To all those who say that the media and the fashion industry don't adversely influence body image, consider the case of Brazil....
Though Brazil has always been one of the most body-conscious societies, the Brazilian image of beauty has been quite different from an American or European image. Historically, the Brazilians have liked their women with "um corpo de violão", or a body shaped like a guitar. Namely, a body where the bottom, hips and thighs are generous and curvaceous. Patricia Reginato, Miss Brazil 2005 (pictured above) is a prime example.
In response to the success of Gisele Bundchen, a model born and raised in Brazil to parents of German descent, and in response to broader media influences, Brazilian women have been changing their bodies. One study found that the use of appetite suppressants had doubled between 2001 and 2005, making Brazilians the leading consumers of diet pills. The author of the study, Dr. Elisaldo de Araújo Carlini, a professor at the Federal University of São Paulo, noted in an article in the NY Times:
“The reasons are purely aesthetic, not medical, especially for women,” who account for at least 80 percent of the market. “They want to get thin no matter what, all because of images from north of the Equator. It is a cruel cultural imposition on the Brazilian woman.”
Since the model Ana Carolina Reston died from anorexia in November, a further 5 women have died from the disease. In a country where hunger remains an issue, being skinny is a way of asserting one's wealth. Moreover, by adopting standards of beauty originating from elsewhere, Brazilian women can assert their independence from Brazilian mores. Machismo remains a pervasive force, and since Brazilian men continue to prefer the guitar-shaped body, by going skinny, Brazilian girls can thumb their nose -- discreetly -- at society. Of course, starvation is a perverse way to assert yourself, but it happens all the time in the US and Europe. So why not in Brazil as well. Progress.
Skin can also be cooked to make pork rind or cracklin.
Posted by: recepti.hr | October 19, 2010 at 03:23 AM