ all the time ‘look at my tits…’ ‘look at Susannah’s tits…’ ‘see how my arse is… whereas Trinny’s arse is…’ argh. They’re obsessed with their own boobs and backsides. I think they have done a lot of good, though. They’ve helped a lot of women over the years.
Tina, they also did a lot of good campaigning for women to get measured to wear the right bra size.
there was a lady on ten years there, i think, 2 wks ago and she had surgery before the show to lose weight and she was left with flabby skin all over body was really bad her boobs were literally down to her hips so in cases like that she is helpful. but i stil love gok, legend!!
Oh yeah, I do think both programmes are fun, and I don’t mean to be a killjoy! I just get a bit irked when people are claiming that things like the Dove “Natural Beauty” adverting campaign or Gok Wan are a huge step forward for women, because to me they’re just variations on the same pretty restrictive theme.
I’m with Mary, even with the most positive discriminatory will in the world, these shows focus on external beauty and not the merits of an individual. I can’t hack them at all, although Gok seems sweet.
Trinny and Susannah always came across as cruel, snobby schoolyard bullies to me…
Gok is pretty cool, although I’d be happier if he dropped the weird occasional semi-thirdpersonedness.
>it’s still all about encouraging women to prioritise their appearance in a way that men don’t have to.
Well that’s a relief. I shall throw out my wardrobe and stop showering forthwith.
yea but it doesn’t claim to be anything more than what the show is. it’s a make over show. i don’t he’s the one making the claims that he’s a modern feminist, or wotever. i think women can sometimes be a little too pc about body issues for fear they’ll offend the feminists.