Write Your Attention Grabbing Headlines With Care

From time to time I peruse the top writing blogs to see what some of my colleagues are up to. I’m particularly fond of Copyblogger as this site dispenses good advice, offering a steady stream of instructive articles introduced to us through the use of snappy headlines.

Regrettable Metaphor

Never reinforce societal stereotypes!

But it was one headline I read recently that made it difficult for me to finish reading the article. The article was titled, “Copywriting 3.0: How to Bounce the Fat Kid off the See-Saw.” I’m sure Erika Napoletano meant no harm when she chose this particular metaphor, but it certainly didn’t make it easy for me to focus on what she wrote once I read the title.

I won’t go into intimate details here, but I personally found the headline crude. Most of the comments left applauded her for what she wrote and included a few quips from people who said they liked her metaphor.

Pejorative Terms

There were also comments from people who took exception with what Napoletano wrote including a very well thought out comment from Jay S. who advocates helping “fat people” accept who they are. She responded to this one comment by saying, “fat has never been a pejorative term as religious and cultural ones have been.”

Oh, really?! I find that statement hard to accept. These days, the buzz has shifted from the way people worship or from making reference to their personal background to the way that they look. In fact, first lady Michelle Obama has made fighting childhood obesity her cause, taking up the mantle of first lady advocacy initially advanced by Dolley Madison.

I could discuss child obesity at length, but I’m not a doctor nor is it my narrative. I do know that overweight kids are often bullied, sometimes battle physical and genetic issues making it difficult for them to maintain their weight, and that these children are usually not part of the group of “cool kids” referenced by Napoletano.

Then again, I’ve known my fair share of “fat kids” who learned to stay away from the shallow thinking “cool kids” and have succeeded despite the slights that still come their way. New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie, has faced down references to his weight when his opponents thought it important to focus on the way he looked rather than at his proposed policies.

Tactful Headlines

I’m all for writing snappy headlines because they catch the reader’s attention long enough to persuade them to stop and read the rest of the article. But when headlines are personalized, they can also alienate by reinforcing societal stereotypes we should be moving away from.

If you’re thinking I’m making something out of nothing, then go change “fat kid” to “black kid” or “Muslim kid” and see how that phrase plays. Likely, you’ll encounter a firestorm of well deserved wrath for daring to cross the sensitivity divide.