Feminist Proper-ganda
And while we're on Christina Hoff Sommers, here's an example of what happens to girls who don't "talk feminist."
Feminist Proper-ganda
And while we're on Christina Hoff Sommers, here's an example of what happens to girls who don't "talk feminist."
In his piece on Hoff's bad day at work, Stanley Kurtz said: ìThe highly questionable premise of the Girl Power program is that making girls less traditionally feminine will somehow cause them to be less likely to smoke, take drugs, or get pregnant.î
So I went to the ìFor Girlsî section of the Girl Power website (www.girlpower.gov/girlarea/ index.htm) to see what theyíre promoting. Could Mr. Kurtz please explain what is so harmful or propagandistic about giving girls information on the benefits of:
Dietary calcium?
(ìBecause ice cream is made from milk, it's a source of calcium - something every girl needs!î)
Sun block?
(ìYou wouldn't go out in the rain without an umbrella or a raincoat, would you? Well, you shouldn't go out in the sun without proper protection, either.î)
or ñ a sure sign of a left-wing conspiracy ñ
Taking a trip to the zoo?
(ìZoos and aquariums offer people a chance to see animals and aquatic life up-close and under safe conditions.î)
Lena Cuisina at August 10, 2003 5:36 PM
While I'm not a big zoo fan, I do prefer the company of animals who behave like animals to people who behave like animals.
Amy Alkon at August 10, 2003 5:44 PM
I don't know if encouraging girls to eat ice cream is such a good idea. Not that they need any encouragement.
Many of the really fat girls I've known claim that their size is genetic, then eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's for dinner.
LYT at August 11, 2003 12:31 AM
The heftier Ben & Jerry's girls generally receive referrals to the "Cow Power" website. Girls need options these days!
Lena Cuisina at August 11, 2003 9:23 AM
Actually, I get a lot of angry letters directing me to Fat?So! (fatso.com) -- a "fat acceptance" website. Problem is, you can accept your fat ass all you want; probably isn't going to change the minds of any guys who aren't already chubby-chasers...not exactly the lion's share of the population.
Amy Alkon at August 11, 2003 1:52 PM
guys who're into fat are usually into other guys. and they usually like a hefty side order of body hair to go with the lard.
Lena Cuisina at August 11, 2003 11:17 PM
It's lard, but it's larder to ignore it.
(Amy Alkon) at August 12, 2003 12:44 AM
Amy, how many times must I tell you? If you're going to direct people to www.fatso.com, post a warning. For those that haven't gone there, the "welcome" page features twelve naked fat female butts, which I think is incredibly rude. As I once said before, the welcome page is supposed to be a "greeting at the door." Unless you have twelve naked fat women living in your house to moon anyone who knocks on the door, that simply isn't appropriate.
Incidentally, as a sometime personal trainer, I have never bought into the whole "glandular condition makes me overweight" argument. It's simply not possible to gain more weight than you eat. It's about making better choices. Ever meet a fat Frenchman, who complained about a glandular condition? We have more "low-fat" "fat-reduced" and "fat-free" stuff than ever before, but as a society we're getting fatter. The problem isn't the amount of fat we eat. The problem is that the food we eat has been processed, pulverized and packaged out of its nutritional value. White flour, for instance, is ground wheat with the healthiest part of it removed. Eat naturally, and make sound, healthy whole food choices and you can gorge yourself and stay thin.
Patrick at August 12, 2003 6:24 PM
I guess I'm one of the rare guys who likes fat chicks! And, despite what Lena Cuisina said, I am not gay, nor do I think body hair is attractive. I prefer women from "the era of shaved underarms."
I guess I'll clue you in to what a FA (fat admirer) likes. I like girls anywhere from 140-250 pounds, but that depends a lot on height and body type. Like most guys, I like big breasts, but I also find big bellies and butts attractive. My dream girl would weigh about 220 pounds and have long blonde hair and blue eyes.
I've been attracted to fat girls ever since I was born, but I didn't accept that until I turned 13. Before then I would always pretend I liked skinny girls. However, I would find myself more interested in the "Before" picture in a diet ad than a girl in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Cameron W at June 21, 2004 3:44 PM
I am more attracted to fat girls than thin ones. I don't like body hair, I generally don't even like nudity or porn.
I'm not interested in butts, but I do find fat bellies attractive.
I'm still working on confirming my sexual identity, but I do like cute girls and from most of my experience do not like guys.
Patrick, it is impossible for a glandular problem to create caloric energy where there is none, but one can alter how much you process and how fast you do it, as well as how often you get hungry.
A lot of the dangers of obesity are exaggerated and poorly researched. Go to this adress
http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,1200549,00.html for evidence.
And somewhat on the main topic, calcium is useless for your bones unless ingested with the proper vitamins to absorb it.
FAs or "guys who like fat chicks" are not as rare or bizzare as believed through the course of time and space on our planet.
