skinny genes and the b word part 1

are both two really, terrifying topics to cover. both for me, and, well, for you (well, i hope for you - that makes me feel better about writing it..((now i feel really bad...)) )

following my previous post (read: rant) on body and social image, i've got another whammy coming up. only this one is more scientific. (sort of).
i was reading in the sunday paper the other day in the life section (yeah, i know, i suck) when i found two articles that really struck me. the first was called skinny genes, and it was about the genetics of diets. how some people seem to be able to eat whatever they want and never put on weight, excercise regardless (*COOOOUGH deb COOOOOOOOUGH), whereas others seem to struggle with maintaining a health body weight. no matter the diets attemped or the excerise fad followed, nothing may seem to work.

I’m in the latter group, without a question. Only regular exercise and a (fairly) healthy diet keep pathetic self-control and chocolate from overwhelming me. I don’t bother with dieting – I’ve done nothing but salads for lunch for three weeks on end, with zip all as a result.

I’m happy with my body. I can easily play a full soccer game; run when I need too and canoe/hike/swim/backpack almost indefinitely. I’ve found that health eating and exercise keep me where I’m happy to be, which is why I’ve never understood diets.

Most of them are con jobs, or rely on starvation. Almost all are quick fixes and have nothing to do with nutrition or real health. Some of them, such as the widely published Lemon Detox Diet even have side effects such as peeling, scaly skin and hair loss, not dissimilar to symptoms that can be brought on by chemo.

And this is supposed to be desirable?

I’ve been thinking hard (scary, I know) and have finally come to a blinding obvious conclusion (Thank-you for that astounding observation, Watson,). The reason that there are so many dangerous diets on the market is because there is a market. This market is women, and advertising cruelly targets their self esteem and body image, turning a good day into an im-so-ugly-and-fat-i-should-be-dead day. I think that the reason there is a market for these ads is the enormous social pressure placed on women to be something attractive to men. I googled female clothing ads (something along those lines),  and the first actual CLOTHING one i found was these.

 Both ads show ridiculously thin models with big boobs, hips and tiny waists. In both cases the women are viewed as sexual objects, there only for the man, and it is suggested that their only value is in their body.  

I thought that both of the women in these images represented as an urealistic 'ideal' woman, so I emailed a couple of friends with a few questions. (for the record, they were guys). I asked them what they though of women, and showed them the pictures. Initial reactions were along the lines of;

'are they even real?'

'meh, too thin' 

'christ she's bony...(that would be uncomfortable)'

I asked them if they'd be interested in dating these women. 

'They look boring and...kinda pathetic.' was the gist of the general response. 

So what do you look for in a girl?

'Humor, nice, interesting, fun,'

'Not one of those skimpy, barbiefied squealy twats,' 

'Someone natural, like, comfortable in themselves. Confident, nice.'

'Not throwing herself at me' (don't flatter yourself, mate)

All of which gives me just a little more hope for the future of the world. 

To be continued in skinny genes (complete) and the b word, part 2

girls and their bodies and boys and how they see them. please read. =) (hopefully the next will be more interesting)