Don't Just a Book by it's Cover

Gender reassignment surgery has been around since the beginning of civilization, but has not always been used to improve body image. In fact, in ancient times, gender reassignment surgery was as ruthless as castration made to make a slave feel worthless and unmanly. However, nowadays gender reassignment surgery is used to celebrate transgender individuals and allow them to embrace a body that they truly feel they belong in. The quote above expresses the self loathing transgender women and men can feel about their bodies, many times they describe the feeling as "trapped". The medical advances in gender reassignment surgery have been steadily improving, and many surgeons are beginning to be trained in the specific field of genital  reconstruction. In fact, it may be possible for a transgender male to eventually carry a baby to term in a "donor uterus" with the use of drugs and hormone therapies in the future. The leaps and bounds the medical community has made in regards to gender reassignment surgery is a testament to the diversifying society we live in today.

http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/SRS.html 

The Fetishization of the BBW

Fat activist blogger Kyla The Great created a post where she explains the difference between the preference of a certain body type (specifically the fat body) and the fetishization of BBW (Big, Beautiful Women.) She explains that it is very possible to prefer the fat body type to other sizes while still respecting and acknowledging that "fat people are people too". On the other hand, the term BBW has been attached to the large women who are often seen in fetish videos where they are viewed merely as their fat instead of their entire person. This reflects the objectification of women in pornography, yet in fat fetish pornography the emphasis is on the fat itself.  As Kyla states, fetishes mean that someone finds something desirable that is typically viewed as undesirable to the majority. To fetishize fat means to further its distance from the idea of what is normal and acceptable in our society in terms of body type, and to instead create an idea that it is socially acceptable to view fat bodies as unattractive and strange. Furthermore, this maintains the image that fat women are desperate and will accept and form of affection and appreciation that comes their way. They are expected to be grateful for this kind of objectification simply because many believe that they do not receive any attention from potential suitors.

"A fetish is the sexualization of something that is not conventionally seen as sexually desirable. A fat fetishist is a person who fetishizes fat, typically seeing it as something that is not desirable to the majority. Hence, their widespread harassment of fat bodied people (especially on Tumblr and Flickr). Many send messages or reblog photos, assuming that their advances will be met with open arms (legs ?) because fat people are not mainstream attractive, and will appreciate any positive attention given to them."  

(http://kylathegreat.tumblr.com/post/12539225732/for-the-record-preferences-and-fetishes-are-not-the) 

Transgenders In Drag

This image portrays a transgender male dressed in drag. Half his face is covered in traditional drag queen make up, while the other half of his face portrays his physical identity as a male Drag is the act of a male dressing in women's clothing, often times outlandish and over the top, that may date as far back as the 18th century. Drag queens often perform under a  as characters in a skit or show as a form of entertainment.  This image speaks about transformation, and how society may see this man as physically male at times, but he identifies as a female at others. Dressing in drag is a way for transgender individuals to express their feminine side in a safe and "socially acceptable" way.

Discrimination at Every Size

Historically, the ideal body shape has been a constantly changing one. In mainstream media today, the model-thin body type is the ideal, a body type that is unachievable for many yet, because of societal pressures, desirable for most. In the past, thin bodies were viewed as less womanly than more "curvy" women. This discriminatory sentiment was often accompanied with the phrase, "Real Woman Have Curves", an oppressive statement that excludes both trans* women, who may not have the "womanly" curves that many cisgendered women possess, and the thinner women who simply do not have the body shape that someone deemed as ideal in order to sell products and create a culture of fear and consumption. The image to the left is very similar to the ads that are prevalent in today's mass media messages, where diet pills are advertised as a way to lose weight and fit into the current ideal. By creating an ideal body type that many simply cannot achieve due to factors outside of their control, companies can create products that further the oppression of "alternative" body types and profit off of the self loathing that they propagate.

The Fat Body (In)Visible

The trailer for Margitte Kristjansson's documentary, "The Fat Body (In)Visible" discusses the erasure of fat women from many facets of life, which consequently leads to the discomfort many people feel when they see people of size enjoying their bodies. As Jessica Luxery-Legay, one of the women interviewed, says, "We've noticed that it's really powerful to see more than one fat body enjoying each other's company in public." She goes on to say, "I was walking home and a woman called me a 'fat piggy bitch'...by purely existing she felt it was necessary to take me down." This reaction to a person of size feeling confident reflects the fear of fatness that has been embedded into our ideological values due to media misrepresentations of fat people as unhealthy, dirty, lazy, and other such misconceptions. In media, fat people are rarely represented, and when they are they are almost never depicted as desirable, happy with themselves, and healthy, which is one of the main causes of fatphobia in the United States.

The Effects of Skin Tone on Body Image

Is Black truly Beautiful

In the trailer for the documentary entitled Dark Girls, the director interviews different women who are considered to be dark about how there skin tone has effected their lives. Many of them talk about how their skin tone makes them feel very insecure about their appearance and at young ages were ridiculed by classmates. Some of the women also talked about when it came to dating they were also the very last pick. Light skin Black women are looked at as beautiful and men aren't ashamed to take them out but when it comes to a dark girl they are looked at as sex objects and nothing more. Media perpetuates the stigma that light skin is beauty and dark skin is not. In commercials that feature black girls and women those women are 9 out of 10 times a light skin women with light curly hair. Even on Black sitcoms the the girlfriends or the wives of men are usually of a lighter skin tone. The light versus dark skin battle within the Black community and outside negatively effect girls and women alike with problems like depression, under/over eating, and self esteem. Girls are taught to love themselves but in society there are people telling them not to.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW31Te1awVw)

Is Curvy Still "In"?

