Societal Pressure on Woman to be Thin

Discussion in 'General Martial Arts Discussion' started by cxw, Dec 18, 2004.

  1. cxw

    cxw Valued Member

    What is the reason for societal pressure on woman to be thin? What’s the health benefit for woman being thin? I can understand excess fat. But going from normal to thin?

    Generally woman don’t want to get stronger as they “don’t want to get bulky”. Most men do want to get stronger. Therefore a lot of men lift weights (either in work or at the gym) and most women don’t – this then increases the strength difference between men and woman.

    Is this ultimately about male domination? Is it about making woman weak so that they’re easy to intimidate and hurt?

    A few hundred years ago it was considered that woman would faint easily. Now days it’s realised this were due to the corsets that woman wore. Is the current trend of woman wanting to be skinny just a continuation of the corset theme?

    Or am I being too cynical about this and there are good reasons for woman to be thin?

    For the record I’m male.
     
  2. Gortov

    Gortov New Member

    In this day and age women make their own choices. I am tired of them blaming men for their own hang ups. We don't blame women for ourselves getting beer guts or wanting to work out and be strong to show off to them. Women, indeed all people, need to accept responsibility for their own choices, the world is too blame happy and sue happy nowdays.
     
  3. mystererae

    mystererae Valued Member

    Being thin can be associated with being more attractive in a woman's mind. This is because of pop culture, men, anything really. A lot of men we (I) know prefer thin women, or thin and curvy women (a la beyonce or J Lo), to girls who are actually a normal size. I'm not placing the blame on men, I'm just pointing out a little bit of what goes on in the mind.

    I know that I fear getting too bulky. My instructor commented on my calves, which are very muscular from running and martial arts, and my arms, which have gotten shapely themselves, in the nicest of ways, and I still am very self-conscious about them. Sure, it's a little irrational.

    So, yes. Besides for health reasons, it is a little irrational. That's in some cases, not all.
     
  4. Kinjiro Tsukasa

    Kinjiro Tsukasa I'm hungry; got troll? Supporter

    Young women sometimes feel pressured to look like the fashion models they see in magazines -- completely unrealistic, as these models are incredibly skinny (I saw a fashion layout once, showing a model standing in the middle of a high school marching band -- compared to the model, these perfectly normal high school kids looked like a bunch of overweight Little People, so you can imagine how unrealistic the model image is).

    What's really sad is when little girls of a perfectly normal weight start dieting (and cheating themselves of nutrition they need) because they think they're "fat".
     
  5. Pax Noctis

    Pax Noctis New Member

    To a point, I think it's a function of the fact that most men (myself included) find a slender form more attractive. I should amend this by saying by 'slender' I mean 'to the thinner side of average' not 'skeletor'. A lot of women just take it to a point where it becomes almost disgusting, which I can't imagine is beneficial to long-term health.

    I mean, honestly, when you look at a picture of a female body builder, is your thought, "Hey Babah!" or, "Wow, she could probably twist me into a pretzel."? Most men don't find muscular women to be attractive (and before I get lambasted, this is all imho and based on my own experience. YMMV), and therefore most women, feeling the same pressure that everyone does to conform to the image most desired by the consensus, stay on that path.

    It's not like guys are immune. The media tells us that men are supposed to look like Brad Pitt and all those fellows. I used to be pretty heavy, and I felt the same pressure that a woman in that position must feel. The stares and the snickering and so forth.

    ~Pax
     
  6. blessed_samurai

    blessed_samurai Valued Member

    Sometimes I have both thoughts; some women bodybuilders are just yummy. :D

    The media can be a mean, vile creature.
     
  7. Noontidal

    Noontidal Popeye

    I'd like to know this too. How can any male consider those anorexic runway model types attractive? Talk about a complete lack of attractive feminine features. :bang:
     
  8. Bellator Manus

    Bellator Manus Warrior of the Hand

    I can't really say for sure. Just my own opinions. It's just how I am wired that I find thin women more attractive than larger women. I can't really say avarage because the averages I see are usally on the thinner side. But the women I find most attractive are athletic women. That's what you women should shoot for, being fit, not thin.
     
  9. Scarlet Mist

    Scarlet Mist Banned Banned

    Good point there. If you think about it, in the end women make their own choices. Skinny women aren't always attractive.
    Also, the same societal pressures are put on women to look a certain way and do all sorts of other crap. Men just don't seem to think about it too much.
    Damn, I just repeated what he said.
     
  10. Gortov

    Gortov New Member

    Thanks Scarlet Mist :) I have the utmost respect for women. Those social pressures are equal on both sexes nowdays. Let us all band against the media whores and their evil tactics to belittle us all into buying their products and ideas. Especially the disgusting practice of marketing to children. Power to the people! *raises fist in defiance* :woo:
     
  11. Vanir

    Vanir lost my sidhe

    Wealthy and attractive women are almost never overweight, though it's been known to happen on occasion however those are known as sexy.
    Similarly, rich, suave men are almost always intelligent.

