At a young age I remember seeing my classmates and sisters become obsessed with boob size. My friends would always compare boob-size and bodies with each other. Saying things like, “I wish I had your butt” or “your boobs are so much bigger than mine, I’m jealous”. As sad as it is, I can recall multiple times when different friends have said those exact words to another friend. This stereotypical “sexy body”, like Douglas says, causes emotional and possibly physical pain to young girls whose bodies do not fit the unrealistic 1% Victoria’s Secret model body.
As I have matured, I have noticed not only a boost in confidence in my own body, but my friends gaining confidence as well. I think that once girls are exposed to the real world and aren’t lead to believe that everyone must look like Giselle, they become much more confident in their bodies. As a girl I always thought boys would only be attracted to me if I was skinny, medium height, and had great boobs. But boy was I wrong. Men are attracted to all body types. I can’t tell you how many times my guy-friends would point someone out as attractive that didn’t fit the Victoria’s Secret body. As a woman, I can say that I am attracted to all body types of men. I think that people need to realize that while there is a certain represented “ideal” body, it is not the real, natural, sexy bodies most women have.
I think you raise a good point. I too used to be much more insecure about my body. In middle school and even before I began to realize that I wanted boys to like my body and was concerned that it might not fit the mold. But like you as I grew up this became less of an issue. Do I still have moments of insecurity? Sure. But largely, I am comfortable with my body and confident that who I am be the focus of attraction not just my external contours.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to see the world Douglas paints but in a lot of ways the pressures of society force us to gain confidence in spite of media images which is positive. The problem could be for those women and men who because of their circumstances have a harder time and may never overcome those pressures. Douglas argues for the existence of these individuals with her chilling plastic surgery statistics.