CAMPAIGN FOR REAL BEAUTY

[Cait]

EVERYONE on this site should watch this video and check out this site.
It is some amazing stuff.

Dove

It was on tv this morning and there was a whole segment done on it on the today show (morning news).

 

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[Cait]

I don't know if it was broadcast in the UK yet (or maybe it already has and I am slow to catch on!!)

But...........
Some of the statistics are staggering:

Over 50% of women say their body disgusts them (Dove Internal Study, 2002)
The body fat of models and actresses portrayed in the media is at least 10% less than that of healthy women (British Medical Association, 2000)
6 out of 10 girls think they’d “be happier if they were thinner“ (UK Teen Body Image Survey, Jan 2004)
While only 19% of teenage girls are “overweight,” 67% think they “need to lose weight” ( UK Teen Body Image Survey, Jan 2004)

 

[KD]

Over 50% of women say their body disgusts them (Dove Internal Study, 2002)
The body fat of models and actresses portrayed in the media is at least 10% less than that of healthy women (British Medical Association, 2000)
6 out of 10 girls think they’d “be happier if they were thinner“ (UK Teen Body Image Survey, Jan 2004)
While only 19% of teenage girls are “overweight,” 67% think they “need to lose weight” ( UK Teen Body Image Survey, Jan 2004)

I find these things really scary. What on earth is this world coming too?

 

[Isobel1965]

It's just obscene, isn't it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank heavens at least Dove is trying to change attitudes!!

 

[slushy]

it is obscene and it is scary

i try so hard not to be influenced by models in magazines but its a struggle for me at 44 with no peer pressure and no boyfriend troubles - i cant imagine how it must be for young women these days

dove is running an excellent campaign - now i wish other countries fashion houses would follow spain and ban dangerously low bmi models

 

[KD]

Okay. Being the cynical, miserable, wet blanket that I am I still have a problem with Dove's campaign

Here are these real women.

The size for a real woman according to Dove is size 8-14. Yes, they are beautiful. They do have some curves (but not proper ones). They do not have wrinkles, saggy skin, glasses, or any abnormality about them at all

Their faces are pretty symetrical. If these girls were in a group of real women, I would probably pick them out as the most attractive.

It also bothers me that Dove continue to advertise their firming lotion alongside this campaign. So we need firming lotion? It's not okay to be a bit wrinkly?

Why on earth is there so much attention to looking beautiful? They are still insisting that you can look beautiful without touchups and still be the great curvy maximum size 14!

Why do we have to look beautiful? Why can't we just be ourselves?

I've never managed to get head around this. It's totally confuzzelling.

 

[slushy]

confuzzled or not you make a very good point!

 

[Isobel1965]

Yes, KD - that is a very good point!! I suppose it's better to have a little way towards a healthier attitude than not at all though. Given time, maybe real, real woman will be used to advertise things????

We can only hope so!

 

[KD]

Yes, KD - that is a very good point!! I suppose it's better to have a little way towards a healthier attitude than not at all though.

True. It's a very small step, but a step anyway.

I'll tell you though. If I had a choice between someone who was loving and caring but ugly, or beautiful but as much use as the mop on the titanic. I know what I would chose.

People say they want to be beautiful for themselves. Personally I think that's rare. Most people wouldn't give a damn what they looked like if they were on a desert island without a another human in sight.

Do you know that lipstick was supposed attract men? The lips represent the outer labia. Breasts represent the bum.

Lipstick is usually red to signify the blood from the menstraul cycle to chow whether we are in heat

You'll never feel the same way about putting on again now you know that

 

[kelly1977]

I agree it is good that Dove are trying to change attitudes about size etc & I like the idea of the dove advert where the girls are in their underwear showing off curves & flesh, I agree with you Karion Dieting that none of the girls have any imperfections whatsoever, they all are bonny curvy girls.

The average size in the UK now is a size 16.
Dont know where Dove has got between a size 8-14 for a real women from.

