The female body-acceptance revolution has begun!

[Sanslines]

December 1, 2007

The female body-acceptance revolution has begun!

It appears, that from various fronts, Hollywood and the mass media’s anti-feminine agenda is (finally) being rejected with a vengence! Hollywood, the mass media and the fashion industry effectively preach that the natural variety of feminine forms are bad, and that women must be ultra-thin and have more male-ish features.
People are starting to talk - in a good way - about curvier celebrities, like Queen Latifah, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Love Hewitt and others. There have been several TV progams in recent months talking about how maybe it’s OK after all for a woman to actually look like a woman, rather than some unrealistic, unhealthy ideal. Of course, real men have always liked the curvier women, but nobody has listened to them (I guess it’s not politically correct to).
As nudists, we know very well what real, everyday women look like, but the non-nudist American only sees that 2% unrealistic group that the media allows to be displayed. Imagine young women seeing this 2% and naturally assuming they, themselves, must be abnormal and inferior. It’s no wonder many have suggested nudism as a healing therapy for body image problems.
Tyra Banks Show:
“Do I look fat?”Some might wonder how this strange, anti-feminine prejudice came to be in America (and increasingly in Europe and other places). There are probably several causes. To make women feel horrible about having normal bodies might be a concious or subconcious supression tool used by men to make women feel inferior, and therefore more hopeless and easier to control. Some have suggested that the authority of gay men in the fashion industry has really warped the idea of what should be considered attractive in a woman. Nothing against gay men, but should they really be the authorities on what makes a woman attractive? There might be evidence that American men don’t have the testosterone levels and clear instincts at the level they once had, which might help explain why so many men are confused and impressionable regarding what they think they should be attracted to. In addition, it could be a self-reinforcing cultural phenomenon, that nobody really thinks makes sense, but any objectors are struck down for disagreeing with the majority. Whatever the case, this culture of natural-female-hate and mother-hate (that will be abother article) is very, very wrong and must change!
Jessica Weiner is perhaps the most well-known heroine of this movement. Jessica has appeared on Oprah, the Tyra Banks Show, The View, CNN, MTV and more. Jessica’s books are helping to restore self-esteem to millions of young women and girls who have needlessly been made to feel inferior by this bizarre anti-female assault by the media.

http://www.internationalnudist.com/?p=21

[Boreas]

Yay!

I think Oprah is a good role model herself. She says she should not have become successful as a "fat, black woman" she had three strikes agaisnt her. Obviously, skill and brains do count for something!

[MoonShadow]

It's about time that the truth about the fashion/beauty/glamor industry is put in black and white!

Think about it - what better way to demoralize someone than to tell them, show them, advertise, publish articles about, books on than what you are SUPPOSE to look like, what you are SUPPOSE to wear, HOW to wear it and on and on the list goes. If you don't do it or you are not able to wear it, then you have some body problems. This goes for both men and women although women are hit the hardest with what and how they are suppose to look. And think about how year after year, generation to generation what the toll is.

Eating disorders are rising and now they are moving into the realm of young men. Young boys now are increasing in numbers with bulimina, anorexia, and a combination of eating disorders. Of course, it would only be a matter of time when men get caught up in this AGE OF WHAT A BEAUTIFUL BODY IS. But women are the biggest buyers of the "beauty industries" products and services so they are hit with one whammy after another on what they need to be beautiful. Women succumb to this hype and are constantly and forever seeking the ultimate look and shape. Talk about unrealistic and cruelly impossible.

We do the best justice to ourselves when we just learn to eat the right foods and have a moderate amount of exercise. WALKING reigns supreme in the exercise catergory! IF you eat less, eat fresh foods, avoid "fake" fats and junk food, we will be what we should look at our personal best. You don't need the pills and tablets that "burn fat" and you don't need all the cosmetics deemed to decrease laugh lines, smile lines or whatever the cosmetic is suppose to do (and the cost!!!)

You are right, Boreas. Oprah is a prime example of making it, looking good as herself, and yet she does not "fit" what the advertising industry throws at all of us everyday from every imaginable media possible.

A good article, Sanslines and one that hit the truth on the head squarely.

