Once upon a time, "skinny" was a bad word

rosebette

This is an interesting bit of marketing from the 1930s. Apparently, back in the day, those "vanity pounds" were 5-10 more pounds, not less!

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/kelp-o-malt-skinny-girls/

Jolinia

Eh screw that. I love to be skinny. I absolutely love not having any fat jouncing around when I run. I was there for a minute last year, I'm determined to get back there again.

brntwaffles27

To be fair, the average person was a lot thinner than today.

kimny72

It's crazy how much societal norms and standards can change!

cheshirecatastrophe

The only difference between the two women is boobs.

It's the Depression and then wartime deprivation-eras backlash from the 1920s "stick straight/boyish" flapper ideal.

The "ideal" body shape for women swings back and forth (hourglass, block, soft, muscle, heroin chic, ghetto booty, etc), but it's always thin.

kcjchang

It's a symbol of wealth and privilege

Jolinia

kcjchang wrote: »

It's a symbol of wealth and privilege

Then I hope to lie without saying a word for the rest of my life.

rosebette

kcjchang wrote: »

It's a symbol of wealth and privilege

What's "it's"? Being slightly overweight or skinny? Or maybe both -- slightly overweight or curvier when there are food shortages (as during the Depression -- this ad is from 1936) and thin or skinny during times of prosperity. After all, in the U.S., obesity is income-related, with low-income populations tending to be heavier due to cheap, low-quality food. Geographical areas with higher educated, higher income populations tend to be thinner. In the "flapper era," educated women of higher income levels were the ones who could afford cars and freedom, so were thinner. I came from poor immigrant stock, and except for one tiny grandmother who was kind of a "hot ticket", the pictures I have of family from that era are of women with dour faces, hair pulled back in buns, and dowdy long dresses that hid their bodies.

Sued0nim

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

cwolfman13

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

That's what I was thinking...when someone says "skinny" all I think is skin and bone...not a good look IMO.

girlviernes

I think skinny is fine if that's your natural size. A bit more on the curvy side is good too. To me, it's about broadening our ideals of beauty so that people who are active, eat well, and are healthy can feel good in their skin, rather than feel pressured to meet an ideal that would not be healthy for them.

Ideals aren't always thin. They have varied quite a bit. It's not just what the ideal is, but the amount of value placed on meeting that ideal.

rosebette

As my dad used to say, "Audrey Hepburn's a nice size, but so is Sophia Loren."

Jolinia

cwolfman13 wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

That's what I was thinking...when someone says "skinny" all I think is skin and bone...not a good look IMO.

I suppose I should use the word 'lean' then. But when I think skinny, I think fit, healthy, and a proper weight, not skin and bones.

wolfsbayne

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

This is how I see it, as well. Being a fitter version of yourself, no matter what that is.

mrsmiley32

And that's what I was about to say, some people are just naturally healthy and skinny. Healthy/fit is what I agree your goal should be, no matter how you might look in the end (skinny, thick, muscular, agile, whatever). But things change over years based on a lot of factors (economy, social structure, etc). I just can't see why healthy would ever be a bad target.

Amanda4change

I've always thought "skinny" was as derogatory as "fat", that seems to be the way people I've been around have used it. The complimentary words I've always heard are "thin" "lean" and "fit", where as skinny meant under weight, more skin and bones kind of look. (Example: she so skinny, or she's too skinny)

cwolfman13

Jolinia wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

That's what I was thinking...when someone says "skinny" all I think is skin and bone...not a good look IMO.

I suppose I should use the word 'lean' then. But when I think skinny, I think fit, healthy, and a proper weight, not skin and bones.

Skinny Staci on the left...lean and fit Staci on the right...and 11 Lbs heavier on the scale to boot.

SLLRunner

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

This.

I hate it when people say to me, "You've gotten skinny."

I have NOT, I have gotten healthy, strong, and fit.

Jolinia

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Jolinia wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

That's what I was thinking...when someone says "skinny" all I think is skin and bone...not a good look IMO.

I suppose I should use the word 'lean' then. But when I think skinny, I think fit, healthy, and a proper weight, not skin and bones.

Skinny Staci on the left...lean and fit Staci on the right...and 11 Lbs heavier on the scale to boot.

You look good in both pics, but the second one is just fantastic!

Aviva92

cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

The only difference between the two women is boobs.

pretty much. i don't have big boobs at any weight.

amusedmonkey

rabbitjb wrote: »

I still think skinny is not something to aspire to

Healthy, strong, fit are words I associate with targets, never skinny

Others feel differently

Personally, I don't even agree with these terms. They are all used to frame people into certain looks predefined by the society. There is a recent rise in the popularity of the "strong" look. The look that was not totally acceptable at some point is now "expected", probably as a rebellion against the older frail and weak ideals, as way to depart from that submissive image into a more empowered state. All is well and good. Nothing is wrong with wanting to be strong and lifting your weight in iron, but pushing that ideal on others makes the same mistake as all previous ideals: generalizing a standard for what looks good and deeming any other look as inferior. Who knows what look will be popular in the future.. 50 years into the future and people may look at our current ideals and wonder too.

Healthy is what I want to be, which means not being sick. Sadly the word has acquired more layers and extended beyond the state of being healthy. It now has a "look". It's possible to be on the lower end of healthy BMI, without a lot of muscle and be healthy. It is also possible to be at the higher end of healthy BMI with a good amount of body fat and still be healthy, but for some reason if someone does not look like the "healthy" ideal, they aren't considered so.

I wonder what a fair would describe an acceptable ideal that would encompass everyone. "Happy" perhaps? Happy in your own skin, no matter what shape or body fat you have, how much you can lift, or how fast you can run as long as you are not putting your health at risk.