    Because we use economic systems, income establishment to a large part defines social classes.

    Now jump to your average schoolkid. What's his character models going to be?

    BTW, the scrawny model look is big in Europe rather than the creation of a room full of "marketing people" somewhere or other. Europe is both the centre of much fashion, and the appearance is popular because it looks ethereal and that ties in with historical cultural views.

    But yes, the biggest shame about the whole thing is undeveloped teenagers starving themselves thinking that either men or employers find it attractive. It's the money, honey. Be fat and nice and we'll love you if we've an honest bone in our bodies and aren't worth knowing otherwise.
    Besides, women go up and down in weight their whole lives. Marry a thinny and you could still end up with a fatty in months. The key: look after her and she'll always look good, no matter what her body type.
    I reckon, anyway.
     
  12. Eero

    Eero Valued Member

    It would be helpful to know what people mean by thin. Thin like some super models are or sexy thin. I don't see any good reason why we should consider being a little fat as a norm. It is often a sign of bad habits and no exercise.

    In my opinion it is sick to look like someone suffering from a famine, but I hate it when people try to justify being "just a little bit fat".
     
  13. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

  14. Eero

    Eero Valued Member

    I hope I would have had this article when I dated one of my ex-girlfriends. I always tried to get her to exercise, but she didn't really want to because she was afraid of growing big. I can understand her worries as she had one of the most beautiful bodies I have ever seen in real life :D but a little exercise can always improve you.
     
  15. Xue Fang

    Xue Fang Bluebelt

    Argh! I always feel under pressure to get 'thin'. Even though I don't need to. I'm 9 and a half stone, 5ft 5in, size 10/12, and my doctor has had to tell me repeatedly that I am actually the perfect weight for my height and age. And I still think I need to lose weight!

    I know, I know! It's stupid. But no matter how many times I tell myself that in my head, I always feel like I could stand to lose just a little bit more, you know? Maybe it's the fact that I used to be a stone and a half lighter that I feel horrified with myself for putting on so much in the past three years and feel that if I got back to what I used to be, then I'd be happy with that. Maybe it's because my ex told me that he only likes girls who are about size 4/6 and 7 stone.:mad: B*stard. :woo: That screwed me up for years, hearing that over and over again in my head, I mean, you'd have to be seriously ill to be that kind of weight and size. :bang: :woo: :mad:

    On the other debate - I don't mind getting muscles. I don't like it when they're so built up that it starts to look horribly plastic, but just toned, you know? I'm actually rather proud of my biceps and my friends are all highly impressed. I can actually lift up my friends now and haul them over my shoulder and carry them off. :D

    I think I'll be happy with the weight and size I am now once I've toned up, cause really I don't need to lose weight at all, and that little bit of flesh is really just flab that will go away as I continue to exercise. So I'm going to be happy and content with the weight and size I am now, thank you very much. :) :love:
     
  16. TkdWarrior

    TkdWarrior Valued Member

    doh as a guy I prefer some toned body... that's about it... thinny makes me puke...
    I don't even think of approaching those women...
    KE as usual u hand picked a nice article.

    -TkdWarrior-
     
  17. Vanir

    Vanir lost my sidhe

    You sound healthy and active to me. Lasting good looks are gonna follow that like crazy glue, trust me.
     
  18. shotokanwarrior

    shotokanwarrior I am the One

    I don't subscribe to that rubbish. I'm only 8st and a half and I'd love to be heavier. I was really annoyed yesterday because I bought some combat pants off a stall after trying em on and discovered they were only a size eight. I'd love to be about a size twelve. It kills me when people say things like 'it's better for a woman to be delicate.' Yeah, you poor subdued victim. So men can rape you easily. So men can smash your face to jelly, and all you can do is emit a pathetic high pitched scream, like in that outrageous song by Eminem where you hear him slit his girlfriend's throat. Wake up! Shake your chains to earth like dew! As Metallica say, THIS IS THE VOICE OF SILENCE NO MORE!!!!!!!!!!
     
  19. choconutjoe

    choconutjoe New Member

    I think it's utterly ludicrous this idea that women have to be thin, and slightly disturbing when you see the effect it has on alot of women (anorexia etc). However I don't think the problem stems from men. In all honesty I don't think most blokes care wether a girl is an 8 or a 12. In fact I'm sure there's a large portion of men that would much rather date a 12 than an 8, myself included.
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2004
  20. Knight_Errant

    Knight_Errant Banned Banned

    "Large buttocks are pleasing to me, furthermore I am unable to lie concerning this matter"- some guy on another board.
     

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