Oprah magazine accused of fat-shaming women -- and doesn't exactly apologize for it - Los Angeles Times
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Oprah magazine accused of fat-shaming women -- and doesn’t exactly apologize for it

Oprah Winfrey's eponymous magazine is accused of fat-shaming readers who don't have flat bellies.

Oprah Winfrey’s eponymous magazine is accused of fat-shaming readers who don’t have flat bellies.

(Jordan Strauss/Invision/Associated Press)
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You too, Oprah?

It's been a summer of fat-shaming headlines, but we never thought they'd come from O, the Oprah Magazine.

The latest issue of the magazine included the following fashion query: "Can I pull off a crop top?"

The answer?

"If (and only if!) you have a flat stomach, feel free to try one."

Cue the social media outrage -- and a PR disaster for a magazine whose editorial pages have long catered to women of all sizes and skin hues.

Thousands of women lashed out at the magazine O on social media, posting photos of themselves proudly showing off unflat bellies below crop tops, accompanied by the hashtag #rockthecrop

Hearst Magazine has since released the following statement, which stops short of apologizing for the magazine's snarky retort:

"We support, encourage and empower all women to look great, feel confident and live their best lives--in this case, we could have expressed it better. We appreciate the feedback and will be more mindful going forward."

Some, though, would like a formal apology. One social media user wrote this on Oprah Winfrey's last Instagram post:

"Apologize #oprahwinfrey and #omagazine stop putting women down and body shaming !!! #rockthecrop... Shame on you!!!!!" (So far, Oprah's social media accounts appear to be mum on the controversy surrounding her magazine.)

Scroll down for more images of women who indeed #rockthecrop.

Yes We Absolutely Can!! My size 18 5"11 frame rocks a crop top with the best of them!! #plussize #mytummyisyummy #effyourbeautystandards #celebratemysize #sorrynotsorry #curvy #confidence #blogger #psblogger #style #fashion @plusmodelmag S/o to @curvily for starting the #pullingoffacroptop movement. Love what @popupplusny had to say on the subject! #Repost @popupplusny ¿¿¿ To @oprahmagazine: We realize that people have perceptions of size, what's perfect in your eyes, is a size 2, no bumps, no roles, but that is not reality! It's because of these preconceived notions that US, GIRLS, grow up to be women with issues and low self esteem. Forget what the world told you about your body, embrace and love yourself! Any woman big, small, stout, flat stomach, all stomach can wear a crop top! At #popupplusonline our models Are diverse, representative of the true makeup of the world! Please, please get with the program and realize that there is no singular image of beauty...but diversity is really what is true beauty! #croptopsforall #pullingoffacroptop #rockthecrop #alwaystrending @oprah

A photo posted by Tameka "Tammy" (@embellished_dame) on

I lack the courage to #rockthecrop. But I'm on Twitter @renelynch

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