"Real women have curves."

SommerJo

Personally -- I love the statement. Getting called "cow" and "pig" so many times in my life was quite dehumanizing. When I hear that phrase -- I think -- ya -- I have curves -- my size curves may be a bit bigger than someone elses -- but I'm a woman

I think I can understand though how some women of a certain stature may be offended by it. I don't know if I'm completely sympathetic -- but I'm also not a heartless b****.

As an advertising gimmick -- it's brilliant. I believe the last I heard -- the average woman was a size 14. Dove made a huge leap including average women in their ads. That touched a lot of people.

cookiepuss28

Jeesh people, they are talking about "REAL" women as oppsed to those that are photoshopped in ads. They were/are trying to get society as a whole to embrass ALL REAL WOMEN and not those that the media edits up for print and film

I agree with this. I don't think the ad was singling any particular one out but think about it this way:

For ages, you only see thin woman who are airbrushed and that is what is considered "sexy, beautiful or even normal"

They put out this ad with not only larger woman but also thin woman and non of them are airbrushed. These woman are what REAL people look like....

fteale

I think most of the thinner women I know are much curvier than I was at my fattest, as I didn't go in at the waist at all. Big boobs do not = curves.

fteale

Then again, I have never for a second lamented not feeling "womanly" I think too much emphasis is placed on gender differences. I don't think of myself as a woman, but as a person. I have no interest in thinking of myself as a woman, nor wanting to feel womanly.

Rworthy

Studies have been done among men from various different cultures. The findings are that a healthy hip-to-waist ratio is what men find attractive. In nature, curves - meaning small waist, larger hips and chest, means healthy reproductive organs. That is why the "curvy" shape is so prevalent today. Survival of the fittest.

Hunnieshadow

i am mega curvy and i love most of my curves lol and as my profile says i want to keep the curves but lose the rolls

i love the fact that men these days have given up on the size zero look and like a woman with a bit more meat.....

nobody wants to grab a handful of bones

love ur body girls!!!! men do lol xx

Not everyone who wears a size 0 is bony or has no meat on them, I'm 5'0 and have pleny of meat and curves to boot ;-) Just wanted to point that out.

AdAstra47

I love this statement, because I see it as one of the few things in the media that affirms women who aren't stick-thin. There's certainly nothing wrong with having a thin frame and high metabolism, but *every* woman in the ads and on TV is that same size 0. Even if she has breasts, she'd better not have any extra meat anywhere else. This is the image that every woman is constantly surrounded with in every billboard and every commercial. Whether we acknowledge it or not, it seeps into our subconscious, and it hurts. Because personally, I could lose half my body weight and it wouldn't matter: I come from tall, big-boned, solidly-built German ancestry that will *never* fit society's current ideal.

This is one of the reasons I love the Renaissance Faire. Yes, people make fun, my brother calls it "BoobFest," but it's one of the few places where you are *never* going to see any pictures of supermodels, and being curvy is encouraged, even celebrated. For you curvy ladies who need a self-esteem boost, I would highly recommend checking out your local Ren Faire. And these Ren Faire songs: "My Own Hero" by Jodi Minstrel; "Curvy Girls" by the Jolly Rogers; "Big Bosom Girls" by Bocca Musica.

QueenofCups

"I have low self esteem b/c I do. I don't blame anyone else for it. I, in fact, get more compliments than not. Doesn't make a damn bit of difference. Wish people would stop blaming others for their own issues."

A person's "issues" stem from somewhere. There is always a catalyst as to why people feel the way they do. And to dismiss those issues as "blaming others" is narrow minded. You said yourself that you have low self esteem. I doubt you woke up over night and decided to be that way.

WE are ALWAYS responsible for our feelings. NO ONE else is.

If a woman hears from her husband that she is fat and ugly every day for 20 years. Who is responsible for her "issues"? Is she for listening to it from the man she married? Or is he for being a *kitten*?

All I am saying is it is much more freeing to stop being a victim. If a woman hears from her husband she is fat for 20 yrs and it gives her low self esteem, then yes he is a douche bag but so is she for putting up with it and staying or not having boundaries to tell him that is not ok behavior in a loving marriage.

I know where my "issues" stem from, but harping on the cause and not the solution will never solve the problem.

Karleyyy

Who decides what a real woman looks like? I mean, thin is beautiful, curvy is beautiful, we can't say who is and who isn't. And I feel like women hide behind the word "curvy" when they are probably not in the least bit curvy, but just too heavy... don't mean to be mean, but it is the truth.

Able0104

I love my shape but where I live its hard to find men who appreciate your curves. I believe that if you are happy with yourself everyone will be able to see your confidence because it shines through!
My best friend weights 90pounds and is only 4'11 and she does not have a boney body at all. I know for myself I just want to be able to lose the weight so i feel and look healthier. I also want to lose the weight so i'm able to run again.

Sonofabiscuit2

I love this statement, because I see it as one of the few things in the media that affirms women who aren't stick-thin. There's certainly nothing wrong with having a thin frame and high metabolism, but *every* woman in the ads and on TV is that same size 0. Even if she has breasts, she'd better not have any extra meat anywhere else. This is the image that every woman is constantly surrounded with in every billboard and every commercial. Whether we acknowledge it or not, it seeps into our subconscious, and it hurts. Because personally, I could lose half my body weight and it wouldn't matter: I come from tall, big-boned, solidly-built German ancestry that will *never* fit society's current ideal.

