Glamour magazine has taken the bold and courageous step of publishing this photo: a naked picture of ‘normal’ sized women. I am so conflicted about this image.
The cynic in me sees this photo as a way for the magazine to jump on the ‘curvy women wear clothes too!’ fashionista bullshit that is apparently in vogue at the moment.
My inner feminist is eye-rolling and sighing that in 2009 this is even news, that we are still having this ridiculous debate about women and fat and beauty. That at size 10 or 12 these women are considered ‘plus sized’ models. Yeah, right.
I look at this photo and see what it is not. The reason this is even ‘news’ is because it is not heroin chic, knobbly knees and women as human coat-hangers. I wish young girls, who contort and distort their bodies would want more for themselves: to be educated, to travel, to create a life of meaning from the inside out.
But mostly I know the chubby six year old ginger haired girl who still controls a significant amount of my responses to this issue thinks that if these girls are considered beautiful, then maybe one day, someone will think she is too.
What I am learning is that the body isn’t something I should separate from myself to disown, discredit, or to compare with others. I no longer see the images of women in the media and think to myself, ‘this is a standard I have to meet.’ I’m 5’6” and a UK size 14/16, I have boobs (big boobs), and hips. I am never going to fit the standard. But this doesn’t make me any less beautiful. I love what my body was made for and that its design is purposeful. And the integrity of a body lies not only in itself, but also in its relation to other bodies, whether it be that of a friend, a lover, and I imagine, a child. I view my body as the package I am meant to live in, to love with, to nurture from, to provide for, to take care of, and to respect. The value of our bodies doesn’t depend on who looks at them, it depends on what we do with them.
At six I knew that I would never be one of the cool kids. Even then I had a vague understanding of how the world worked. Happily, I turned to books to escape the not fitting in, the not really belonging and the unsophisticated bullying. And my parallel world co-existed with a much less satisfactory real-life one for years. In the end it was this that set me free.
And now I am grateful I was never the blonde, thin one. My life is all the richer for it.
Comments
I know by commenting I’m just buying into their buzz, but aren’t all their faces “thin” lady faces?
And yes, I often remind myself that my body is strong and useful and capable, and doesn’t really let me down at all, despite the fact I’m hauling around a lot of weight these days.
Very insightful post here, sas. I enjoyed your take on the reasoning behind this picture, and I also wonder where are all the old women, the scarred and USED bodies that most of us have. Missing from this picture too. Great post. Thank you for showing me this, which I would have missed otherwise.
fantastic, thought-provoking, eloquent post as usual. i also feel like these “normal-sized” models pictured here don’t have “normal” faces, they have “model” faces, ya know? and i hate to tell ya, but i consider you one of the coolest kids on the block.
Preach it sister! I love this: What I am learning is that the body isn’t something I should separate from myself to disown, discredit, or to compare with others.
I’d like to also mention that this photo sensationalizes naked women draped all over each other. I, for one, am completely in favor of nudity if it makes you happy. But their poses, their facial expressions, their body language, all scream SEX. And not just any sex. But the possibility of sex with all of these beautiful “plus-sized” women at once! A bit demoralizing, in my opinion.
Ditto DJan, the biggish/slim/stick insect debate leaves me cold – we’re still only seeing low milage bodies. Where’s maturity? Experience? Battle scars?
Interesting comment from Rachel, I don’t register the sex angle in that shot.
that picture just fucks me off. ‘ooh, she’s got a few rolls and we’re letting her be in a fashion magazine.’
twats.
Now you see, that’s where too many people get it wrong. You and everyone else with normal bodies with normal wobbly bits, lumps, bumps, scars, spots, and whatever else are the standard. Not just the models, but every body.
@DJDan & @Lou your comments reminded me of this quote
@sherri & @martha – yeah they have very ‘modelly faces’ don’t they (nicely packaged little content ;)
@ms maddox – welcome! Yes that’s a great point. I guess Glamour felt the nakedness was necessary as if they were dressed there would be nothing remarkable about them. Weirdly I am often more comfortable in my naked skin, than clothed. I think some of my confidence around my partner comes from his acceptance of me, but also the knowledge that I am the only naked women in the room.
@special k SAME! I hate that all the comments on the online article are from (quite young it would seem) women saying how much this empowered them and released them from the shackles of body dysmorphia. FFS.
@ragster from now on I am referring to modally types as ‘model sized’. Every one else is just sized ?
Not really speaking to the social and mental well-being implications as you have eloquently stated, being a guy, I have to go with ‘No nudes is bad news’.
PS – curvy ginger girls are absolutely the best IMO. (don’t slap me with the feminist stick too hard). :)
and my life is all the richer for having you (all of you) in it!
x
@eric I knew I liked you :)
@postcards from… oh same here honey!
Loved this, Sas. Bloody worrying that this is just SO unusual a shot. Haven’t we all been through this a hundred times yet theyre still slapping it up as news?
I’m thinking I’m finally getting it because I’m looking at this photo and thinking ‘maybe. but I still don’t aspire to look like you.’ It’s taken a while and, although I’d still like to be a healthier (fitter, stronger, more supple) me I wouldn’t want her hips, that bum, those legs, her tits, etc, etc. Because they wouldn’t be mine/me.
PS: Eric, I love you. Where were you when I was single?
TP :o)
fantastic.
i relate. totally.