‘Self’ magazine under fire for making fun of cancer survivor’s tutu

Self magazine is taking heat for making fun of a tutu worn by a cancer survivor during a marathon.

Monika Allen, a San Diego runner, gave the popular American women's magazine permission to use a photo of her running a marathon in a tutu, not knowing that it would be included in a piece mocking her race style.

The April issue of Self featured a section called "The BS Meter" where it teased Allen and others for wearing tutus while running.

"A racing tutu epidemic has struck NYC's Central Park, and it's all because people think these froufrou skirts make you run faster," the caption reads. "Now, if you told us they made people run from you faster, maybe we would believe it."

"The reason we were wearing those outfits is because this was my first marathon running with brain cancer" Allen tells NBC.

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To add insult to injury, Allen owns a company that makes and sells the tutus for charity.

Glam Runners has sold about 2,000 tutus over the past three years and donates the proceeds to Girls on the Run -- a charity that promotes physical activities, running and self-esteem building for young girls.

After Allen confronted the magazine's editors, she got no response. When NBC contacted the magazine, they issued a written apology.

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"Of course if tutus make you run with a smile on your face or with a sense of purpose or community, then they are indeed worth wearing, for any race," the company statement reads.

What do you think of Self's decision to use Allen's photo without explaining the context of the piece beforehand? How do you think they handled her complaint? Sound off in the comments below.