Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Recently there have been a wide array of articles featuring the discontent with women's adoration of thin bodies. These writings include information about 'thinspo' or 'thinspiration' websites that focus strictly on encouraging their audiences to lose weight in order to mimic the bodies of rather thin, "unhealthy" looking women -- photos of which are posted on websites in order to provide a visual stimulus during the journey of losing weight.
While I disagree with the 'thinspo' movement, there is something else that is happening in these articles that I feel is being glazed over rather than being addressed.
The common use of the complaint 'what ever happened to curvy women?' or 'women should flaunt their curvyness'. Statements like these generalize the female body into one categorical ideal: curvy. Now, curvy is a key word that I feel should be defined correctly, but let's do a quick search on Google and see what comes up.
While I disagree with the 'thinspo' movement, there is something else that is happening in these articles that I feel is being glazed over rather than being addressed.
The common use of the complaint 'what ever happened to curvy women?' or 'women should flaunt their curvyness'. Statements like these generalize the female body into one categorical ideal: curvy. Now, curvy is a key word that I feel should be defined correctly, but let's do a quick search on Google and see what comes up.
- Having many curves: "a curvy stretch of road".
- (esp. of a woman's figure) Shapely and voluptuous.
The topic of whether the statement in the parentheses is necessary or not is a completely different one. According to this definition, women who are 'shapely and voluptuous' are considered curvy. Thus, this definition for the bodies of women is naturalized merely due to body parts.
Up until now, the question of the 'ideal' female figure has been addressed time and time again. It transforms constantly as matters in the world shift. Currently, we are experiencing an outrage against being thin -- or 'too thin'. This results in hatred toward girls who are naturally thin, the mind immediately assuming that they are sick or that they strive to be that thin -- whereas the poor girls are just born that way. We counter these arguments with the curvy body. What we don't notice is that we are not moving forward, but moving backward. With this mindset, we are encouraging a body that is, once again, unattainable for many. A curvy body -- one that even I can't transform myself into without the use of fillers and surgery. I, and many others, do not want this ideal pressed upon us.
It is simple -- we are all flesh and bone, and are born with what was given to us. We are not clay. We cannot simply squish ourselves into a mold and call it a day. An ideal that is imposed on a large group of people is unattainable for every single person in the group. It is just impossible, if not terrible, for everybody to achieve the same exact thing.
I propose a new movement in regards to the female body. It is not one that encourages being thin, and it is not one that encourages being curvy. Nor does it encourage a 'natural, healthy' body or a 'synthetic, injected' body.
It is one of the anti-idealistic body. It is the encouragement for women to strive to be who they want to be, and to celebrate having a body rather than being forced to mold it. It refuses entrance from statements that tell us we're not good enough, and instead encourages the fact that there is no reason to consider 'good' when I can be able to contribute to this world physically with what I have been given -- regardless of width, length, height, shape, color, or otherwise. It is not the They Body, but the You Body. It is what you want it to be, what you want it to do -- and it does not have to be thin or curvy to work in your advantage.
Up until now, the question of the 'ideal' female figure has been addressed time and time again. It transforms constantly as matters in the world shift. Currently, we are experiencing an outrage against being thin -- or 'too thin'. This results in hatred toward girls who are naturally thin, the mind immediately assuming that they are sick or that they strive to be that thin -- whereas the poor girls are just born that way. We counter these arguments with the curvy body. What we don't notice is that we are not moving forward, but moving backward. With this mindset, we are encouraging a body that is, once again, unattainable for many. A curvy body -- one that even I can't transform myself into without the use of fillers and surgery. I, and many others, do not want this ideal pressed upon us.
It is simple -- we are all flesh and bone, and are born with what was given to us. We are not clay. We cannot simply squish ourselves into a mold and call it a day. An ideal that is imposed on a large group of people is unattainable for every single person in the group. It is just impossible, if not terrible, for everybody to achieve the same exact thing.
I propose a new movement in regards to the female body. It is not one that encourages being thin, and it is not one that encourages being curvy. Nor does it encourage a 'natural, healthy' body or a 'synthetic, injected' body.
It is one of the anti-idealistic body. It is the encouragement for women to strive to be who they want to be, and to celebrate having a body rather than being forced to mold it. It refuses entrance from statements that tell us we're not good enough, and instead encourages the fact that there is no reason to consider 'good' when I can be able to contribute to this world physically with what I have been given -- regardless of width, length, height, shape, color, or otherwise. It is not the They Body, but the You Body. It is what you want it to be, what you want it to do -- and it does not have to be thin or curvy to work in your advantage.
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