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Are we just too sensitive about weight issues?
The latest controversy to hit the newspaper stands involves yet another model and her opinion about weight issues: “It’s better to be skinny than to be fat,’ said Russian model Natalia Vodianove at the Vogue Festival in London last weekend. It is her opinion after all, albeit that she could have been more selective with her wording–perhaps using overweight instead of fat–nevertheless, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Another point is that from a health perspective, as we already know, it is very much advantageous to be at one’s correct weight. Being overweight can result in diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure to name just a few prospective effects of weighing more than you should. I think that the public’s outrage stems not necessarily from the message and wording–that thin is better than fat–but rather because it has come from a model who walks the runways of the world. And as we know many people hold the opinion that models in the high fashion world portray a distorted body image—most women are not as thin as they are, and cannot wear the clothes that they model without starving themselves. Although some models have said that they are born with slight frames. Still though, many young girls have developed anorexia as a result of this image. What these models have failed to mention is that many of them, we have learned over the years, smoke, drink, and take drugs in order to maintain a very low body weight, and this too is unhealthy.
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7 Replies
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Well said wrinkletalk. I used to think, I would rather be skinny and dead than heavier and alive! Looking back was I crazy tho think this way? This was during a very distorted time in my life when I was also bulimic and used laxatives on a daily basis. Be happy who you are, whether skinny, heavy, short, tall. What you look like makes you who you are. And until you learn to love yourself, (which may invole counseling) you will never be happy no matter what you do, look like, etc.
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One thing that has taken me several years to learn is that until I love my body for what it is and not what I want it to be I will never be happy with it. Once I start loving it for doing the wonderful things it can do and appreciating its beauty I start to take better care of it and gradually my visions of what I want my body to be and what it is become closer in similarity. 🙂
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Krissykiki, you have mirrored my thoughts exactly! The moment I began to understand my body, and as I have mentioned many times before, its evolutionary path ( why do women have wider hips than men, why we tend to gain weight around our bottoms, why do men have shorter necks than women, or wider shoulders, why, why, why etc.,)–then I was able to relax, breathe, and see myself in a completely different light.
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there is too much "perfectionism" out there, we are all different, why dont we just embrace our unique bodies! not try to look like barbie.(but if you look like barbie naturally then awesome for you lol) i used to hate my butt, ive had this butt since i was 10, back then it was a bubble but now its more saggy or course, lol but ive come to appreciate it non the less!! also im not a skinn mini but im really starting to like my curves. just love you for you please!
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on the health note, i do agree eating healthy is great, there is too much junk out there and portions are way too big. being healthy at a healthy weight is where its at.
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Healthy is always the way to go! It's so tough to get over all the things you don't think are "perfect" about yourself, if only there was an easier way! For me, it just took time and POLE! Realizing that you appreciate your body for what it can do and what it allows you to do makes being upset over not being a "size XYZ" silly…
It's a journey for all, some harder and longer than others, but definately sad when unnecessary pressure is added.
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Rixi I totally agree with you. On that note, I remember that a few years ago I went to an art exhibit that featured paintings of a kind that I had never seen before; the models were “imperfect” in terms of what, we, as a society regard as “perfect model material.” These were paintings by Lucian Freud (Sigmund Freud's grandson). We’re talking about a 20th century artist here, not one who existed when fleshy women, small breasts and large hips had been all the rage in paintings. I walked past a painting of a very large woman, comfortably sitting in the nude, her body parts flopping rather than tight and firm—this certainly got me thinking. Initially I felt shock, but then after I read a little bit about Lucian and his understanding of beauty, that he loved imperfections, hated anything artificial–even makeup was a turnoff to him–I could better understand his way of thinking. Yes, we are indeed so swayed by what society deems “perfect” which every so often has changes throughout history, that we forget to live our lives and care about what really matters most. Once upon a time the bigger our bottoms were, the better; women in Victorian times would wear uncomfortable clothing i.e. hoops and padding in order to accentuate their buttocks. How times have changed. Could you imagine that being the preference today, even though here and there we get real women and a few celebrities stating that they love their curves and big bottom, i.e Jennifer Lopez and the Kardashinans . . . For the most part it’s just not so, and we are so swayed by public opinion and the fashions and trends of the moment.
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