Fight of the Inches: To be or not to be

An array of beautiful plus-sized models, magazine covers, wonders like Adele; I almost thought the world was moving towards size acceptance.

Being a rather, prominent Viking woman, I hold a strong faith that even my bone is not 24 inches. Being a feminist, I’ve believed that the measurements of my body are no ones business except mine.  Yet, I myself suffered much at the hands of Cosmopolitan and their glossy models, as a child. Growing up, I’ve wondered, why in a world where boys are supposed to like girls they can carry around on a hand, would they even turn around to look at me let alone tried to get “physical.” It’s only now that I realized, that a plus-sized woman–call her chubby, voluptuous, curvy or fat–is nothing but a Sex Symbol. They are stared at because they have “big boobs,” men want to do them because of “that booty.” Big girls want sex, big girls give better blowjobs because they are hungry, more cushin for the pushin; some of the phrases commonly used, for anyone who is not the image of Karlie Kloss, and does not own Gisele’s legs.

From cheap soft porn photography, to high end fashion photography, why do we have to show, a “bigger” woman as a lusty, anxious to please thing? Why is even a slightly curvy woman used in the Pitbull’s raunchy videos but not in Enrique’s more sensual ones? Why does Vogue or Glamour show a plus sized model topless, or completely naked posing in all her photoshopped glory, while her skinny counterparts are often given the advantage of a few clothes here and there?

I speak out to all women out there; skinny, athletic, curvy, voluptuous, as long as you believe you’re a woman, I speak out to you. Don’t we all stand united? Women, as a whole are represented as sex objects, expected to turn out as Barbie dolls, but what happens when they don’t? Who turned the idea of a few extra pounds into the concept of “Ugly”? What is Ugliness itself? Who decides it? Editors? A bunch of guys? A bunch of models? But right now, I narrow down my focus to a point few people discuss. Because out there somewhere, there is a “chubby” adolescent flipping through fashion magazine and what will she learn when she realizes someone she can relate to, someone who makes her feel beautiful, is also someone who has to strip down to be beautiful, who has to be the ultimate seductress in order to compete with all the other “goddesses of perfection”?

So, what is the solution then? To be broad or full-figured and looked at as a “ugly hungry slut” or exercise and throw up and diet and diet, till you are left emaciated and then eventually be called a “coke whore,” “a gold-digging whore” or a “bitch”?

We must admit, that while a stronger woman, will never even have the time to wait and listen to a man’s opinion, is it not true women judge other women in the same way? This is for the insecure and the young, who are either too weak or too naive to create that strong iron wall, of not giving a single F.

Note: My post in no way, is meant to hurt the feelings of any woman, or promote a certain body type.  I believe the beauty of a woman’s body is the difference each one holds from the other. There’s beauty between each fold of skin, and each outline of a sleek, alluring bone.

Disclaimer: This post was written by a Feministing Community user and does not necessarily reflect the views of any Feministing columnist, editor, or executive director.

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