Quote:
Originally Posted by philana
... I think it's sort of ridicuolous that we've turned into a society that's scared of the truth of naked human bodies. Like they are gonna scar you for life or something... I dislike my own discomfort because of cultural standards more than I dislike the guts (nu pun intended) of some one refusing to live up to those standards.
This is exactly how I feel. When my husband and I toured our local YMCA's two facilities, I nearly panicked when our guide mentioned that the saunas, steamrooms and whirlpools in the dressing rooms were "clothing optional." Thankfully the whirlpool (which I'll use more than sauna or steam) in the facility nearest our home is in the pool area, so bathing suits are required.
I think our fear of nudity is ridiculous. I remember when I worked in a children's group home (for teens with behavior problems, including violence) and the kids were only allowed to watch R movies that had been approved beforehand, and I remember the first movie that was discussed in a staff meeting and one of the senior staff said "I've seen it, and it's ok for the kids. No sex or nudity, just a lot of blood and violence!"
I objected (unaware that I was the almost the only one who felt this way). I argued that the last thing violent kids needed to see was the glorification of bloody violence, and surely that was worse than a little nudity portrayed in a gentle, loving romance scene.
I learned that mine was the minority opinion, and over and over again, the kids were allowed to watch horrific violence, but even a bit of "side boob" would get a movie vetoed.
Back on the topic of fat people's flesh exposure, I think people confuse "disapproving of fat" with "disapproving of fat people." A fat person in any kind of swim suit faces ridicule for exposing too much. A fat person having fun of any kind, faces ridicule. I think for not exhibiting enough shame about their situation. If a fat woman wears a bikini, she's obviously not sufficiently ashamed of her body, to cover it more. And even if she's covered head to toe, if she's enjoying herself in the water, there's something "just not right" about that.
For myself, it has gotten much better, and I'm not sure if it's time or region based. In central IL, you rarely saw truly obese people being active. I was usually the only person my size in the pool or gym. I was once given a free pass to a Gold's Gym, and I couldn't use it. The gym was set up in a style (with mirrors all around) so that everyone could see everyone else. Even the pool was set in the middle of the gym with glass walls, so I couldn't get over the "everyone will be looking at me" feeling - especially since the largest woman I saw in the gym during my tour, was maybe a size 8.
After I moved to Northcentral Wisconsin, I saw a lot more active people - even fat, active people. That did make a huge difference. I don't think I would have had the courage to buy and ride a bike (even if I don't have the balance to ride it very often), if I hadn't seen plenty of fat, bike-riding folk.
I think the best reason to celebrate (or at least politely ignore) the fat girl in the bikini, even the ginormously fat girl in the teeny bikini who looks like she's not even wearing any bottoms, is that it will bolster the courage of the rest of us. Not necessarily to wear a bikini, but to get in the water and be active, regardless of how you look in a swimsuit.
When I first started using the warm water therapy pool in our area, it was the first time I was truly and completely comfortable not only in the water but in the locker rooms and on the way to and from the pool - because most of the bodies were unattractive (and I felt I fell in the middle rather than on the ugly end as I do at other pools). The warm water therapy pool is uused for physical therapy and adapted exercise, so you need a doctor's referal to use the pool. As a result the bodies tended to be one or more of the following fat, wrinkled, lop-sided (even amputees), and scarred. All sorts of bodies that society says shouldn't be "shown off."
It just really irks me that the people who need the water most, are the most encouraged to stay out of it, for fear of putting their imperfect bodies on display.