NARS Spring 2013 Color Collection

If I saw in a promo picture a large model, I would say “at last a real woman!”

Personally, I don’t mind if women are exceptionally thin, since my roommate is a very slender woman, and I’ve been surprised on mroe than one occasion at how people find it acceptable to criticize her body right in front of her. Women should be allowed to be comfortable no matter what their shape is. On the other hand, that doesn’t change the fact that media portrayals of the ideal female body is overwhelmingly dominated by a body type that exists naturally in only 2% of the population…and that eating disorders have been increasingly on the rise in the past two decades. More what I suspect the “she’s too skinny!” mindset comes from is a backlash against a cultural dialogue that constantly undermines female self-confidence in order to drive sales. I’m not defending it, since the only purpose it serves in the end is to turn women against each other, but I understand how it starts.

I’ll also tack on that I agree with somebody below that the ad is just poorly shot to begin with. The focus isn’t enough on her face and the makeup – it almost forces the focus on her body because the pose and outfit dominate so much of the frame.

Thought provoking…haha. When I read “too skinny” comments, I guess I try not to assume people mean it as a criticism. You are right, though, I think… If someone said a model was too big/fat, I don’t think many people would take it as a concern for the health of the model.

I do get bothered by the “eat a sandwhich” type comments. I was friends with a girl when I was growing up who was very bony and skinny. That girl could EAT. I mean, damn. It didn’t matter, though, she was always very lanky looking. As for someone with bulimia or anorexia (or another ED), it’s a a little more complex than just eating a sandwhich. Equally, it’s fucked to tell someone bigger to “eat a salad.” At the age of 6/7, I started looking puffy. Doctors just thought it was a growth spurt, but then I got into my teens and I was bigger than every girl in my class. It just seemed wrong to me because I ate like everyone else and was in various activities. I kept being told to eat less, workout more. Nothing I did helped. I was treated like I was a liar and stupid. I had to be doing something wrong. After being told it was something wrong I was doing over and over, I felt crazy, and I ended up with very unhealthy behaviors to loose weight. None of which worked. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20s that doctors found out that I had insulin resistance and hypothyroidism. Trying to balance food, exercise, and meds is a constant struggle.

We are ALL real women and men. We all deserve dignity and respect.