Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Cecilia on January 22, 2012 at 9:14am

Yes and you make them stronger by teaching them to value themselves and their bodies just as they are and for what they can do, not what they look like.  And we absolutely do not do that in this culture, indeed, quite the opposite and it is fact that images girls see in the popular culture impact how they feel about themselves which impacts in turn how they value themselves which impacts how willing they are to take care of themselves and respect themselves, etc., etc.  Remember the "doll test" that was cited in Brown v. Board of Education?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_F._Poussaint    I know it is counter-intuitive but these images of the ultra thin ideal are not only linked to anorexia (where women/girls become dangerously thin) but also to bulimia (where women/girls may maintain a "normal" weight but become dangerously malnourished) and to compulsive overeating (which leads to overweight and malnourishment).    I agree you can't "isolate" girls (or any of us) from destructive images (which is precisely the problem) but you can speak out against these images and how harmful they are and demand new images that celebrate all women and girls regardless of how closely they conform to an impossible ideal.  These images are part of the problem of why girls do not feel strong in our society and so they absolutely must be complained about: silence = acquiescence.  

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on January 22, 2012 at 9:31am

Then we agree. It has to be done "at the girl" end by helping girls be strong enough to resist these forces since the forces aren't going away.

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Permalink Reply by Artor on January 23, 2012 at 2:23am

Bear in mind that there's alot of slack that;s not reflected in the Body Mass Index. Supposedly, at 6'2" and 245 lbs, I am overweight, bordering on obese. In reality, I have pretty dense muscle & bone structure, and the bulk of my weight is in my shoulders, not my (nonexistent) beer belly. I wouldn't mind slimming down a little, but I'm hardly fat. 

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Permalink Reply by Reggie on January 23, 2012 at 9:20am

The BMI is useful for the average person, but there are outliers that make it much less useful. Famously, many U.S. Olympic athletes were shown to be considered obese by the the BMI one year not long ago.  I don't think it invalidates the BMI, but it is a reminder that not everyone can be lumped into the average.

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on January 23, 2012 at 9:27am

At one time I weighed 220 lb and a BMI told me that at my 5'10" I should weigh about 165-170. My doctor looked at the number and at me and said "I don't believe you can lose 50 lb." Then he used another test involving pinching my soft tissues and by that standard calculated I should be at 200, which is where I am now.

Permalink Reply by Reggie on January 21, 2012 at 8:51pm

It is well established that being overweight is unhealthy.  This doesn't mean that there is only one body type and a narrow weight range that is considered healthy.  So, while I detest such narrow standards of beauty, I equally detest the "fat pride" movement that seems to encourage people to at peace with their weight problem. While I don't view obese people as simply being weak willed as some do, I do think that if one is over weight that it should concern them.  If all the studies and medical information isn't convincing, then think about how many elderly people you know who are obese.  I have never known any.

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Permalink Reply by Ron V on January 21, 2012 at 5:29pm

Why am I almost the only guy that responded that even mentioned this?

Perhaps you're almost the only one that doesn't find her attractive or is somehow offended by her appearance.

Regardless of the special effects, what we all prefer, in reality, may be completely different than this photo portrays, and most of our significant others likely do not look like this.  

 

1. What turns you on about this wine?
2. What turns you off about this wine?
3. Why is this wine considered pleasurable?
4. Is this wine pleasurable?

Do these questions or responses say anything about whether we enjoy white wine or margaritas? 

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Permalink Reply by dragotron on January 21, 2012 at 12:46pm

looks good to me. would appear to be a pretty girl. prolly doesn't need all the makeup she has on.

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Permalink Reply by archaeopteryx on January 21, 2012 at 1:07pm

For reasons most likely subliminal, I like wide-set eyes, so that, and the slight slant, make her eyes her most attractive feature.

I love women's breasts, but her's are not natural, and, well - been there, done that and left her the T-shirt., 'cause I felt she needed it more than I did. When it comes to sex, I'm not sure atheists are any more rational than anyone else.

pax vobiscum,
archaeopteryx
www.in-His-own-image.com

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Permalink Reply by Gaytor on January 21, 2012 at 5:19pm

I think that she's beautiful but the picture is too touched up. Her skin appears to be unnatural. The Eyebrows are too sculpted to be real. The duckface upper-lip doesn't look right. Maybe in person it wouldn't be noticeable. I'd prefer to see the wholly untouched photo myself. 

In general, beauty relates to health and attainability for most of us. If a person has a serious problem with this woman's looks, I would wonder if it was due to her being "unnatural" in appearance in many small ways. I personally don't seem to go for perfect. I don't know if it's attainability or stereo-typed pain in the ass factor.

I didn't click the unaltered version because I'm seeing enough and have seen enough to make an accurate rendering in my head. :D

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Permalink Reply by Philip Jackson Armstrong on January 21, 2012 at 6:37pm

Looks a lot like my mother!

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Permalink Reply by Artor on January 22, 2012 at 1:23am

That's what she sa-... um...can I have your mom's number?

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