This is one of the reasons I love the Renaissance Faire. Yes, people make fun, my brother calls it "BoobFest," but it's one of the few places where you are *never* going to see any pictures of supermodels, and being curvy is encouraged, even celebrated. For you curvy ladies who need a self-esteem boost, I would highly recommend checking out your local Ren Faire. And these Ren Faire songs: "My Own Hero" by Jodi Minstrel; "Curvy Girls" by the Jolly Rogers; "Big Bosom Girls" by Bocca Musica.

nothing like helping a woman into and out of that bodice. I met my exwife at the faire in southern ca, I had a blast with women of all shapes and sizes, but omg boobfest is right.

ebgbjo

I think a lot of people are mistaking curves for fat. They are not the same. Cuves indicate the lines/shilloutte of your body, not the buldges.
Skinny girls can have them and so can heavier girls- has nothing to do with hidding behind "being over weight" No wonder people have issues with their bodies....including myself

pammbroo

I think the statement sends a positive message and don't believe it was meant to slam non-curvy body types. I think it was simply to show a difference from what the media standard has been for so long.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it is in how we view ourselves and the confidence we exude from that which makes us truly beautiful...both inside and out.

Being healthy and happy starts inside of ourselves...curves or no curves...its a goal that is definitely within our reach. That's why we are here, right?

Rworthy

I love this statement, because I see it as one of the few things in the media that affirms women who aren't stick-thin. There's certainly nothing wrong with having a thin frame and high metabolism, but *every* woman in the ads and on TV is that same size 0. Even if she has breasts, she'd better not have any extra meat anywhere else.

Did you know that editing shaves down every image you see on TV, Magazines, Movies!? These aren't "real" women, they're avatars. Holly Madison is the first woman brave enough to be shown in print with no airbrushing, or "touch ups". There's even a plus-size model whose image was photoshopped to look skinnier, and she made a big deal about it. I saw something on the Today show. So, don't think these women are really so perfect!!!

Jain

Jeesh people, they are talking about "REAL" women as oppsed to those that are photoshopped in ads. They were/are trying to get society as a whole to embrass ALL REAL WOMEN and not those that the media edits up for print and film

Word!:flowerforyou:

I don't know what womens mags are like in the US but here in the UK the models are usually photoshopped to he11 & back. Dove is just trying to 'real', 'normal' images of women into print.

A 'real' woman can and does look beautiful what ever size she is.

A friend on mine got married last week, she's no size 0, but not huge by anyones standard. But the joy & love on her face for her new husband made her the most beautiful bride I've ever seen.:happy:

lilac01

Personally I hate that statement- Real women come in all shapes and sizes, and even if a woman isnt as curvy doesnt make her less beautiful, and just because a woman is more curvy, that doesnt make her more healthy than a thin woman.

So true.

stormieweather

I think a more accurate statement would be, "Women with curves are beautiful too". Some women are just naturally slender and they aren't any less "a real woman" than those with curves. To eliminate an entire type of body as not being "real" is pretty presumptious. This ideology would go further if it helped celebrate the differences of women, ie: tall ones, short ones, round ones, slim ones, blonde ones and brunette ones as well as old and young...all types are real and can be beautiful.

fitnessjch

I agree real women have curves.

PS Tyres do not count as curves as far as I am concerned, hence am trying to get rid of them to be more curvier! lol

allroundthesun

I'm not really fussed about the ad (I posted because I was curious about others' opinions). After all, it's just a marketing scheme. Dove couldn't care less about changing social attitudes about what's attractive, or empowering anyone, or doing anything besides appealing to a particular demographic to make as much money as they can, and if the phrase "real women" facilitates that, they're gonna use it, it's really not personal.

I do think that "curves" has become an inaccurate euphemism for "overweight" in some cases, and I think that's unfortunate, but before you bite my head off, hear me out on why I think so.

Technically yes, all women (and men) have curves to *some* extent; no one is literally shaped like a ruler. In the commonly understood meaning of the term, though, some women - both at healthy weights, and overweight - have curves, and some women, again, both those at healthy weights and those who are overweight - do not *coughmecough*. It's a matter of body type, not weight, and there are plenty of women both curvy and not curvy at various weights who are incredibly sexy.

The reason I think "curvy" used to describe a woman who's overweight but who doesn't actually have a curvy body type (and who wouldn't have a curvy body type at a healthy weight, either) is unfortunate isn't because I think women who fit this description should be disparaged; just the opposite. I feel like "curvy" used to describe someone who's overweight but not actually curvy implies that an overweight woman can only sound/be attractive if she has a curvy body type, and that's just not true. I know a number of overweight women who do not have curves, and they're still very attractive women. Why pretend you have a body type you don't to justify being overweight (which is something no one should EVER have to justify to anyone, our bodies are no one's business but our own, and it's sick that society tells us otherwise) instead of just embracing that you can be overweight, not curvy, and still hot, and to hell with haters who think otherwise?!

Now, if it really helps a woman's self-esteem to call herself "curvy" when she's not, okay, I'm not trying to say that I'm going to judge her for it. It's *hard* to be overweight; society is judgemental, and cruel, and you've gotta do what you've gotta do to get through that, my issue with the euphemism isn't with the women who choose to use it, it's with the fact that social norms have made it necessary, sometimes, that makes me angry. My point isn't to put anyone down, and ultimately this is - obviously - just my own opinion. So many women with different body types are gorgeous to me, period, I guess. It's such a complicated issue, sadly.

heathersmilez

All women have curves; Dove introduced it as a way of telling bigger women that you don't have to be stick thin to be beautiful.
It gives me comfort; as my body type will never allow me to be a size 8 (size 0-3 us).

If you are in the UK a UK 8 is only 1-2 sizes smaller than North American sizes. Size 8 UK is size 6 or 4 in North America. I do enough ebay shopping and researching to know, lol.