Chrissie holds head high

Chrissie Swan from ARN's Mix FM network has posed for a photo shoot, and given an interview, with the Australian Women's Weekly (AWW). They have been published in the magazine and in part  on the (AWW) website.

However the online version of the AWW has degenerated into an ugly discussion about the weight of her children.

A number of their readers have attacked Swan for the weight of her two boys, Leo (3 years) and Kit (9 months) who were also in the photo shoot (pictured right).

(** update ** audio of Chrissie's response to the criticism here.)

The comments from readers were typical bullying, and we won't dignify them by repeating them here, however we will print Chrissie Swan's classy and dignified response;

"The easiest thing to do is not read them (the criticism) at all. I never do. That ugliness doesn't fit into my beautiful, busy, wonderful life full of fun and babies and mess and laughter."

Bizarrely, Neighbours actor Ashleigh Brewer made a public comment about the photoshoot accusing Swan of having a 'pro-fat attitude'. She later retracted the comments and apologised.

Speaking about the television programs focusing on people losing weight, Swan said;

"We can't say fat people are bad, we can't have them crawl through mud pits on national television and have skinny people yelling at them, saying, 'How does it feel?' Because kids see that and they go, 'Okay, it's cool to scream abuse and belittle a fat person. I'll do that next time I see Billy in the playground.'

Professor Lesley Campbell, who is from the Garvan Institute, has commented that many children appear overweight, but are in fact completely healthy; "Mothers were once to blame for schizophrenia and autism and now it's obesity. This make me really sad. Mums are already hard enough on themselves. They need support, not more guilt."