Curvy People Are the Majority, Not The Minority
©Jan Andersen 2001
A recent survey revealed that over three quarters' of British women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Not surprisingly, three quarters of British women are normal and do not look like the impossibly emaciated images splashed across the media. However, when the media are still ignorantly conveying the message that ultra-thin is the acceptable size, it's no wonder that so many of us suffer from body image crises.
The truth is, of course, as the above statistics demonstrate, that curvy is the majority and not the minority and it's time that the perpetrators of the "only skeletal is acceptable" crime climb down from their celery towers and take a look at real women in the real world.
Occasionally, a magazine makes a token effort to cover a fashion feature for larger women, or a fashion designer puts a larger model on the catwalk, yet what does this tell the world? Yes, that larger is not normal, but that in order to avoid being accused of size discrimination, the thin activists are doing their duty in making an effort to represent what they consider to be the minority.
What a shame it is, therefore, that Sophie Dahl, who was put on the catwalks at a healthy and voluptuously feminine size 16, has now dieted down to a size 10. She has obviously succumbed to pressures by the media to diet, not least because 99% of the models who strutted the catwalks with her were willowy wisps that looked as though they would snap if you touched them.
When the movie, "Bridget Jones's Diary" took the world by storm, it ridiculed the fat phobics by proving that you don't have to look like a supermodel to be successful and capture the man of your dreams. However, Renee Zellweger, the actress who played the part of Bridget Jones, made a mockery of the film by complaining about the fact that she had to gain two stone for the part and, consequently, turned up at the film's premiere sporting a sylphlike size 6 physique.
If all sizes and features were represented equally, society would more readily accept that any image is agreeable and that there are no confines to the definition of beauty. A crooked nose is just as attractive as a straight one, a size 20 body is just as attractive as a size 10 body, wrinkles are just as beautiful as smooth, unblemished skin and every hair, eye and skin colour is appealing.
The most important factor of all, of course, is that irrespective of the outer core, true beauty emanates from within.
About the Author:
In addition to running Mothers Over 40, Jan Andersen is a Freelance Writer. If you are seeking the expertise of a professional writer, Jan can offer a variety of services, including the editing of personal creative writing pieces, critiquing, commercial copywriting, business writing, technical writing, proofreading, and marketing advice. For further details, or a free quotation, please e-mail Jan on
