Hugo Schwyzer, on why having a slim girlfriend is about status rather than attraction:
‘Eating disorders — and the broader problem of poor body image — aren’t unique to women, nor can they be attributed to one single cause. But it’s undeniable that whatever the truth about men’s desires, young women’s perception of “what guys want” plays a huge part in the pursuit of thinness. While the fashion industry deserves some blame for perpetuating an unattainable ideal, men’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of their own desires is a key aspect of the problem. In other words, it’s not that all men — or even most straight white men — genuinely prefer skinny women. It’s that for a great many men, having a thin, conventionally pretty girlfriend is a way to win status in the eyes of other men. It’s not actually about what they themselves want. Put simply, men and women alike confuse what it is that men are attracted to with what it is that men imagine will win them approval.’
What do you think?
Full article here.
I don’t know any man that ‘prefers’ a thin (skinny) woman. I think the thin thing is a female preference and a misconceived goal. Hey I’m only a man!
Thanks Phil. I can’t speak for others, but for me at least it was about making life ‘work’ rather than ‘looking good’. I suspect there’s a lot more there than just aesthetics, whether male or female.