All Dolled Up -'Bare truth' Disturbing: Girls Fixated on Body Image

South Bend (Ind.) Tribune ^ | January 26, 2003 | JULIE YORK COPPENS

[68skylark]

The difference is that a person can go through life for quite a few years being chubby and gaining weight. The effects aren't quite so immediate, there is time for a girl to figure out how to fix this.

Okay, I think I catch your point that an eatting disoder (excessively low weight) is a problem that can come on fast and hard at a certain age and needs prompt attention. I'm still not sure that eatting disorders are nearly as serious as obesity for society -- I'll have to think about it a bit. The pain and deaths that come from obseity are more likely to strke in later ages, but they seem far more common and are therefore a bigger problem for our culture.

[geaux]

You must've missed Shania Twian struttin around last night during Superbowl halftime. Her boobs were 'bout up to her chin. Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry also come to mind -- probably since they've been on the cover of every magazine for the past year. You couldn't exactly call them waifs. Runway models, OTOH (the freaks of fashion) have always been exceptionally thin with no hips or bust (a little known secret -- many high fashion designers hire transsies to acheive that heroin look for their runway work).

As for gays pushing a drive to make women less feminine, unless you're talking about lesbians, I disagree. The gay men I know want nothing more than to make every woman as feminine as possible.

[68skylark]

Women don't choose anything - it's all done by committee. Trust me.

Well I'm a guy so I may just have to take your word for it.

Isn't the decision-making in these committees done mostly by women? Or do I have that wrong?

I have a hard time picturing women who want a certain look, only to be told by a guy -- whether gay or straight -- to make a different decision. That's hard for me to imagine. (But then what do I know about the mind or hearts of women? Not a lot, let me tell you!)

[biblewonk]

You said what I was thinking -- is anyone going to arrest this photographer for child porn? After all, she's got pictures of underage girls in their underwear...

I was amazed that the guy got 6 months for taking nude pics of 17 year olds. Most of them have been sexually active for quite a few years if they are posing. The laws are a little wierd around that magic 18 and 21 years of age.

[underthesun]

www.eatingdisorderinfo.org/menu.html

Just something else to look at. This isn't just for you, everyone should learn more about eating disorders. This society has romanticized these diseases for far to long. Women and men are (most young people) are dieing because of an unrealistic goal for a body image that society has created.

[Ignatz]

I'm so glad you brought this point up. Homosexuals for the most part are the driving force behind the fashion/beauty industry. I have maintained for quite a while that they are purposefully making women less feminine. The very, very thin bodies. Breasts and hips are "out". Scraggly hair, usually cut short and make-up that looks like it should be in a horror film. They (the homosexuals) want to look prettier than real women.

I think you're half-right. The homosexual men in modern fashion aren't intentionally making women look ugly, it's a by-product of the designers trying to make women look like their perfect ideal of a man.

[68skylark]

Women and men are (most young people) are dieing because of an unrealistic goal for a body image that society has created.

Thanks for the link, though I can't imagine why I'd want to look at it.

I cetainly agree that eatting disorders are terrible, and also highly unattractive when they are most serious. Sorry if I said anything that seemed to minimize the problem.

But I still feel that when you compare the problems of obesity to the problems of excessively low weight, obesity is the far more common and dangerous problem in America today (even though reporters spend much more time writing about the later problem) -- it causes much more widespread pain and premature death. If I have that wrong, feel free to correct me.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Wasn't picking at you, per se'. There was one months ago that was "series", and I thought this could be the newest twist. Was trying to be light hearted, not critical. I meant no offense to you.

[hobbes1]

I guess it's pick your poison, because if Hetero men were running things, women would all look like

Athletic Vixens spoiling for a Catfight

LOL

[68skylark]

I took no offense, friend. Thanks for the note.

[68skylark]

Looks good.

[AppyPappy]

I'm so glad you brought this point up. Homosexuals for the most part are the driving force behind the fashion/beauty industry. They (the homosexuals) want to look prettier than real women.

Congratulations. I didn't think we could fold homosexuals into this one but you managed to flog them anyway.

[hobbes1]

if i leave out a hamburger on my desk, and some designs, can you code my projects for me before tomorrow?

[Centurion2000]

I'm so glad you brought this point up. Homosexuals for the most part are the driving force behind the fashion/beauty industry. I have maintained for quite a while that they are purposefully making women less feminine. The very, very thin bodies. Breasts and hips are "out". Scraggly hair, usually cut short and make-up that looks like it should be in a horror film.

I remember reading somewhere that the fashion models should resemble a 10-13 year old boy from behind. At least that would appear to be the goal for the fashion industry's 'ideal woman'.

[jjm2111]

I work in NYC and I see fashions to fit every conceivable body type. Even if the very fashion forward design houses make clothes only for thin women, other companies pick up the slack and market to more curvy ladies. Even ladies who are downright fat can find clothing that is attractive and relatively fashionable.

This coupled with the fact that even fashion forward design houses (Guess, Diesel, etc.) sell much milder fare than their runway designs.

I'm really the wrong person to pontificate on this subject. I only know anything from ladies that I'm friends with. I buy most of my clothes at Marshalls (or the equivalent).

[hobbes1]

Try being, Oh say about 5'9" size 8 on bottom, and 12 or 14 up top (Broad shoulders), and a Full C cup.

[68skylark]

I have a real hard time believeing that gay men (maybe 2% to 4% of the population) can somehow enforce their beauty preferences on women (about 50% to 52% of the popluation). It doesn't add up.

Now I have an easier time believing that women are able to enforce their beauty preferences on other women (not always with good results).

[sphinx]

To be honest, I can't think of a single aspect of life that isn't better for me at 50 than at 16

Properly lived, life should be an improving, not a declining, thing. It's amazing how the things that seemed so important 20 years ago really don't matter. Each age has its satisfactions, and they get richer as one goes along.

Of course, many people don't equip themselves intellectually or spiritually to live life properly. Arrested adolescence must be a terrible way to spend the last 40-50 years of your life.

[AppyPappy]

Yup.

[Centurion2000]

I have a real hard time believeing that gay men (maybe 2% to 4% of the population) can somehow enforce their beauty preferences on women (about 50% to 52% of the popluation). It doesn't add up.

It starts to add up when you realize that there are a disproportional amount of flaming fashion designers.

I don't understand it either, but go look at the models from the 1970's-1980's and compare them with today's models.