Cranky Fat Feminist Speaks

liberal feminist from the south who ran away to college in the mid-west, and quickly retreated back after my four years were up. trying to save the world one picture book at a time; attempting to live healthier to lose weight, but without giving up beer. challenging the idea that “big is beautiful” as well as what I’ve learned and experienced about women, gender, and feminism from my time in college as well as my time in West Africa. pissed about the apathy of the world, ready to create change one mind at a time.

I'd love any comments you'd like to share! And as always, I'd love for you to click on an ad when you're done reading, it's a simple free way for you to give money towards my student loans!


Saturday, January 21, 2012

[cranky] why is twiggy the ultimate (midwest) american beauty?


My midwest university is obsessed with the double zero, zero, and size 2. It seems as if the only way to be attractive to men and even other women is to be skin-and-bone skinny to the point where we might be afraid you'll pass out at any moment. Entering campus freshman year as a solid size 8 (Marilyn's size, right?) I already felt out of place, and too large to fit in.

Since when did men find it so appealing to fantasize and sleep with twiggy? Why are plump breasts and real hips going out of style faster than disposable water bottles? I feel like if I were a man I would be afraid to sleep with a woman as skinny as Nicole or Kirsten, I might accidentally break them in half. But I guess if you can watch a seemingly anorexic girl in a porno, then why can't you have that in your own life, right?

And I bet that seemingly anorexic girl in the porno doesn't have just a neatly trimmed bikini, she's got it completely shaven bald. So she already looks like she has the body of a pre-pubescent middle schooler, but now she has the vagina to match. Secretly, unbeknownst to men, are they all carrying around pedophile tendencies if they're only attracted to women with bodies of ten year old girls?


6 comments:

  1. Try looking up 'Is Every Man A Paedophile?'. It's a half hour look at this subject exactly. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on it.

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  2. I'm not only *plus size* (18-20W) but "mature" (over 50) and though I have no current, steady beau, there are men who find me attractive. They're out there!

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  3. A lot has to do with advertising and age range. When I was 22 (I'm 30 now), I had the same boyfriend I had at 17 (still do), and he was the only one among his peers who wasn't into the very slender body type. We've had this discussion before, and he stated that he's never really bought into the "ideal" body type, whether it be large or slender, and that a lot of these messages come from advertising aimed at younger men. In turn, these messages are internalized and idealized. I struggled with my weight pretty much my entire life, thinking men wouldn't want a fat woman when they had their choice of a number of slender women. I was wrong. In fact, very wrong. I also have a boyfriend (my husband and I are polyamorous) who prefers not to date very slender women. There are a great deal of men out there that reject these messages and reject them early on. I can honestly tell you that they exist, and I imagine that you've got plenty to offer outside of how fat society tells you you are.

    Don't give up. There are worthwhile people out there who'd be simply agog to date you.

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  4. dont hate on Keira, she is naturally skinny and can't help how her figure is any more than curvy girls can. It would be one thing if she dieted to look like that, but she doesn't. I have naturally skinny friends and they are mocked as much as big girls are. The difference is that its ok to mock them because they are in the "beautiful" category. Well I'm here to say that being called anorexic isn't funny just cause someone laughs as they say it. Skinny girls are just as stigmatized.

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  5. I am very plus size and over 60. I met my husband online when I was 48 years old and he never wanted me slim. In fact, I think he secretly wants me to stay this weight (I'm on a diet and have lost 21 lbs). I think a lot of men DO like more padding but society literally ostracizes them just like the women are. After all, is the term "chubby chaser" a compliment? I think not.

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  6. Agreed with anonymous who says "Skinny girls are just as stigmatized."

    I'm naturally skinny, and the first time I was called anorexic I was in 6th grade. I had no idea what it even meant. So yeah, I'm skinny, but everyone made fun of me for it.

    Curvy women are wonderful. Skinny women are wonderful. Women are wonderful! The advertising industry tells everyone that skinny is good because it's profitable for them to make more women feel bad about themselves. Skinniness is just a body type--it's not inherently bad or good--it's just not representative of most of the population.

    Oh--and I resent the implication that because I'm skinny and don't have big breasts I'm not as mature or womanly. I can't help that I was born with this body type, and certainly don't plan to surgically alter my body to fit in.

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