Oh, Gabriel Olds, where art thou? Gabriel has a great article in the March 2008 issue of Glamour Magazine. He writes:

But as much as we lust after images of hyper-real beauty in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue or even in the apartments or cubicles next door, we don’t quite know how to react when those unreal bodies actually belong to the woman in our lives.

Gabriel found it very difficult to maintain relationships with women who had had plastic surgery. His reasons why and his final conclusions are quite interesting.

The article is available online by clicking here.

MSN.com has an article on Tina Fey this morning, with links to her SNL “Mom Jeans” skit and 30 Rock’s “Muffin Top” song.

Hey, “everyone knows the most delicious part of the muffin is the top!”

“Seeking the ideal body, searching for perfection” is a great editorial by college student Denise Heady about the pressure she feels to be thin.

I’m 5-foot-2 and weigh 112 pounds.
Most people consider me to be average. Some would even say that I am on the skinny side.
But I feel enormous. Up until last year, I never weighed more than 100 pounds.
You might think I’m weird, or even crazy, for considering myself to be too big. But let me explain.
First, take a look at the culture we live in.
Images of women are plastered everywhere. They are used to sell everything from fishing line to fast food. These models are tall and slender.
The women in these ads are 5-foot-10 and weigh 105 pounds. How can real women compete with that kind of body image?

Click here for the rest of the article.

I came across this book when I read the article “Love Your Fat Self” in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Utne Reader. I was so moved by her compassionate take on what it means to be a young, fat woman today. Even further, though, I was struck by the subtitle of her book: “The Frightening New Normalcy of Hating Your Body.”

Body loathing has become the new normal for women. What are we going to do about that?

Here’s a short excerpt from the book that I found profound (I find the whole book to be profound, for that matter):

The cruel irony is that although we become totally obsessed with the daily measures of how “good” or “bad” we are (refused dessert = good; didn’t have time to go to the gym = bad), there is no finish line. This weight preoccupation will never lead us anywhere. It is a maniacal maze that always spits you out at the same point it sucked you up: wanting. We keep chasing after perfection as if it is an achievable goal, when really it is the most grand and painful of all mirages (Alternet.org, 4/18/2007).

I think that Martin has a really honest and fresh take on the whole body loathing issue. And that’s why I featuring her book in the Book Club.

Click here, Perfect girls, for the Amazon link, if you need it.

I love books and I’m always on the look out for new and/or interesting books on body image, self-esteem, and positivity. So, I’ve decided to start a Curvy Live Book Club (Oprah’s got nothing on me). Each month I’ll present the highlights of one of my favorite books. Feel free to join the discussion. And if you have a favorite book, let me know–I’d love to read it.

This month I’ve decided to feature Courtney Martin’s Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters. She has a compelling take on the pressure of perfection, particularly on women under 30; however, as a woman over 30, I find her insights to be spot on.

If you need a copy of the book, you can order directly from Amazon by clicking Perfect girls. Otherwise, the book is widely available at bookstores nation wide. I’ll give you a little background on the book tomorrow.