Comments on: Surveys say lesbians have a better body image

By: Webmaster blog » Blog Archive » Surveys say lesbians have a better body image | gaelick

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 04:00:18 +0000

[...] Karl wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptNov 17th, 2009 | By webmaster | Category: Polls. Surveys say lesbians have a better body image. Pants! We fall for the same need to be skinny as anyone else; Agreed. There’s more to sexy than the straight and narrow. Definitely. … [...]

By: Slayer

Slayer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:27:23 +0000

I think that the issue with the L Word, as with all mass media, is not even who was making it (it was mostly women and lesbians) but who was PAYING for it, and the sought after demographic in America – adult males.

The L Word could never hope to represent all facets of lesbian bodies, and they could certainly never hope to do it within its awkward position need to fall in a palatable midway point between representation and what would appeal purely economically.

By: Gooner

Gooner — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:07 +0000

You have some good points there Optical Mouse. I think the gay media talk the talk in terms of having a wider view of what is beautiful but when you look closer they don’t exactly walk the walk.

I have read a few studies that say that straight men don’t find overly skinny women attractive either so who exactly is being pondered to?

By: Optical Mouse

Optical Mouse — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:23:53 +0000

I think we have a better CHANCE of being happier with our bodies, and some of us (older lesbians?) can be blissfully outside the rulebook but interesting comments in terms of the same pressures/same media. What about ‘our’ media? Sure, media is there to sell itself and usually a lot more besides, but is lesbian/lgbt media any different or diverse in terms of repesentations? Shouldn’t we expect or demand it to be?
I watched one (so correct me if I’m wrong, aficionados!) episode of the L-Word- I felt in terms of casting/body type/diversity I may as well have been watching Desperate Housewives or Sex in the City! *outraged* Honestly, I don’t NEED any more airbrushed, bland ‘ladies’ in my livingroom- I expect a series in which the main characters are lesbians to have a least attempted a different aesthetic!!!

By: Slayer

Slayer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:07:17 +0000

I think we have a slightly different idea of beauty than the average heterosexual male and do judge others and ourselves by a different standard of beauty. I think we also, for obvious reasons, aren’t trying to keep thin to impress men – we’re probably less preoccupied with heterosexual female views on us also if we’re surrounded by lesbian friends.

But then if you look at the whole stereotype of the overweight lesbian – a lot of people fight hard to stay away from that stereotype and end up developing serious body issues. Most of the lesbians I know would have issues with their body, most WOMEN I know do – but I do find it’s slightly more pronounced (and it has to be said, more acted upon) by the straight girls I know. To the point where it is shocking me how many girls in Ireland are bordering on full blown eating disorders.

By: CanuckJacq

CanuckJacq — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:55:23 +0000

I think Lesbians — by definition women who find women sexually attractive — are far more likely to have a wider definition of attractive.

I know that personally I have no problem with women who have small breasts, or are a bit heavy or don’t wear makeup. As a result, I wouldn’t generally judge myself for the same.

I think there are different ideals to which lesbians aspire, but I think the pressures are less, at least in my experience.

By: HAL

HAL — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:37:13 +0000

You don’t think that, after fighting for the right to be who we are, that includes how we look?

I think lesbians are more sensible about body image; their own and how they view others.

Although maybe that just means I’m old

By: Allie

Allie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:10:32 +0000

I hope that we do, but like Gooner said, we see the same images in the media as everyone else.

By: Gooner

Gooner — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:58:44 +0000

I’d be interested to see how this one pans out, for me I think we all suffer the same media brainwashing and although I think, as a lesbian, I have a widder image of what is beautiful, I think that when it comes to myself I fall into the same trap as many women, gay and straight