One Size Does Not Fit All, Or How I Learned to Stop Dieting and Love the Body

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Abstract
The oppressiveness of current ideals concerning female body size and shape in Euro-American culture has been well documented. Prevalent ideals of thinness are physiologically difficult for many women to achieve, and available techniques for reducing are greater health risks than fatness. Yet the number of women who attempt to reduce their bodies continues to increase. This essay analyzes America's obsession with thinness and its meanings for women's bodies and body identity. A summary of research challenging conventional beliefs about fatness is presented, followed by an exploration of the special meanings of fatness and slenderness for women in a culture that evaluates women on the basis of their appearance. The mind-body dualism experienced by women, especially fat women, in this environment is then discussed. An argument is made for rejecting the popular but unachievable and arbitrary standards of thinness and for abandoning the separation of mind and body inherent in the obsession with weight loss.

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