Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Zero Is a Size


Today the media is promoting women of a bigger size. We are starting to become more comfortable with most women being bigger and curvier. Plus-size is popular!
According to http://webcenters.netscape.compuserve.com/homerealestate/package.jsp?name=fte/clothessize/clothessize, the average size for women is 14, the size in which plus-sized clothing begins. This is a good thing because it makes women feel comfortable with their own body, but what about all the assumptions of the women of a smaller size, the assumptions that “zero is not a size” or that women of a smaller size are just anorexic. Well zero is a size. There are many women and girls in our country that are simply small, skinny, or petite, and do not have a disorder. Why do people make these assumptions? Can women not simply stay fit, eat right, and look petite?


These assumptions of women of a small size number being anorexic or bulimic comes from women, specifically models, being too skinny and women that are so self-conscience of their body that they diet to the extreme. These conditions are very dangerous and are the cause of the assumptions and stereotypes of petite women. However, who defends the women that are a size zero and are not anorexic, bulimic, or on an extreme diet? Who defends the women that are just built small and can eat whatever they want and yet not gain weight? These women are still being told by people that they need some curves or some meat on their bones. Women with little curves and hardly any meat on their bones tend to be looked down upon because of this stereotype. Fashion labels have even banned size zero models and models with a body mass index under 18 from their agencies. Yes, the small size of some models is disturbing, but why ban a model for being a size zero? Just because you are a size zero does not mean you are anorexic. You can be a size zero, one, or two and still look healthy. The same goes for women that are a size 14. Just because you wear that size does not mean you are fat.

What matters is not the size number, but being healthy. For women who are naturally small, even finding “fashionable” clothing can be a hassle where stores generally cater the larger sizes. Women who are naturally bigger have a hard time finding clothes of a larger size, as well. Our society tends to place women into two categories: fat or skinny. Where is the normal category or the in between category that many women fall into? In reality, this category exists. Women with a pear shape, hourglass shape, ruler shape, and an athletic shape all exist. People in our society need to rid of the stereotypes of the size of a woman. Women should be comfortable in their own body and they do not need the pressures the media and society puts on women. All women are different and each woman has their own size, even zero.

21 comments:

  1. I agree with this post! It's not about the size you are, but how healthy. You can be size zero but still have a terrible heart and be susceptible to heart attacks.

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  2. dude rand, chances are if your a size zero and have a terrible heart and are susceptible to heart attacks, its probably because you were born with an illness or you have some type of disorder.

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  3. I really liked this post! I don't think it matters what size number you wear it all depends on how you are built, and you should like yourself the way you are.

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  4. I love this post. Just because your built smaller doesn't mean your not healthy, and if your built to have a size 14 body, who cares! you just need to be healthy

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  5. It doesn't matter what size as long as you are healthy and you remain healthy if you try to loose or gain weight. Just be confident in yourself and don't listen to people who criticize you for being too small or too big.

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  6. Great post! I agree, it doesn't matter what size you are. You can still be healthy at a size zero and you should be comfortable with yourself.

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  7. Not sure what the picture is doing... but hey, it's colorful, and the writing is good (a few grammar & punctuation errors).

    So this is a binary opposition Americans believe in which needs to be destroyed - obese vs. anorexic. A woman cannot find a middle ground - she is constantly categorized as one or the other. It is simply amazing how what we think of as fitting into or not fitting into a category can affect our lives and the lives of millions of others who share the same (mis)conception.

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  8. Great post! I can't help it if i can't gain weight. Sometimes i wish i could just like people who wish they could lose weight but can't.

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  9. Women in our society need to stop worrying constantly about their weight and instead enjoy the little things in life. Just because you're a pound over what you think you should be doesn't mean you're fat.

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  10. I loved this post! It doesn't matter what size you are, as long as your healthy.

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  11. I think that the only thing that matters is if you eat healthy.

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  12. I agree with your post. However, to get healthy body people need to try to make good shape.

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  13. Nice post and women need to stop worrying about their size and what others think.

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  14. The size of clothes is a big concern for women. Being healthy becomes the major concern for men. Women need to quit counting calories and fat, and start concentrating on being healthy.
    Size zero though... I would say not healthy/

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  15. But women still care the size of clothes. That's reality. That makes women be ill and get stressed.

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  16. Zero can be a size if it is NATURAL! No matter what size you are though, you have to own it. Love yourself no matter how big or small you are.

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  17. I think it doesn't depend on how look like . i depends on how healthy

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  18. I totally agree with this post. It does not depend on a person's size, but on their health.

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  19. I agree that some people just can't gain weight or lose weight for that matter. We just need to work to make ourselves feel healthy and to not listen to what others say.

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  20. I personally believe that size 0 or 00 isn't healthy when bones are seen bulging through the skin. But size 14 or size -5 youv'e got to WORK IT!

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  21. I agree with O'connor and Whitney. Be natural, not unhealthy.

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