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From: edhall@randvax.UUCP (Ed Hall)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Dates not eating and m/f body image
Message-ID: <2373@randvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 29-Mar-85 17:58:44 EST
Article-I.D.: randvax.2373
Posted: Fri Mar 29 17:58:44 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 1-Apr-85 03:40:08 EST
References: <475@spp2.UUCP> <> <255@lasspvax.UUCP> <174@tektools.UUCP> <2342@mit-hermes.ARPA>
Organization: Rand Corp., Santa Monica
Lines: 27

> I think the women that are picking at their food on dates are in a
> double bind.  On the one hand, they're trying to meet *your* expectations
> and on the other hand, they're trying to meet society's (read *men's*)
> expectations of women to be slender.
> Barbara Zanzig

I have to disagree about this being a conspiracy of men.  The advertising
industry is pretty well sexually integrated (especially compared to most
other areas of American business), and it is there that you should place the
blame.  Literally tens of billions of dollars are spent by people pursuing
the body image hyped by advertising.

Most women I've known consider themselves overweight, or at least ``would
like to drop a few pounds''.  Most men I've known would disagree--only a
small minority seems to actually prefer the skinny figure these women are
trying to achieve. (This is probably not much larger than the minority of
men that prefers women who are grossly overweight).  Surveys tend to back
up these generalizations.

So, when you talk about ``society's'' expectations, consider just what
it is you're talking about.  Do you pursue being slender because the
men in your life prefer you that way?  Or do you do it because you have
learned, from advertising and from comparison with other women (who are
chasing the same mirage), that ``slender'' is somehow ``better''?

		-Ed Hall
		decvax!randvax!edhall