I asked this question to a group of women, “Would you rather be happy or thin?” One quipped, only somewhat jokingly I'm afraid, “What’s the difference?” Is there any? Where does thinness fall in the spectrum of personal goals (intelligence/success/happiness/love)? I’d hope it’s at the bottom, but I don’t believe it is.
After telling a racist joke, comedienne Sarah Silverman quips in her movie, Jesus is Magic: “I don’t care if you think I’m racist, as long as you don’t think I’m fat.” It’s only funny because it’s true. Women would rather hear a host of negative, pejorative labels about themselves than the word, “Fat.” Conniving, bitchy, anxious, sad, cunning, mean. As long as you don’t drop the f-bomb.
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What also drives me crazy (see earlier comment) is the women who are quick to point at other women for being obsessed with food and their body. Talk about pot calling the kettle black. Who hasn't been there? Or the women who think larger women treat them poorly because they are skinny. When did we all start turning on eachother?
Exactly! Thus, this book. . .
I've been thin, way too thin, chubby, fat, clinicly morbidly obese and normal.
I can tell you with absolute certainty that my happiness level was not connected to my weight. I was at my absolute unhappiest when I was at my lowest weight.
I'm at a "normal" weight now, and very happy with my life and my weight. What's normal? I don't have to shop in specialty stores to buy my clothes, and my feet and ankles don't hurt all the time. To me, that's just perfect.
I'm so interested in what you're doing, and I think the title of your book should be "Every *North American* Woman Has an Eating Disorder". Living in another country has dramatically changed my attitudes about weight.
I can't wait to read more from you, and I'll be a regular commenter - count on it! Thanks to your mom and Auntie Lynne for sending me here :-)
And for the record - I'd rather be happy.
I'm trying to work on this very thing right now.
My level of happiness has always been tied into how much I weigh (through no fault of my own) and I want to stop equating my self worth with my weight.
It's the hardest battle I'e ever fought and I'm still not there yet.
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