Media and perception of "normal" women.

[nofeelings22]

I'm highly critical of health and physical fitness.

 

I'd say she is ok. A litle bit of a gut she should definitely lose before going in a competition about looking good, but overall she is in shape. Look ar her arms and legs. Well toned.

[joystickd]

Porn actually give a more realistic view of what women look that than regular media. It's just people tend to focus one women with the fake boobs and youthful looks and fail to see the actual diversity in porn.

[Got it]

This article caught my eye and IMO shows how regular media venues can paralel the porn debate that states it can disort a mans "expectation" of what an average/normal woman's body "should" look like, this article caught my eye. Ms whoever was given mad props from viewers for having a "not unrealistic" body. Lol I say! This woman is very attractive and has a better body than most woman walking down the street. To the articles credit, a woman in the piece does bring this up and gives some stats to bring things back down to earth. Anyway, I think TV/movies/magazines can be just as damaging if not more in distorting a mans perception of what a woman should like like since we obviously see these types of media more than porn. Of course men can make this argument (as I have) that there are plenty of ripped good looking men in the aformentioned media types too so it can have that effect on women as well. Comments and opinions welcomed.

 

https://screen.yahoo.com/indiana-miss-usa-contestant-draws-232700859.html

 

I find, in general, males have a much healthier perception of a women's body in regards to body mass than women do. While they exaggerate the curves, women tend to buy into the fashion perception and want far too skinny (I include myself in this).

[hotpotato]

Of course, they werent looking for average its a competition. Judges will judge. Thats what they are there for.

 

I didnt see any girls who were particularly thin or lean. I saw women who are in good shape. These girls only seem small because the rest of america is so large.

 

I wonder what commentators think about fitness competitions in which women are 10-13% body fat and have a lot of muscle tone.

[serial muse]

I just find it funny that the media had to bring the people back down to earth on this one. I undersrand where the fans were comming from in that she's not the typical rail thin model. I for one never understood why most models are so thin.

 

Very thin, even bony, models supposedly make the clothes look better. I read somewhere that the idea is for them to be like human hangers. Curves can ruin the "line".

 

One might argue that fashionable clothes should make the wearer look good, rather than the other way around. But then one wouldn't be in the fashion industry, I suppose. Eh.

[stillafool]

Very thin, even bony, models supposedly make the clothes look better. I read somewhere that the idea is for them to be like human hangers. Curves can ruin the "line".

 

One might argue that fashionable clothes should make the wearer look good, rather than the other way around. But then one wouldn't be in the fashion industry, I suppose. Eh.

 

Yeah, but it's funny that those human hangers have men falling all over each other for them.

[Candy_Pants]

Yeah, but it's funny that those human hangers have men falling all over each other for them.

 

Where? This hasn't ever been my experience.

[stillafool]

Where? This hasn't ever been my experience.

 

I didn't know you were a model!

[acrosstheuniverse]

Porn actually give a more realistic view of what women look that than regular media. It's just people tend to focus one women with the fake boobs and youthful looks and fail to see the actual diversity in porn.

 

I agree with this entirely! Most movie/TV stars look closer to your stereotypical rail thin, big boobed, long hair extensions and false eyelashes porn stars than they do to the average girl on the street.

 

However, when you actually watch porn rather than complaining about it providing people with unrealistic expectations of body image from afar, you realise that ALL kinds of body sizes and shapes are represented, especially in amateur porn. Most porn is about the actions the participants are carrying out, or the fantasy, moreso than the physical appearance of anybody in it. I learnt a lot of acceptance about my own body's appearance through watching porn as a young teen and onwards.

 

Whether or not porn provides unrealistic expectations around sexual ACTS within a relationship is a different matter entirely. But I feel much more confident about my body when comparing it to women I've seen naked having sex online than I do comparing it to women fully clothed acting in films that everybody sits and watches (and I'm a size UK 8-10 and conventionally attractive with DD chest).

[Imajerk17]

Where? This hasn't ever been my experience.

 

Yeah. That hasn't been my experience, at all, either.

 

You'd be surprised but most men like curves. I'm talking significantly shorter and heavier than the model discussed in the OP (although the model aint bad either). A curvy woman who takes good care of herself physically and dresses well will have plenty of male admirers, as long as the extra weight is distributed in the hips and legs.

 

How do I know? These are typically the women I find myself checking out. Alas, most of them already have rings on their fingers.

 

(I'm not saying other female body types are not attractive. But since we are discussing curvier women in this thread, that is what I am focusing on.)

[Candy_Pants]

I didn't know you were a model!

 

Technically, I'm not!! I just work in the beauty industry (hair and makeup), and have known my fair share of "models". Which, btw, is an extremely loose term.

 

I'm speaking of my own personal experience as a woman who is 5'1", and fluctuates between 135-120 lbs. Certainly NOT modelesque proportions (if we're talking high fashion), and yet, never hurting for male attention. Even now, 27 weeks pregnant and 165 lbs, I frequently get checked out and my H can't keep his hands off me!!

[stillafool]

I really thought you were referring to being a model and no one hits on you. Oh my, I'm certainly not saying girls your height are not beautiful as well. They are and I think most men are attracted to petite women. I just get tired of people putting models down because of their looks or any woman for that matter. I've never heard a model (or women who are tall, thin and pretty) critcize another womans looks but I've heard other women say bad things about them. Not all thin women diet or starve themselves to look that way. Some eat like field hands and still cannot gain a pound. Just because someone is thin does not mean they aren't curvy. Why can't people agree that we all come in all shapes and sizes and there is beauty to be found in each. There would be a huge backlash here if people critized overweight women the way they do thin women. Why must it even be a competition? There are men who like every shape of women and I agree with the poster who said women are far more critical of each other than men are.

Edited June 18, 2014 by stillafool

[Candy_Pants]

Oh, I actually agree with you. I made (and try to make) it a point not to come across as being judgmental of others. Obviously models are beautiful in their own way, just as women like me are beautiful in their own way.

 

Personally I prefer small women myself. It's okay to have preferences.

 

The ONLY issue I have is with health. If someone is grossly over/under eating to achieve a specific body, it's unhealthy. If someone has an eating disorder (that can be either over, or under eating), it's unhealthy.

 

The most physically alluring woman I know is a model. She's 5'4", 115 lbs, has very small breasts, cute bubble butt, very awkward feet and hands, and is absolutely beautiful. She's the one female who turned me onto blondes. She eats and eats and actually has to work hard to keep weight on, otherwise she ends up under 100 lbs.

[serial muse]

I really thought you were referring to being a model and no one hits on you. Oh my, I'm certainly not saying girls your height are not beautiful as well. They are and I think most men are attracted to petite women. I just get tired of people putting models down because of their looks or any woman for that matter. I've never heard a model (or women who are tall, thin and pretty) critcize another womans looks but I've heard other women say bad things about them. Not all thin women diet or starve themselves to look that way. Some eat like field hands and still cannot gain a pound. Just because someone is thin does not mean they aren't curvy. Why can't people agree that we all come in all shapes and sizes and there is beauty to be found in each. There would be a huge backlash here if people critized overweight women the way they do thin women. Why must it even be a competition? There are men who like every shape of women and I agree with the poster who said women are far more critical of each other than men are.

 

My comment was intended as a critique on the fashion industry, actually. Which does encourage unhealthy lifestyles. In that context, men falling all over each other to date models isn't really the point, is it?