The Face of Plus Size Modeling 

 

Toccara Jones is an American model. She started her journey on Tyra Banks america's Next Top Model as a 5'9" 180lb plus size model. Since the show she has lost about 30lbs and weighs approxiamtely 150lbs. She is down to a size 8 in women clothing and in the Black community she is seen as an ideal curvy body figure. However, outside of the Black community she is still labeled as a plus size model. Unlike other models she still has full breasts, hips and thighs, and a round butt. Being a curvy Black women used to be a desired feature for women but now because having curves is labeled as being plus size by the media it is less desirable. Being a curvy Black woman is also less desirable because Black men used to love a curvy Black woman, a Black woman in general but because the media rarely creates a forum for a Black woman's body to be appreciated the men are more attracted to woman of alternative races who have less curves.

(http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/toccara-jones?before=1340313848)

Looking Ahead: The Skinny Body

A Skinny Black Body

Historically, Black women have had curvy and voluptous bodies. To be a bigger women is the culatrally accepted norm for Black women. However, there is a strong movement in the younger Black community of females becoming more and more thin. The media in contrast to African-American culture projects being a big black young lady and women means that you are unhealthy and unattractive. For example, the movie Precious follows the story of two black women who are both extremely overweight who are angry and have been through severe emotional turmoil. Young Black women look at the movie and other media sources and do not want to be associated with being a bigger Black women so they turn to the Black celebrities that are increasingly sharing new diet tips and workout plans to acheive being a skinny Black woman. Black women who were previously considered to be fat have gone from being the face for fat black women to being the face of diet plans. A prime example of this is Jennifer Hudson the ex American Idol contestant turned singer and actress. When she first appeared on the show she was a heavier women but now she is the spokeswoman for Weight Watchers. She went from a size 16 to a current size 6. Black women who once accepted their weight are now influenced by other Black women shedding the pounds simply because what the media puts out is that thin is in. 

(http://weheartit.com/entry/8640481)

"Historically: Why Black Women are Fat"

The Fat Body 

Full article: http://sportyafros.com/workouts/why-black-women-are-overweight-part-1/

In the article entitled Why Black Women are Fat, Alex's Take, the author explored the cultural aspect of why black women are fat. 

    

"After people hit their 20 and 30s, being big or bigger was acceptable and the norm. The only people who were skinny or had a slender frame, were crack heads or kids. Being skinny or slender was looked at as a disease. Everyone wanted and should have bigger butts, breast and thicker thighs. Eating hamhocks, collard greens and sweet potato pie was the prescription for achieving this".

This article is somewhat of an explanation of why there are so many overweight black women living in the United States. In movies and television shows older black women are usually heavyset because in the African American culture this image is seen very often. Being a big black woman is considered being a healthy individual. "Black fat" as deemed by the Black community is acceptable because that is simply the way the woman was made. If she is cooking the soul food correctly then being heavier is only natural. In a African-American household the mother has the role of feeding the family like in any other family. However, an everyday dinner consist of fried chicken, baked macaroni and cheese, and homemade pies versus a meal that is more healthy. Historically Black families didn't have the same access to healthier foods than a White family would have due to socioeconomic status. In previous years there were well known Black women endorsing "the fat black women" such as Monique, an African-American comedian and actress. Monique did a television show entitled Monique's F.A.T. Chance where plus sized women competed in a beauty pageant to become Miss F.A.T which is short for Miss Fat and Thick. Monique continued to reassure Black women that it is okay to be a plus sized women.
(http://www.commonsensemedia.org/tv-reviews/moniques-fat-chance)

Stella Boonshoft- Body Image Hero

A People's Magazine article hits on viral photo and caption posted by a college student that displays her
"socially unacceptable" body in a bikini. The teen, Stella Boonshoft expresses that she is proud of her body and that there is no reason for this image to be considered shocking or any different than an image of a skinny girl in a bikini. The fact that this image is so wide spread and controversial shows how narrow societies view of the female body is, when in fact a girl with a body that is considered "fat" confidently displays her body in a public forum when many "skinny" girls lack that confidence due to societies scrutiny.

Fat Does Not Equal Unhealthy

"Don't You Realize Fat is Unhealthy?" 

The article "Don't You Realize Fat is Unhealthy?" reflects upon and disputes many of the negative stereotypes associated with fat people and their supposed inherent unhealthiness. Through advertisements for diet pills, people of size are often depicted as unattractive, lazy, and unhealthy. The media presents thinness as the antithesis of fatness, and, in order to sell products, maintains a negative stereotype associated with fatness in order to make thin bodies seem superior. The negative connotations associated with fatness (i.e. unhealthy lifestyle choices) are maintained in order to cultivate a culture of fear, in which self-loathing is the objective. 

Video Vixen

The New Sexy

The "Video Vixen" is the typical over sexualized image of black women portrayed in the media. This type of black women is viewed as a sexual object and submissive to the men they dance in videos for. In the video above Round of Applause" you can see women with little to no clothing on dancing for a couple dollar bills. The over sexualized woman has become a PG-13 version of a stripper. The only difference between a stripper and the women that dance in these videos are that the women get to keep their fabrics on. But they are still spinning around on poles and getting very personal with the men watching in lust. It is not only the way these women represent themselves in the videos it is the meaning behind the words. For example, in the video the rapper Waka Flocka Flame has lyrics such as "Corner stacks omg smh when I'm them stage pourin rose all on her ass, Round of a applause baby pop that pussy drop it down for me do a split" The lyrics to these raps songs that women dance to are very degrading and demanding and portray an unhealthy relationship between male and female. Despite all the negativity surrounding "video vixens" there are more and more women interested in that line of work because the women who do it glorify it  with all the money, jewelry, clothes, and most importantly attention they receive from doing so. 
(http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/wakaflockaflame/roundofapplause.html; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5Z3KUOrhS0)

(http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/lola-monroe?before=1341368879)