Up until the late 18th century, fat women were held as the beauty ideal, particularly the classic hourglass figure. Genetic reasons for attraction to larger females are prevalent. Larger hips make for good child-bearing, large breasts allow to greater nurse ones children and ensure their health and growth, a generally fatter figure means that the person either is capable of obtaining more food or can metabolise food more efficiently, both of which would indicate superior genetic material. Even now most foreign counties (especially Nigeria) hold a shape in what we would consider "fat" as the femanine ideal, and even in the USA in minority cultures fat is where its at. So it appears that the "skinny girls with big breasts" attraction is in fact an aberration, and FAs are the more mainstream and "normal" types.
Spencer Koelle at June 21, 2004 4:05 PM
Briefly, because I'm on deadline, men prefer women with an hourglass figure. Whether they prefer fat women or thin women (ie, whether thin or fat is high status) relates to the prevalence or scarcity of food in a culture. Where food is abundant, like in the USA, thin women are high status; where it's scarce, they go for the chunkers. The study on this was, I think, done by David Buss, or at least written about by him in the new edition of Evolution of Desire, available on my book links page.
Amy Alkon at June 21, 2004 4:15 PM
There's one flaw with that statement, not all men prefer women with an hourglass figure. Many favor the pear figure or the apple figure.
I myself am a certified man, complete with an X chromosome, Y chromosome, and the necisary tools, and I find the hourglass figure the reverse of what I am attracted to in females.
I like proportionally large bellies in women, and I don't really care much at all about the buttocks or the breasts.
Spencer Koelle at June 21, 2004 4:42 PM
There's no flaw in that statement. Crossculturally, men prefer the hourglass. There may be an exception or two here or there, which is what you appear to be. If you were running around in the Pleistocene, it's very likely you wouldn't have passed on any ancestors, since men evolved to prefer the figure that indicates fertility. Hourglass does. Apple-shaped indicates parasites and/or infertility or both. As Donald Symons wrote, "Beauty is in the adaptations of the beholder." In other words, the stuff we are attracted to is the stuff that passing on our genes is made of. PS The information I'm posting in this chain here is not simply my opinion, but based on a mountain of data, and cross-cultural data at that -- as is much of what I write in my column.
Amy Alkon at June 21, 2004 6:22 PM
There's something wrong in that comment by Lena Cuisina at August 11, 2003.
I'm a guy. I'm into fat girls.
I dont like others guys. I dont like hairy women.
One of us must be wrong, and since I still dont get any hairy women at any size, nor get a guy, I doubt I'm the wrong one.
Rodrigo at June 21, 2004 6:57 PM
Dear Amy do you know what your talking about I like fat girls but none of my relatives do so how is that passed through genes. Also if you knew anything you would know that apple shape actually means the women is more suitable for mothering. Beauty is to the eye of the beholder means beauty is different to everybody assuming they arent sheep.
Michael at June 21, 2004 7:21 PM
Michael, whoever you are, you didn't need to be so rude to Amy. We don't want flames.
Personally, I don't like the apple shape. I prefer the hourglass and pear shapes, and pear is my favorite. I like big breasts, but I like big butts more. (Am I Sir Mixalot?)
I think it's sad that many beautiful women are discriminated against because of their weight. For example, when I was younger I used to have a crush on Lori Beth Denburg (yes, the girl in Dodgeball). I still think she looks attractive, and I'm sad that the only part she has in movies now is as the token fat joke.
Also, one thing I can't understand is why so many guys think Paris Hilton looks good. Well, she has a pretty face, but her body is so undeveloped! If she was a little shorter she might pass as a 10 year old girl! Are they so prejudice against fat they think a beautiful body is one that can be weighed with two digits?
Cameron W at June 22, 2004 7:16 AM
Thanks, Cameron...actually, I didn't even respond to Michael's comment because it was written in second-grade English -- and showed a commensurate level of intellectual ability. As I wrote above, the "opinions" I express are not merely opinions, but based in reams of covariate analysis of data by researchers who are respected for the solidness of their studies. David Buss would be one of them. Todd Shackelford, another. Devendra Singh, yet another. Do I know what I'm talking about? Again, yes, because I base my opinion on data. Michael, apparently, skipped not only second grade English but rudimentary biology, or he'd know that genes don't express themselves in every generation...for a variety of reasons.
Amy Alkon at June 22, 2004 7:27 AM
Micheal does have a point though about apple shaped, it just varies on researcher and region as far as i've seen. As for his english, poor english doesn't mean he's an idiot, english may not be his first language after all.
Ashley at June 22, 2004 8:55 AM
i personaly feel that women who are dress sizes 16to28plus are beautiful i love to see a big beautiful woman in a sexy dress and wonderfull 3to4inch sexy strappy sandals or high heal pumps with sexy heels full figured women 180 to 300pds are to be loved and admired and worshiped I PERSONALY LOVE ALL BIG BEAUTIFULL LADIES.
daniel at January 6, 2005 3:43 AM