When a Fat Girl Talks About the American Beauty Standard

When I graduate from college I will be working in the American media. I'm fully aware of the American Beauty Standard and the changes it's made in the past 50 - 60 years. However whenever the topic of the American Beauty Standard comes up people think I'm talking from my own insecurities. Honestly, if I really gave a frack about the American Beauty Standard I'd be a nervous, anorexic wreck. (I'm not thrilled to be the size that I am, but I'm not so fixated on this standard that I'm going to extremes to meet it)

Lets say the conversation starts out being about, idk, cast directing and how physical appearance can affect whether you get the part or not. I'll start throwing out facts that I've learned and give real life examples and someone will chime in and say, "But you gotta be cool with who you are." True, you have to be fine with who you are, but them picking you isn't about how you see yourself (outside of exuding confidence). From there someone will make a comment about how I (personally) should be happy about who I am regardless of my weight. HOLD UP! When did this become about me?!

When I was a college freshman I did an experiment for sociology about this type of thing thinking I'd be bold and do something no one else dared to do. My teacher was REALLY excited, like I was about to make a wonderful scientific breakthrough or something. I knew I wasn't but I figured that I would get great results. Outside of the fact I didn't go with my gut for this experiment that made it suck dealing with people who had little sideways comments about me appearance and how shallow they thought the experiment was annoyed me.

I know that certain information is better received depending on who's giving the information and what the receiver thinks about the person giving the information. For instance a person who can barely sing can tell someone, "You're not supposed to push in order to get the note out. Pushing is not your friend." and not be believed, but when a vocal coach says it they're believed.

A little boy can call 911 and say, "My mom is on the floor and she's not moving," and not be believed, while an adult can say the same thing and have an ambulance at their door. (Yes this really happened. It was all over the news a few years ago.)

Likewise, when someone who the general public would think isn't happy with how they look (whether the person actually is or isn't is irrelevant right now) talks about a beauty standard they are not taken seriously and are thought to be speaking personally. However when a celebrity or someone who's well known and knows about a beauty standard they're believed.

:-\

The Fat Cycle (Curse of a Fat Person)

Issue: A fat person can't get a job as a fat person.

Common solution given by bloggers and commenters: Lose weight

The Cycle:

- The fat person needs money to buy food to lose weight. (You can't just stop eating. That's, actually, counter productive.)

- The fat person can't get a job because they're fat because they're fat.

- *extra factor* even if the fat person did lose weight where are they going to get money for new clothes for interviews if they don't have money?

It was just something I was thinking about today. Interesting cycle.

Having an Open Mind

You know what I've noticed in my life? A lot of people who say they're open minded are some of the most closed minded people in the world. Why is it people will say they're open minded then, when they get into an argument, talk over the person and say, "You're close minded. I already know what you're going to say." Why is it people will say they're open minded then say, "because you won't agree with what I'm saying you're close minded,"?

Being open minded means to be willing to hear/see/understand the another side of the issue, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it or agree with it.

However, people tend to think that a person is open minded if they hear/see/understand what a person is saying then agree with it if what that person is saying is (or perceived as) the road less traveled or more controversial.

Meh. I just thought I'd write about this just because it was bugging me today.