[garbo]

There are some in our society who embrace Hollywood's version of the "perfect" size 0 or 2 woman. I think there are more of us who see this as rediculous and not representative of what our culture is all about. We have all heard that many young women and girls are heavily influenced by the advertising images so prevalent today. There has always been bias due to stereotyping and there always will. We know a young middle school girl who lost 30 pounds before entering high school and her whole world changed with new friends, better self esteem and a more positive outlook on life. I am sure many men and women have been passed over for jobs or promotions because they did not fit the "ideal" appearance the employers were looking for, even though this is clearly discriminatory. We may all have heard similar stories.

Nudism seems to be far more tolerant and accepting. During my last visit to our nudist resort, I was chatting with a woman in the pool who, by her own admittance, was about 50 pounds overweight, but did not feel embarrassed or ashamed to enjoy her nudity and share a wonderful day with friends. She seemed very comfortable laughing and sharing stories of her experiences at other resorts with all of us. She even joked that she wanted to lose some weight because she wanted to be more active in sports, not because she needed to live up to someone else's ideal.

Unfortunately, many women who might enjoy nudism don't feel the same way and will not participate or hide in the shadows because they feel embarrassed or feel they will be judged. To these women, I hope these words encourage you to not to judge yourselves so harshly. To my surprise, my new pool friend told me that she was more comfortable nude than dressed! She explained that when nude, she was part of the group, equal in status and stature. She always felt competitive and judged while clothed. Something to think about!

[WilliamCA]

Wow...Ok i better get on the ball then I have a project about fat/body acceptance that I am trying to get started. But funds are kinda short and well some other things too. I don't want to reveal to much because I don't want someone to steal my idea. But i think BBWs are beautiful myself.

WilliamCA

[nuovonudo]

william, good luck with your project.

according to the following article, women are not the only ones with body acceptance issues. check this out:

http://health.msn.com/mens-health/ar...1=31036&vv=600

–nuovonudo

[Fitz1980]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Yay!

I think Oprah is a good role model herself. She says she should not have become successful as a "fat, black woman" she had three strikes agaisnt her. Obviously, skill and brains do count for something!

On Lewis Black's TV show "Root of all Evil" one of the commedians said that the problem with Oprah is that while some people who constantly gain and loose weight have "fat pants & skinny pants" that they hold on to for those times when weight changes she has a "fat philosophy & a skinny philosophy" that changes along with her weight. When she's heavy than she's "comfortable with herself and doesn't need to conform to society's shallow and unrealistic expectations." When she's skinny than she "really cared about herself enough to buckle down and get into shape and look better."

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Fitz1980

On Lewis Black's TV show "Root of all Evil" one of the commedians said that the problem with Oprah is that while some people who constantly gain and loose weight have "fat pants & skinny pants" that they hold on to for those times when weight changes she has a "fat philosophy & a skinny philosophy" that changes along with her weight. When she's heavy than she's "comfortable with herself and doesn't need to conform to society's shallow and unrealistic expectations." When she's skinny than she "really cared about herself enough to buckle down and get into shape and look better."

Hmmmmmm.....good points. I think I can identify with that one! I suspect that view is more common than you would think.

[Simon-new]

It is great that people are starting to have more realistic feeling about their own bodies. A couple of days ago I read a tread, I believe it was in this network, that was promoting a national topless day. In order to promote nudism I think that would be a mistake. My idea would be to talk to the movie ratings "people" and get them to adjust the rating system to differentiate from sexual nudity and casual nudity. This would help society understand the difference between the two types of nudity. Then if you start a campaign to educate people as to how "green" nudism is... just think of all the clothes that people wouldn't need and therefore would not need manufactured.

My two cents

[WilliamCA]

Originally Posted by nuovonudo

william, good luck with your project.

according to the following article, women are not the only ones with body acceptance issues. check this out:

http://health.msn.com/mens-health/ar...1=31036&vv=600

–nuovonudo

For me...getting fat is more of a health issue then a appearance issue. Diabetes runs in my family and to a certain extent it is weight related so i need to loose weight *sigh*

WilliamCA