Mar 03 2008
Now importing: A Rejected Perception of Beauty?
This month’s cover of Vogue (India) scares me. Not only because Kareena Kapoor is looking sickly thin - but because her weight loss “spree” is being heralded as a good thing -
“Kareena is on a major weight loss spree again, and must say, she has never looked so gorgeous and sexy” cf TOI
I was never a big fan of Kareena Kapoor - but imo - she wasn’t fat before. She didn’t need to go on a “weight loss spree” and she definetely looked tons (much) better earlier. Look at these before and after shots for example - note the now sunken face, the protruding collar bones, the bone thin hands. Gorgeous? Sexy? I think not.
While the western world is now wary of “overly thin” celebs like Nicole Ritchie, Keira Knightley & Mischa Barton, especially in light of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, it is sad how almost everyone here is celebrating Kareena’s weight loss. When questions did arise, she went on record to say she is “far from anorexic” and all her weight loss is due to “power yoga” and a “special diet”.
Regardless of how and why she lost all the weight - the issue at hand is so much bigger than Ms. Kapoor. It’s about what fashion magazines dictate to our society. And the images of “gorgeous and sexy” that perhaps sub-consciously get ingrained into our psyches. It’s about what we as an educated thinking society are willing to accept as our perception of beauty.
Way back in September of 2006, organizers at the Madrid fashion week took a stand against models who were “too thin”. They banned models with a height-to-weight ratio below what the World Health Organization considered normal - three top models were sent home.
Most of the world applauded the move and runways and magazines alike made special effort not to endorse “too thin” girls, if not nothing else, for fear of being labeled as promoting anorexia by feminist groups.
Now, even as new skinny Kareena insists she’s not “too thin”, even as she appears on cover after magazine cover in her new avatar - the question is:
Just when is thin too thin? - and what are we as a society doing about it?
; ?>/feed-icon-24x24.png){kind=icon}
good post there, Mel. And the title is spot on.
Just when is thin too thin?
Here’s your answer
we write blog posts about it! I demand more posts about thin women, with more photograhpic evidence for your readers to make informed judgements.
Now!
Below quote from your blog is exactly what qualifies as beautiful in the western world, but in india that is not the case…
No harming in loosing few pounds as long as you don’t starve…
“note the now sunken face, the protruding collar bones, the bone thin hands”
She is looking hotter in her new Avatar…
The ideal body image is inextricably constructed by society and it has altered even in the so-called western world through times. Body dysmorphia affects many women - and men - but while control issues are understandable in teenagers, more and more western women are now being diagnosed with bulimia and anorexia in their 30s, 40s and 50s. So I do not think the western society’s love affair with too thin is over any time soon. However perhaps one can take heart from the fact the combined incidence of binge eating disorder in America is greater than bulimia and anorexia combined!
How ironic though that while millions starve not from choice but from circumstance, those who can afford millions starve to be fashionable! Can she donate her food to the slums near wherever she lives?
PS: The male commentator above summarises why women bother with this cycle of starve-eat-starve…
@ M: Seriously scary.
@ St: er.. haha?
@ Saritha: That was my point - it wasn’t beautiful in India earlier - in fact in certain parts of India thin is considered ugly. But the tendency is moving towards accepting certain western perception of beauty. Some that even advanced westerners are starting to reject.
@ Anshul: Not imo, but I guess it’s a matter of perception.
@ Shefaly: “How ironic though that while millions starve not from choice but from circumstance, those who can afford millions starve to be fashionable! Can she donate her food to the slums near wherever she lives?”
True irony that Shefaly. Well said.
Large majority of urban indian women are gaining unhealthy weight because of the food habbits and lack of any physical activities..there is a growing epidemic of diabetes among them.. this is due to eating lots of sweets, sugary tea, juice etc. Also lot of indian food is made unhealthy by using lot of oil and ghee. As said previously most of them don’t do anything other than sitting infront of TV. There may be exceptions but majority are like that.
Hey there, just found your website after searching for reviews of Death at a funeral. Was going through the archives and came across this - and I hate the size zero craze too. But a few posts down the line showed you commenting that Lascelles Simons lookd skinny but good. So what is this - gender bais?! I think too skinny is so not hot on men or women…
@ Maya - No gender bias at all! Lascelles was looking good - I guess he wasn’t skinny skinny.. just comparatively.
See my comment to Saritha, I think balance is key; for both men & women.
exclnt post
surely what indi gurls ned 2 knw 2day…….
if prsnt teens have role models lik karena 2 luk upto,wondr wat wil hapn 2 da nation
peopl olwaz say dat innr buty shins,den wat iz da ned of ol dis dietin…b helthy n njoy lif!!!