ilovefat:

taylorchapman:

“Women are taking on board images of themselves as fat, they are dieting, they are obsessing about their looks, and they care far too much about how others see them. Women, also, are too often dissatisfied with their bodies; always wishing for more, or less or something different.

We grew up with the impossible shape of Barbie, the media bombards us with airbrushed and diet thin models, so it’s no wonder that we have disorted views on what is ‘normal’ or healthy.

Who are these “women”? I see your point but talking about women like this makes us sound insane, possessed, and out of control. But we are not insane, possessed or out of control.We are not zombies controlled by a mediatized society. We are not vain, selfish beings who care only for the opinion of others. Unfortunately, the opinion of others does matter, and when it comes to women, the opinion others have of our bodies is quintesential to how we fit into society. Women’s bodies are a pivotal focus of our social order, not just in the media, but forever throughout history, women’s bodies have been the metaphor through which our (historically male dominated) society has found voice to speak. If we make ourselves guilty for our own body issues then we will never find the strength to overcome them.I agree in part with what you say, only I would refrase it to: “Our society has taken on board stereotypical images of women as fat, of women always ‘dieting’, obsessing about their looks, and caring far too much about how others see them. Society is too often dissatisfied with women’s bodies; always wishing for more, or less or something different.” Women are boxed into these stereotypes regardless of whether they fit: if you skip a meal, you’re dieting; if you dress up to look pretty, you’re a vain tart obsessed with your own looks; if you feel disatisfied with the way you’re body doesn’t conform to the stereotype, you’re a selfish person unable to accept the reality. Starting in the middle ages, our society began a campaign to make women guilty for the attractiveness of their own bodies, let us not stand alongside our forefathers, let us not continue to criticise our own bodies.