You know its weird as me & my b/f have been mates for nearly 6 years now but only got together just over a year ago, before me he has always had relationships with slim girls, till he got with 'curvy' me, lol.
I had a complex about it when we first got together knowing I am more curvy than his ex's.
He said I have changed him & he prefers a girl with curves as he likes something to grab hold of & he loves my big boobs, lol. His slim ex's didnt have much up top..
Just thought I would share that with you, not that it has anything to do with the dove thing.. lol

So curves are the future, a bit like garlic bread.. lol
Mind you the young girls these days I think are getting really confident with their bodies as I have seen loads of lasses this morning with tight jeans on with their muffin tops hanging out & their bellies hanging out.

 

[abstruse]

Kelly.. I think dove means a US size 8-12... which is lower than the Brittish sizes ( I think.. someone correct me if I am wrong here) .

"Healthy" advertising images are frustrating. I get magazines like Shape and Womens Health and they have actresses and stickymodels plastered all over the front and inside. The only "real" women are in the "I have lost weight" Success Stories tucked away on one page inside.

I could say that these images don't effect me and that I am happy being curvy, but really if I am honest with myself...If I am so happy as I am I would not be here dieting and trying to change.

Yea being healthier is a huge part of my journey ( I want to climb Mts and bike without feeling like I am falling over), but honestly, so is looking good. Like it or not I KNOW that peoples first impressions are based on things like symetry, waist to hip ratios, body fat persentages etc. I admit I look at people and think "hes hot" or "shes chubby" or " she is way to thin and looks sickly" regardless of thier attitudes.

Its not that we are all jerks, but its simple biological gentetics...Ratios determine who will be better breeders due to genetics and overall health and we instictivly are drawn into the "ideal". Studies show even infants with no perception of societies whims will smile more and spend more time looking at "pretty (IE physically symetrical and ideally wieghted...not to mig not to small, but just right)" people. Its basic facts and yes its not fair.

LUCKILY we are human and have brains that work beyond simple first impressions. We are not just out to have the best gene combos, but we form lasting emotional bonds with others based on much more than "he looks hot and his genetic material sure would be great to combine with mine". These amazing brains are, in my opinion, our saving grace!

As for healthy images... companies like Dove are trying to make money, and regardless of size... pretty people with ideal waist hip ratios and symetrical faces still sell more product, but at least its irrespective of the ridiulouse teeeny tiny size fashion seems so fond of dictating ( even though studies have aslo shown that being tooooo thin has the same biological disatvantages as being very very overweight).

Did anyone read about this? I thought it was great! Go brains go!!!!!!!

CNN.com - Skinny models banned from catwalk - Sep 13, 2006

 

[Isobel1965]

You'll never feel the same way about putting on again now you know that

Don't bet on that one, sista!! hehehehehhehehe

But you're right about the better to be nice and ugly than pretty and horrid - I steer clear of very beautiful people cos they're such nobs!

Edited to add: allegedly! Of course some very beautiful people are saints. Ahem.

 

[KD]

The average size in the UK now is a size 16.
Dont know where Dove has got between a size 8-14 for a real women from.

I'm not here really cos I'm still working, but just caught this one.

Yes...weird isn't it. They state size 6-12 (US sizing) which I converted to 8-14 for us lot. Hey! Would be great to be a curvy voluptuous size 8. Don't reckon that happens often.

Right...back to work!

 

[Dom1979]

6-12 is 10-16 in British sizes. To convert an American size to a British one, you add 4. I used to be an au pair in America, and have always been a shopaholic!

 

[KD]

6-12 is 10-16 in British sizes. To convert an American size to a British one, you add 4. I used to be an au pair in America, and have always been a shopaholic!

Umm. Sorry to be pedantic Dom, but I thought it was add 2

I've just checked 3 calculators and they all add 2
Metric Converter - U.S. Measurements
Comparison of Standards used in Australia and USA
Online Conversion - Women's Clothing Conversion

 

[Cait]

Karion, I think you make some very valid points re real women's sizes and "curves" (or the lack of them lol).
And, I have always been confused about the size conversion as well. I always thought it was add 2 but some people say add 4 (I don't know if that means "go up 2 sizes" meaning a 10 is equal to a 14, or "add 2" meaning a 10 is equal to a 12).