Body Image

After infiltrating an event at the pole dance school, I decided that the only way to really understand the phenomenon was to engage in it. I have studied various dance forms my entire life and have performed professionally as well.  Over the last 5 years I have dedicated myself mostly to Middle Eastern belly dance. Belly dance is another form of dance that women have reported feeling self-esteem, body image and sensuality benefits from - I figured if I could shimmy on my toes and writhe on by back in a dance studio and on stage I could handle a pole dance class.

I signed up for an intro class. The intro class is basically an orientation that includes a full class. Since I have had a lot of experiences taking dance classes I figured the whole thing would be very familiar territory only with different movements. I was wrong.

I could not wait to get my pole dance project under way. This is truly an understudied environment and I'm all about being the pioneer! I began a month long conversation with the studio manager at the New York City location about if and how the school would want to be involved in my project. It was during much phone tag with my contact at the school that I discovered they were having a Halloween party for their students. I decided this was a perfect opportunity for observation of the students at this school and a full on sub-cultural experience.  After I put out a few more unreturned phone calls in order to get on the guest list for the event I did what any intrepid investigator would do, I went ahead and crashed the party.

I met Shula at the Vulvagraphics show and knew immediately that she was "Dodson & Ross" material.  It was the black bustier, the red hair, and her brilliant mind.  She'll be blogging on body image/sexuality and relationship issues.  Here's her full bio:

Shula Melamed holds a B.S. in Communication from Boston University and a M.A. in Psychology from the New School for Social research.

It is from a variety of experiences, not only academic, but also professional and social that allows for Shula to speak on a number of topics regarding relationships, sexuality and self-presentation with some authority.

It was summer of 2007, the year that one of the most ubiquitous lifestyle pieces covered in major media outlets was the emergence of a very interesting fitness phenomenon - pole dancing for everyone! I was preparing to go into my second year of my master's program in psychology and was working with a preeminent sex therapist. Not convinced that becoming a clinician was the route for me I was looking for a sexuality topic to create a research program around.

The coverage of recreational pole dance class in the media was highly visual and the sight of regular women working the pole seemed to intrigue, titillate and entertain the general public.

Man vs. Nature, the endless chase to perfection, romance over the operating table - it's all in a day's work for plastic surgeon, Reza Vossough. His most recent invention, er, I mean innovation is not hard to find. Just look at his newly transformed wife, Cany Vossough.

Disinterested in his 33 year-old wife's body, Vossough stuffed his Cany with 1,600g of silicone and altered her butt, thighs, and stomach so that he could make her into the bodacious amazon she is today. And she's very happy with the results.

Of course, Cany invested over 18,000 Euros (over $26,000 American dollars) and went under the knife eight times before she married her plastic surgeon.

There's a new cosmetic therapy out that is a bit macobre.  It's called the "Dracula" therapy and it involves injecting your own blood into your face (at least it's not toxic like botox). The idea is that a doctor draws vials of your own blood, then separates it into the red blood cells, the clear serum and the platelets. Then, after vitamins and amino acids have been added, the enriched serum is injected back into your face.

This stimulates DNA repair, heals scars and makes dry, wizened, wrinkled and lacklustre skin look and feel younger naturally, without the need for synthetic fillers or harsh and painful lasers or peels.  Dentists have been using serum therapy for years to treat gum disease.

When I was a wee lass, I really didn't care what the complexion of my Barbies and Kens were. As you may have read in my last post, I was far more concerned with other matters than looks. Again, for me, it was all about what Barbie's could do that I couldn't.

And I feel like it's the same issue with Mattel's new line of Afrocentric Barbie dolls. Designer, Stacy McBride-Irby, created what she considers accurate portrayals of "African-American" women:

"The new black Barbies released by Mattel have fuller lips, curlier hair and other features that the company says more accurately represent African-American women."

It's shaping up to be the Week of Misogyny.  First, we had Karl Lagerfeld blame "fat mummies siting on the couch eating crisps" for Brigitte Magazine's decision to ban models from their fashion magazine.  Then we had Ralph Lauren's nauseating photoshopped campaign of a model (yes a model) reduced to half her real size.  Think concentration camp body with big breasts and a full face.  RL apologized only to release a second photoshopped image of what I'm calling "Auschwitz chic".

And now we have Christian Louboutin attacking Barbie for having cankles.

Yes, this is a real ad that Ralph Lauren was using for their Fall campaign.  And, no, this isn't a real image of a real woman.  This is a digitally enhanced or should I say digitally emaciated picture of a woman that minus the hair and the outfit has the physique of an Auschwitz survivor or maybe a Serbian refugee. 

A big thank you to Boingboing.net for calling out Ralph Lauren for this sick, sexist ad.  For a minute, Ralph Lauren sent them this nasty we-may-sue-you legal letter but boingboing didn't cave.  Instead they posted the letter and eventually got an apology from RL.

Haven't we had our fill of skinny?  We get it.  Gay fashionistas don't like curves.  Even pubescent teen models aren't skinny enough for them.  I so respect the German magazine Brigitte for ditching models for real women in ALL THEIR NEW ISSUES.

This is unfuckingbelievable.  I'm so sick of the fashion industry disrespecting women.  We're the ones who buy your clothes!

A stylist and casting director have left a London Fashion Week show over a decision to use average-sized models, a fashion boss says.

Amanda May, managing director for Canadian designer Mark Fast, said there were "creative differences with regards to the casting of those girls".

Fast broke fashion convention by putting three size 12 to 14 models on the catwalk on Saturday.

"There was a team change and we're glad we stuck to our vision," said Ms May.

We don't need you to figure out our lives, save the day, or lie and say we look fabulous in coolots and clogs.  We just want you to smile when you look at us just like George:

Scientists found that women who are unhappy with the way they look feel significantly better about themselves after being greeted by a smiling face.

The boost in self esteem has led psychologists to think that for many, confidence in their appearance is all about social acceptance.  The study found that women who are unhappy with the way they look feel better after being greeted by a smiling face.

OMG!  The stampede is going to be worse than a Dolce & Gabanna sample sale.  And I have to admit that as a woman with large "ass"ets I'd love to suck a bit of fat out and pump it into my breasts.  Am I still a feminist?

Women are to be offered "natural breast enlargements" using unwanted fat from other parts of their bodies, it has been announced.  The technique will be made available "early next year", according to the Harley Medical Group.

Thank you, Lien, for the link to this article.  I bought this Glamour issue at the airport and will admit that I was shocked to see the image of Lizzie Miller.  I hate it when I realize that I've been conditioned.  I'm going to go eat more tiramisu:

It's a photo that measures all of three by three inches in our September issue, but the letters about it started to flood my inbox literally the day Glamour hit newsstands. (As editor-in-chief, I pay attention to this stuff!) "I am gasping with delight...I love the woman on p 194!" said one...then another, and another, andanotherandanotherandanother. So...who is she? And what on earth is so special about her?

Here's the deal: The picture wasn't of a celebrity. It wasn't of a supermodel. It was of a woman sitting in her underwear with a smile on her face and a belly that looks...wait for it...normal.