Does Michelle Obama have a fat butt?

ALABAMA teacher claims Michelle Obama has a "fat butt" and should take her own health advice.

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ALABAMA high school teacher Bob Grisham has been banned from work after calling America's first lady, "fat butt Obama".

His insensitive comments were recorded by a student during an in-class debate and Mr Grisham has been suspended from teaching for 10 days and ordered to attend sensitivity classes for the rest of the year.

Since the early days of her husband's presidency, Mrs Obama has become an advocate for anti-obesity in America. She has promoted the President's Challenge, a national "Let's Move" iniative that aims to teach people how to move more and eat healthy.

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"We should be outraged by these comments," Sydney psychologist Louise Adams told news.com.au.

"They are size-ist and discriminatory and out of line in exactly the same way that they would be if he targeted her gender or race."

According to Ms Adams our society has become fixated on promoting a distorted and extreme form of health and fitness.  Magazines, movies and television shows perpetuate these unrealistic ideals by emphasising skinny rather than healthy and being comfortable in our skin.

"We have this idea that the only people allowed to promote health and healthy living are small, but in our society - particularly as people are generally getting bigger - we need to accept all shapes," Ms Adams said.

"The size 12 woman is completely missing from society, we don't see her (represented) anywhere. If aliens came to visit us they'd think our version of normal was very small women with very big heads. Or pumpkin coloured people who look like they're pumped full or steroids. We need something normal."  

Mrs Obama has not yet responded to Mr Grisham's comments, but Ms Adams said that she should defend herself and her message.

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"Part of the problem with the health messages these days is that they focus on being physically perfect, and that's impossible for most people," she said.

"Mrs Obama's message is a good one. Plus she looks after herself and that's the most important thing - not what she looks like."

As for Mr Grisham, he told local paper the Times Daily that he had "misspoken" during the class but has declined to make any further comment.

Have we lost our way in the body image debate? Do you see enough "real bodies" in the media?

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