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Americans (with big butts) Abroad. Pt. II
In the past couple of months, I've been told on several occasions that I have a big bum -- and this has been uttered from the mouths of petite, svelte women with a tone and wink of approval. It goes to show the grass is greener as they say: people with curly hair desire straight hair (and vice versa), people with brown eyes wish for blue... and, apparently, in some parts of the world, a big butt is something to envy.
Normally, such comments would send me to the bathroom in a fit of tears, but my -- shall we say -- curves are nothing to be ashamed of here. Incidentally, I met a skinny Scottish woman in Cambodia who's been living in Africa for the past few years. The women in Africa would accost her with fattening treats on her way to and from work in order to make her more desirable.
This morning I read in The Nation newspaper that big bums are making an appearance on fashion runways. It's too bad there aren't larger models, though, because designers have had to resort to shoving cushions up the models' skirts to achieve the effect.
But back to Asia. People here just have a different attitude towards 'body image' than I'm used to in the states. In America, you'd never hear someone say, "You're fat," or, "Don't worry about a jacket, your fat will keep you warm." They would go home later that night sporting a lovely, new body cast if not a black eye. But people say those kinds of things -- not to be mean or rude, but because it's OK. It's an observation. At first it's hard to believe your ears and on the receiving end, it's hard to keep your cool... but it's refreshing nonetheless.
There are a lot of subtleties at play here. Sometimes, "You have a big bum," is equivalent to, "I like your hair." Sometimes, "You're fat," means, "You must be rich." Sometimes the latter is the equivalent to telling someone who is 6'5", "You're tall," as if he didn't know it. Since most people in Asia are thin, larger people are something of a novelty. And there is no shame in talking about it, that's for sure.
It's also refreshing to see Europeans strutting their stuff, despite their jiggles and wiggles, their beer bellies and love handles, cellulite, rolls, stretch marks, and flab. They don't hide under their clothes like many overweight people in America; they're comfortable with their bodies.
So I wonder: why are we so different in America?
Normally, such comments would send me to the bathroom in a fit of tears, but my -- shall we say -- curves are nothing to be ashamed of here. Incidentally, I met a skinny Scottish woman in Cambodia who's been living in Africa for the past few years. The women in Africa would accost her with fattening treats on her way to and from work in order to make her more desirable.
This morning I read in The Nation newspaper that big bums are making an appearance on fashion runways. It's too bad there aren't larger models, though, because designers have had to resort to shoving cushions up the models' skirts to achieve the effect.
But back to Asia. People here just have a different attitude towards 'body image' than I'm used to in the states. In America, you'd never hear someone say, "You're fat," or, "Don't worry about a jacket, your fat will keep you warm." They would go home later that night sporting a lovely, new body cast if not a black eye. But people say those kinds of things -- not to be mean or rude, but because it's OK. It's an observation. At first it's hard to believe your ears and on the receiving end, it's hard to keep your cool... but it's refreshing nonetheless.
There are a lot of subtleties at play here. Sometimes, "You have a big bum," is equivalent to, "I like your hair." Sometimes, "You're fat," means, "You must be rich." Sometimes the latter is the equivalent to telling someone who is 6'5", "You're tall," as if he didn't know it. Since most people in Asia are thin, larger people are something of a novelty. And there is no shame in talking about it, that's for sure.
It's also refreshing to see Europeans strutting their stuff, despite their jiggles and wiggles, their beer bellies and love handles, cellulite, rolls, stretch marks, and flab. They don't hide under their clothes like many overweight people in America; they're comfortable with their bodies.
So I wonder: why are we so different in America?
posted by Cheryn at 5:39 PM
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