[Phil]

Hi everyone,

I think I may have inadvertently created a little tension within the board members concerning this topic so I would like to apologise for this and any other misunderstandings. I quite agree with the posts that have been dismissive of this thread because the last thing I wanted was a dissection of Stevie's weight.

I abhor the media's preoccupation with her physical appearance and view much of the commentary concerning Stevie to date as misogynistic and ageist in the extreme. For the record, I consider Stevie to be an incredibly beautiful person, internally as well as externally, and wonder what she has done to deserve such attentions.

Some may say that she traded on physicality and utilised her "feminine charms" in the beginning of her career so should be willing to face the type of scrutiny she now endures but I reject this argument outright. The persona of "rock goddess" that afflicts her to this very day was bestowed upon Stevie by the press and never actually a calculated move on her part. Rather than court a sex symbol image, she became quite self conscious about any display of flesh and began covering up by the time Tusk was released.

However, because she was an attractive, sensual woman asserting herself in the rock domain, it was assumed that her worth as a performer did not extend beyond physical allure. It was about then that she garnered the unfortunate title of "rock's flakey princess" suggesting that she had nothing more to offer than scatty prose and mild titillation. Very seldomly was she recognised for her vast musical attributes and unique position within the rock world, which both confused and infuriated me. This, however, I realise is the plight of many females working in the public eye - both then and now.

Of course, the marketing of "rock chicks" is common place in our society but surely I can't be the only one troubled by the idea of a 54 year old musical legend being judged on her waistline and complexion? We all have different perceptions of beauty and varying ideas on what is acceptable in terms of weight etc but at what age does a woman escape such close examination? I just hope Stevie refuses to become subservient to the unrealistic demands and expectations of those who wish she was thinner, younger, prettier, sexier etc.

In response to the comments about Stevie's concert performances being affected by her weight, well I think her lack of enthusiasm and occasional listlessness during the late 80's and early 90's was primarily due to her dependency on antidepressants. I think one her most impressive and passionate vocal deliveries was during the version of Blue Denim she performed on Letterman back in 1994 soon after ditching the tranquilizers. If we are to believe that she was at her heaviest back then, I can only conclude that any additional weight enhanced the depth of her vocalising and phrasing. Of paramount importance to her peformance is an astute and keenly aware state of mind - at least then we can be assured of her heart truly being in it.

Anyway, I concur with a couple of contributors that this post has grown old rather quickly and that it is inappropriate to be discussing Stevie's physical appearance when her talents as a songwriter and performer are what really matters to all of us. I will say no more on this.