[MelloFatto]

I wonder what's with the weight/race thing.

For instance, at my weight there are plenty of people in the black community that would call me "Thick" not fat.

But I notice when it comes to most other races being like 150 is considered fat a lot of times, when 150-160 is like the perfect weight to women in the African American community.

[mescelestus]

Ok, I have been wondering this FOREVER...When I was in middle school and high school (i was 200+lbs the whole time) ALL my friends were African American...and I never thought it was odd, but looking back...now that I am more slender, I have a more mixed social group. I never even dated a white man, and I feel like white men don't check me out when I am out somewhere...But Many African American and Hispanic men do. There must be something that makes caucasian ppl more predjudiced about weight! Great topic!

[smisen]

I think a lot of it has to do with cultures valuing different body types - certainly, I think it's socially much more acceptable for African American and Latino women to be curvy than for Asian or Caucasian women. At least if you look at the examples provided by Hollywood and the fashion industry (both of which seriously lack racial diversity!), it seems as if most white women are supposed to aspire to a boyish figure that makes 150 heavy at any weight.

Personally, I say it's whatever weight makes you feel healthy and strong - and I wish we'd see that message in the media more often!

[LouisaH]

Well, it all depends on your height, certainly, but it is interesting that the black community seems to appreciate a voluptuous woman more than some other races do. I've also noticed a correlation with older wealthy white women in certain areas of my city being almost painfully thin. It's like a status thing, but at the same time a desperate attempt at holding onto their youth and beauty.

I've always hated that the fashion world has made underweight women the social norm that so many women strive for, leading to eating disorders and lifetimes self-worth issues. Health should be the beauty goal everyone strives for, rather than numbers on the scale or looking like anorexic models!

[shantroy]

I think it definitely has to do with culture. If you take it to the extreme several relatively recent studies have shown that in Africa being overweight is extremely desirable. Skinny there means sickness, and being poor. So being overweight means that you are "healthy" or able to afford large quantities of food, thus making you a desirable mate. Not about weight but how culture defines attractiveness. In many developing countries, it is not consider attractive to have a tan. Having a tan means that you are must work in the fields doing manual labour. Being pale means that either you don't have to work, or that you have an office job. In North america however, tanning means you have leisure time to spend tanning or money, either to afford tanning salons or going on vacation. While I've gotten a little theoretical (I just finished writing a paper on culture and attraction). I do believe that one's culture dictates what he or she will find attractive in a mate.

[love114]

I'm East Indian and in our culture, skinny women are definitely considered to be normal. Even the girls whose bones will be sticking out lol. You're curvy and people will think you're overweight...and like shantroy said, it is true that people praise the pale, white complexions (comparing it to milk and such, so ridiculous lol!). It's all about culture...whatever, people need to just accept each other as they are and know that beauty is more than just how much you weigh or how you look compared to what they think you should look like. Gosh..

[mom4life]

Yeah, in the hispanic culture being chunky is considered healthy. My dad thinks I'm unhealthy for wanting to lose weight. He also thinks my kids have an eating disorder because they're thin....mind you normal weight. Thank goodness my mom was born and raised here so she's on board with my being at a healthy weight.