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Oh Gag Me: Average Size of US Women?
Culture 11 tells the story of a woman who went on a date with someone she met online. The date didn’t go too well. It turns out the guy was mad that she described herself as “average size” on her profile, when she’s really a size 12-14. In his mind, “average size” is a size “6-8″.
I’m not responding to the article so much, it’s some of the comments I read on a forum that posted the article.
Comments like:
If you are a size 14, you are fat!
I am a size 2 and I don’t see how anyone could be a size 14
If you are 5′6 you and weigh 150lbs you weight too much.
Just shut the hell up and learn a little about body composition.
You can’t go by height and weight and judge whether someone is healthy or attractive. You don’t know if someone is 165 lbs of fat, or (like Laila Ali) 165 lbs of muscle. I mentioned her because I wouldn’t guess that was her weight but I remember her mentioning it on a documentary called Daddy’s Girl.
But sure, everyone isn’t pure muscle, but a lot of women have a nice combination and those lbs add up.
I’m not saying be obese.
I’m not saying avoid exercise.
But I am saying that it’s okay to not constantly bash yourself because of your size. People need something to feel superior and be nasty about. That will always be the case. This century it just happens to be weight…or women’s weight that is.
Get it over it and kiss my soon-to-be size 10 behind!
And furthermore, who has the right to tell anyone how much they should weigh? Women’s weight is one of those issues where a lot of men and women seem to believe they have the right to get on their high horse and lecture others about it. I think that the “health” argument, often tossed in after berating someone for her size, masquerades as an excuse to put down women’s bodies. It’s always inappropriate and never okay.
As for the man in the story, I’m not sure what planet he’s from. Maybe he’s just from Sweden. Or simply watches too much porn.