But some men are intimidated by other women. You want a cite? Don’t forget that you’re in The Pit. Nacho, you were wondering why your friend, who you implied was more attractive than you, gets less phone numbers than you do. I gave a possible reason, and a pretty realistic one at that. I used the word “probably.” How you twisted that into “definitely” is beyond me. For the record, I do find you unattractive. There, I said it, and I don’t see what’s so wrong with that. I have to find everyone attractive? You’re living in a dream world if that’s what you think. And I’m sure you’d find me unattractive as well. Big whoop. Life goes on. If you’re happy with yourself it doesn’t matter if someone finds you attractive or unattractive. At your age, you should know this.
Uh, so they don’t mean the same thing. So they both mean the same thing, but not? That makes sense.
Hooray for you. Do you want a medal for that? Look, this thread is about physical appearance. The topic is, “Fat is ugly.” The topic isn’t, “Fat people are ugly people both inside and out.” I don’t think anyone here has ever said that; I know I haven’t. Like I said before, you like to read what you want to read rather than what is actually written. I’ve seen interviews with Camryn Manheim and she seems to have a great personality. But I’m not attracted to her physical appearance. If you have a problem with that, too bad.
But I did provide evidence. I know this is The Pit and I didn’t really have to, but I did provide a link. Didn’t you see it? Of course you didn’t. But here it is again just so you have it:
We can exchange pictures if you like. I don’t have a scanner, but a friend of mine has a digital camera I’m sure I could borrow. We could even put our pictures up side-by-side somewhere and let people take a vote. Is that why you want my picture? Oh, wait, I just remembered. I do have a picture online. But it’s not very flattering and very embarrassing. I don’t think I should post it. Maybe I won’t. Should I?
I thought Sara already explained this to you quite adequately, but since the statement was originally (I believe) made by me, I’ll explain it once again.
As an artist, I found that there was a lot of beauty in the many models I drew in Life Drawing classes. Not just the young thin ones, but the old wrinkly ones, the tubby ones, etc. As I was drawing them, I saw the turn of their ankle to be beautiful, their gesture, the elegance or grace of their overall pose. And so they were beautiful. On the outside. But I wasn’t attracted to them, as in wanting to date them. They were not “attractive” in that way, but their naked (yes, naked!) bodies were quite “beautiful”. I made some beautiful drawings of old, wrinkly ladies, chubby men, and what have you.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I doubt that anyone here seriously wants to begrudge anyone their right to not be “attracted” to certain people. We all have our tastes.
And as far as the “education” you some of want to give us about fat, and how you are “concerned” about us, give me a break. For one thing, most of us strongly suspect that this “concern” is really just thinly vieled contempt, and condescension (at least among many people). But, whatever. Let me assure you, my family is fully equipped to nag me about my weight, the length of my hair, the clothes I wear, and whatever else. These are personal issues and none of your business. And believe it or not, as repeated before, most of us who are overweight actually are aware of it, so we don’t need you reminding us, or “saving” us. What part of this is so difficult to understand?
Why didn’t you find them attractive enough to date? Was something about them unappealing to you? You say you were not attracted to those people. So therefore, you found them to be unattractive (in your own eyes, of course). So it’s okay for you to find someone unattractive, but when I find someone unattractive it’s not okay and I might as well have called them ugly. Is that right? Yeah, that clears up a lot. Nice little double standard you got going on there.
alice, what I said was that I know many women for whom this is true. I didn’t mean to imply that only men are guilty of this. I should have stated more clearly that both men and women hold these attitudes. And I do think that such attitudes contribute towards eating disorders in young girls.
I think Stoid put it well when she said, “it is totally false to claim that anything like almost all men find fat women unattractive, but the pervasive belief that this is so… contributes to a negative, judgmental, and really unnecessary atmosphere of shame for all concerned.” As can be seen in this thread, many men are attracted to fat girls. MOST of the guys who have responded to this thread have said that they are not attracted to extremely skinny girls. But still there is a pervasive belief, among some people, that a girl can never be too thin.
I’m a size 2, but I’ve gotten lots of negative comments about what I eat (from both men and women). It’s quite common here in France to tolerate excess weight in men - particularly older men - while women are expected to control their weight. When I asked for french fries at my cafeteria a few weeks ago, the enormous French chef behind the counter said, “Don’t you care about your figure?” I tried to laugh the question off but he refused to serve me until I answered! He wasn’t really being a jerk, he just found it rather unusual that a girl should eat something so greasy without a care in the world. I don’t like the mentality that girls should be expected to constantly worry about getting fat. I think that this kind of worry can conversely lead people (male or female) to develop unhealthy attitudes towards weight. It is for the same reason that I think criticism of overweight people, even by family members or friends, can only be counter-productive. That’s all I was trying to say.
