The other day I read an article about a piece published in the Observer, a British paper. They’d taken a couple of size 16 women, models, and done a photo shoot. The idea being that size 16 is the average size of British women. They were shocked by the results feeling that the women were too overtly feminine. “Almost fetishistic” was the phrase they used, suggesting the only people that could find these women attractive are in some way perverted.
I was gob-smacked when I read that. Not because someone thinks fat women are unattractive, hello, where’s the surprise in that; but because I believed it! My whole life I’ve lived by a premise that covering up is my god given duty because I’m fat. I always thought that was to hide my shame but I see now it’s so that other people don’t feel embarrassed. And not embarrassed on my behalf; it actually makes more sense that they feel confronted by my ‘overtly feminine’ curves. As if it’s a crime to be curvy.
The worse thing is that I want to change. All my life I’ve believed all those messages telling me to change, to be thinner, that I’m not good enough the way I am. And yet secretly I love my curves. I think they’re totally kick ass. It’s no wonder I spend so much time confused about my body.
So I’ve decided to declare myself as a ‘pervert’ because I think these woman look incredibly sexy and beautiful. Of course this means that I’m going to have to let go of some of my own preconceptions about myself and that actually sounds like a really good idea.
So, are you a pervert?
LISA
