“My only concern is one of health. Obesity is a serious condition, and there’s a danger that some people might be encouraged to ‘love’ a body that’s actually killing them,” says “The Gadfly” columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.  

I MUST admit I had not heard of the “body image activist, director, writer and speaker” Taryn Brumfitt until the prime minister announced her ascension to the role of Australian of the Year in the Australia Day celebrations.

That’s not her fault, of course. It’s mine because it’s obviously an issue that affects millions of people around the world. 

She’s released four best-selling books, which totally escaped me. And as the official citation records, Taryn Brumfitt “leads the Body Image Movement, an Adelaide-based organisation that teaches people to love and appreciate their bodies. Her 2016 documentary ‘Embrace’ tackled the serious issue of women’s body loathing and Taryn’s path to body acceptance. It was seen by millions of people in 190 countries and is available on Netflix”.

We don’t have Netflix, but more importantly: “She released a documentary, ‘Embrace Kids’, in September 2022 that aims to teach nine- to 14-year-olds to move, nourish, respect and appreciate what their bodies can do” together with “a parenting book to assist teachers, parents, children and communities on fostering body positivity”.

This is where the rubber hit the road in the Macklin household. 

During a visit by friends with two beautiful daughters a few months ago, both of whom are within that 9-to-14 range, I casually remarked to one of them – in a happy, grandfatherly way – that she’d put on a bit of weight since we saw them last. I meant it just as part of a conversation about their progress in sport, school and sleepovers, but the response from the family shocked me to my boots.

Our children were both boys so I was unaware of the sensitivity of girls – especially in that age range – to comments about their bodies. And I was shattered by the thought that I might have unwittingly contributed to some mental anguish with who knows what consequences for someone I cared for so much. It was an awful occasion and I still regret it.

Anyway, a couple of weeks later she and I had a yarn and I apologised; and we got back to our former good-natured relationship. The little weight gain was a passing phase; and she’s just as lively and funny and beautiful as she always has been.

However, I was visiting an old friend in a nursing home the other day. He’s a rock-ribbed conservative and he was quite angry about Ms Brumfitt’s appointment. He blamed the Labor government, which I thought a bit rich, but he did say: “So what are we supposed to do? All take our clothes off and say how nice we look?” 

He did have a point there, since there doesn’t seem to be any natural follow-up, unlike the activism of Grace Tame, for example, who got things moving on the vile creatures preying on vulnerable kids.

My only concern is one of health. Obesity is a serious condition, and there’s a danger that Taryn Brumfitt’s elevation might encourage some people to “love” a body that’s actually killing them. This was brought home recently with the TV coverage of Beyonce’s triumph at the Grammy Awards, where she and especially her female friends, seemed to be glorying in their obesity. And woe betide any person who dares to raise a hand of caution.

I’m not suggesting the judges erred in selecting Ms Brumfitt for the high honour and the exposure it usually brings to the award winner. But I do hope they have planned her year thoughtfully.

robert@robertmacklin.com