Give me a freakin’ break. Are you really this dim? I don’t believe it. You’re just trying to yank my chain.
Do you really think it is a “double standard” for me to not be attracted to little old ladies? I am not gay, so I am not sexually attracted to women. I am not attracted to people who are vastly older (or younger) than me either. I am not sexually attracted to 10 year olds. You want to accuse me of being gulty of a “double standard” because of that?
But just because I am not “attracted” to little old ladies, it doesn’t mean I think they are UGLY. I am not attracted to cocker spaniels, either. But that doesn’t automatically make them ugly. Get it?
And please - do I have to keep on repeating it? YOU ARE ENTITLED TO NOT WANT TO DATE ANYONE YOU DON’T WANT TO DATE. Do you want me to copy and past the myriad of times I’ve made this statement, on this very thread?!? Because I’m willing to do that. Just so you will SHUT UP about that particular point.
I don’t want to advise you on who you should or should not be sexually attracted to, because that’s your private business. Just like my weight is my private business. I don’t need, nor ask, for your input or opinion. I don’t need your help, your counsel, your advice, you “concern”, your anything. I have a family who can provide me with all of that.
Nope, no chain yanking. But I do owe you an apology. I misread your post and failed to notice that we actually agree on something. I did to you exactly what I accused others of doing to me. Thankfully, I don’t often make that mistake.
If you notice, I’ve been here awhile. I generally like to keep my mouth shut. I’m not as stupid as you make me out to be, whether you care to believe so or not.
I really don’t understand you. At all. I said in my first post to this thread that I love my body and my looks and I don’t care what anyone thinks. Then I tell you that I don’t care if YOU think I’m unattractive; I believe I said that it would be “the best news I’ve heard all day.” I also make the statement about 4 times that you can be attracted to whomever you want, based on whatever you want, as long as you don’t say your opinion is true of everyone (which you did).
Then you tell me I’M in a dream world? You have to type out that you find me unattractive, then tell me it doesn’t matter (which clearly I’ve already figured out, based on my previous posts) and condescendingly address me as if I’m 12 years old?
What is wrong with you? Are you just reading my post for quibbles, or are you living in an alternate reality?
My god in heaven. I feel like I just had a conversation with a syphilitic monkey.
Actually, it does. Two things can mean the basically the same thing, but just be variations on the same meaning. Like:
Plain
Unnattractive
Ugly
Grotesque
Hideous
OR
Content
Pleased
Happy
Joyous
Ecstatic
Sure. I’m just arbitrarily pulling these definitions out of my ass.
Let me summarize just so you understand: First you said that when you go out with an “absolutely beautiful” friend of yours, you always walk away with more numbers. I replied that it could “probably” be due to the fact that men are intimidated by your friend’s good looks and are afraid of her. You twisted that into “the only reason I get hit on is because men are intimidated by better looking women.” So thanks to your twisting of words and meanings, here we are. Also, I never said my opinions were the opinions of everyone. That’s what you may have read in your own mind, but that’s certainly not what I wrote. You pointed out that I did write something like that. Please direct me to it.
Furthermore, if you’re going to provide definitions for words, please provide all possible meanings and not just the ones that benefit your argument. I may find a girl unattractive, but that doesn’t mean I find her ugly or unsightly. I may find you plain, but I don’t think you’re hideous or grotesque.
Nacho, you don’t come across as someone who can admit her mistakes, but I hope you would be mature enough this one time to make an exception.
So now I am really confused. Finally, on page (what is this, six?) six someone chooses to start defining words.
We find that, in some cases at least, “ugly” can mean “unattractive” and not “hideous” per se.
How very, very enlightening.
I think ketchup is gross. Do I get to have a bunch of tomato farmers on my ass now?
I understand people’s anger at the topic; I do not understand the way people have chose to express it. In six pages there is still something I am missing, though I am not clear what it is, partially because we’ve only just defined “ugly” in an objective manner, and even that is being quibbled with.
sigh You pit-posters: so wacky!
~~erl, [sub][sup]who remains of the opinion that what he considers fat is part of that which he considers ugly, and who also remains a firm 35 pounds overweight, which he also considers to be fat, but should he see that on another person wouldn’t consider fat, so that just goes to show you how subjective such a topic can be, and that flying off the handle—though pit-'propriate—certainly didn’t seem to solve anything for anyone…[/sup][/sub]