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Skewed sense of beauty Thin women seem to be the toast of the season

This, of course, caught our attention…but, reading on, we got all hot and bothered, for Bilmes had remarked that “much of the time, women want to be thin so that they can dominate other, fatter women”. This, but naturally, set our backs up, and we immediately, hotly refuted the very suggestion.

Women, we argued, laboured to lose weight as they’re worried about ‘bad’ BMI; they watch what they eat as they’re so aware of the dangers in the desi diet, loaded as it is, with harmful trans/saturated fats; and perhaps, they’re driven to live exclusively on a diet of love and fresh-air just so that they can wear something a little more flattering than shapeless shifts. Surely women - kind, gentle, nurturing women – wouldn’t dream of flaunting their curves at their less fortunate (but more fleshy) fellows?

Or would they?

What really, we wonder, is it that drives women to lose weight? Men, for the most part, are said to run to the gym when their cholesterol readings literally touch the stratosphere or when their girth increases to extraordinary proportions and they’re forced to custom-make even their smalls. What about women? Curious, we asked a few…

“When almost everything in the world is driven by destiny, my body is among the few things I can exercise some control on” says Aarthi Narayanan, mother to a little girl. “I believe that my unrealistic shape targets are not just to impress my man but to reign supreme over my body,” she adds.

Dr. Alka Lal says that for her weight loss is a health issue. “The doctor in me keeps reminding me constantly of the artery-clogging fatty food that we’re eating all the time and so I head to the gym. Besides, working out gives me a real high…once I manage to get to the gym that is!” she quips.

“But while its true that women are losing weight for health reasons or to please themselves, there is surely an element of truth in what Bilmes said,” argues Vijaya Murali (name changed). “Celebrities apart, many women consider it a ‘power thing’; an easy-peasy way to show the world what a superior being they are, all because they can squeeze themselves into a size 0 jeans! Moreover, fat women are now considered dowdy, depressed souls…makes you wonder, whatever happened to ‘fat and jolly’ women?’

Thin women are ‘in’.

Reed-thin women are currently the toast of the season, celebrated for their teeny-weeny waists, congratulated for their resolve to stave off sweets, while their fleshier counterparts are constantly reminded that they must be truly ashamed of their girth, and that they’ve got to shed their extra flab if they want to ‘belong’.

Now, if you think this sounds too extreme, just look around you - stick-thin women smugly sashaying down the ramp in kid’s size clothing; pathologically thin teenage girls starving themselves until they wilt (in the name of fashion!); pregnant women shrinking away from their craved-for sweets, worrying endlessly about shedding all the excess pounds post-partum; celebrities, globally, flaunting jutting collar-bones, androgynous hips, and most importantly, a waist that’s slightly smaller than the average 8 year old girl…

And its these women, who’s contours and clothes scream ‘Look how slim and sexy I am!’ who tempt the others to follow their lead, and get fashionably svelte or preferably, skinny. ‘All around, seeing images of slim, attractive women, wearing trendy, well-fitted clothes, it’s not surprisingly one longs to be like them’ says Sujatha Tarakesan, freelance writer.

‘Which is why, quite often, even though husbands maybe quite happy with the way the wife looks – pleasantly plump or maybe even a tad over-weight – she will be pretty dissatisfied with her mirror-image,” she adds.

“That’s hundred per cent true,” says Aarthi. “My husband for one doesn’t quite care how fat I get; it’s me who gets really worried, because, frankly, I can ‘feel good’ only when I think I look good!”

And the benchmark for good looks is, no prizes for guessing, some stick-thin celebrity!

“ I sincerely feel that this approach - losing weight to compete with some other woman - is a depressing one and lacks substance. No wonder, its doomed from the start!” says Sujatha. “You know, nothing says it as beautifully as a ‘Born to Shop’ plate – it shows this woman sending up a prayer to the almighty – “Lord if you can’t make me thin, make my friends fat!”’ adds Vijaya.

Much as we hate to admit it – especially since the person who pointed it out happened to be a man – perhaps Alex Bilmes was right! Women, clearly are a tad neurotic about their weight… It’s just sad that it’s mostly driven by a slightly skewed sense of beauty…

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