![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 14, 2006, at 14:42:48
I was chatting to a very nice man from Tanzania today. We were discussing 'cultures' and he was saddened to see Western culture invading Tanzanian's own culture. Anyway, he was particulary concerned with skinny-ness. Apparently the ideal in Tanzania is that 'big is better' and they have beauty competitions where the women are all very heavy (his words, not mine).
How refreshing!
He was concerned that now things are heading towards Western style body ideals.
Kind regards
Meri
By Western culture I mean, Europe, North America. You know what I mean!
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 14, 2006, at 15:20:17
In reply to Tanzanian's and body image..., posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 14, 2006, at 14:42:48
*nods*
The only guys I get chatted up by are African men.. and I'm little ~but~ curves *laughing*
Nikki x
Posted by Racer on November 14, 2006, at 16:06:42
In reply to Re: Tanzanian's and body image... » Meri-Tuuli, posted by NikkiT2 on November 14, 2006, at 15:20:17
There's a book out there, called "Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession," that includes an essay about living in a culture that considers fat to be beautiful. The woman who wrote it, wrote about her own reactions to living in a culture that thought she was rather weird for being so thin -- despite her being a fairly average size by our standards.
It was interesting to read, especially as she described the way young women went out of their way to get stretch marks, or how mothers would keep their daughters home to eat more and more to grow more and more "beautiful." Part of the interest, of course, was that in this culture, fat had the same tyranny over women as being thin does here. And part of what made it so powerful was that it was so very, very alien to anything I've ever experienced in my own life. (And not only because I have an eating disorder...)
Actually, if you're interested in the subject at all, I strongly recommend the book. There are some essays that didn't do anything for me -- "Fat Porn," for instance, just seems gross to me -- but many are very powerful. There's an essay about teenage girls discussing their bodies, and how that interplays with social status, that really struck me powerfully. There are also essays about things like the meaning of fat in people with AIDS, or in rap culture, the high regard for lard in Italy, etc. Quite a powerful little book, and generally the essays are well written.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 13:13:33
In reply to Re: Tanzanian's and body image... » Meri-Tuuli, posted by NikkiT2 on November 14, 2006, at 15:20:17
Hey!
I wonder if all African men are like that, or its just some?
Speaking of culural differences, my bf was in Namibia this summer doing fieldwork, and there is a group of people there called the Himba, and the women all wander around topless....I don't think I'd like that, it would feel weird! They're quite beautiful actually, although they're skinny. But perhaps thats more due to proper food shortages than anything else! They paint themselves ochre.
Meri
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 13:20:54
In reply to Re: Tanzanian's and body image..., posted by Racer on November 14, 2006, at 16:06:42
That book sounds rather interesting. Yeah, its incredible who different it is. It was almost comical the way my Tanszanian friend was really worried for his 'sisters' about being skinny!
Anyway, its quite powerful how we're conditioned to think that thin is beautiful. I mean, look at Mary-Jane whatsit, whatever those twins are called, who are very skinny, but role models for 'tweenies'... I can't remember their names, but you know.....its sad. And I mean, look at Barbie! Actually my mother didn't let me have a barbie, although I can't say it stopped any stereotypes from influencing me.
But then its weird because, well, I guess being larger carries with it an increase in a health risks, and so we frown upon being obese too....
>the high regard for lard in Italy
Huh? All the women I know in Italy are very thin. Perhaps for their mothers?M
Posted by Racer on November 15, 2006, at 22:28:55
In reply to Re: Tanzanian's and body image..., posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 15, 2006, at 13:20:54
>> >the high regard for lard in Italy
> Huh? All the women I know in Italy are very thin. Perhaps for their mothers?
>
> Mlol No, literally lard, rendered fat. It's considered a delicacy, apparently. I think it's also called "White Proscuitto" or something like that, some way to hide that it's just lard. They have designations and everything.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 16, 2006, at 8:28:21
In reply to Re: Tanzanian's and body image... » Meri-Tuuli, posted by Racer on November 15, 2006, at 22:28:55
LOL! Well you get lard in england too....for baking etc although its a bit old fashioned, you know, it was popular during the WWII/50s type thing.... But now, everyone's cooking everything in goose fat, eiowwww.
Ahh, perhaps I read your post wrong - where I come from, you can call someone 'lardy' basically meaning fat, for example, 'she's a lardy lass' meaning fat girl. Man, thats pure Yorkshire, that is! " 'ere ey ain't got owt" = I haven't got anything! or 'ey up' means 'wait for me' Just in case you're interested :o)
Meri
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Eating | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.