Glamour Body Image Survey: 97 Percent Of Women Have Negative Body Thoughts Daily

Glamour:

By Shaun Dreisbach
Glamour

Read these words: "You are a fat, worthless pig." "You're too thin. No man is ever going to want you." "Ugly. Big. Gross." Horrifying comments on some awful website? The rant of an abusive, controlling boyfriend? No; shockingly, these are the actual words young women are saying to themselves on any typical day.

Read the whole story: Glamour

Comments

[Kathleen Shimp]

03:22 PM on 03/17/2011

Reading the article, one thing I do identify with is feeling worse about my looks when I am stressed or sick- but truth is, you do look worse when you don't feel well. I know how annoying it is to have someone say "cut out stress in your life", and sometimes you can't anyway- but just taking a few minutes to relax, meditate, literally just a few minutes, does help.

[Ganeshari]

10:40 PM on 02/19/2011

Start developing your awareness of your inner self through meditation, emotional healing work, etc. and you will stop obsessing about your body. I would know. I spent 15 yrs. being able to think of little else - struggling with compulsive emotional eating, bulimia, working out obsessively. Now I am a moderately active 46-yr. old woman, 5'6", 134 lbs.(at last dr. appt.) and I never give my body/weight a thought, other than eating well to keep it healthy.

[Catothemuchyounger]

03:00 PM on 02/19/2011

Given the growing obesity levels we have in this Country. a lot of negative body image thoughts are perfectly appropriate.

Now, it is not appropriate to draw the inference from the fact that one's body could be a lot better (not just more attractive, but stronger, healthier) that one is thereby stupid, or lazy, etc. But body image wise, look around. There are a lot of flabby, unhealthy bodies out there. There is no reason for somebody who is 50 lbs. overweight to have a good body image.

[Zipzop]

12:19 PM on 02/19/2011

I used to think that I was wishing to be more beautiful when in reality, I was wishing that I could have nothing wrong with how I looked, not more beautiful, just no parts of my body that might make me feel insecure. That's nutty unrealistic thinking.

[tipper18]

10:12 PM on 02/18/2011

Women are too focused on their looks. If women would think more about expanding their brain cells and less about the size of their breasts and bottoms, they could own the world. Like a very famous, successful woman once said, "Women must think and live like men to be truly happy." Another hang-up for women: they like to soak themselves in drama and romance. Get over it. Go have a real life.Men don't sit around and dream. They take life on and live it. Leave shallow thinking for the Kardashians and people who follow Lindsey Lohan.

[Phoebe917]

11:44 PM on 02/18/2011

i consider myself a learned woman. but i am bony beyond belief. today was very warm on the east coast, and i wore shorts: my legs and arms are like sticks. it is kind of embassing. i've got no butt, no hips. although i still have my tas tas. oh, well. :)

[Catothemuchyounger]

03:04 PM on 02/19/2011

Given that what is "attractive" is such a subjective thing, I don't see why any woman who is reasonably fit should worry about her figure.

[Nicole Dixson]

09:38 PM on 02/18/2011

Everyday? I guess I am in the 3%. Sometimes, yes, I have negative thoughts about my body, but everyday? No.

[Kathleen Shimp]

03:11 PM on 03/17/2011

For real. I'd say I might have them a few times a week now, but in my earlier thinner years, it was maybe once a week at most, probably more like once a month. I was always honestly surprised at how negative other girls were.

[Derek Lantin]

09:24 PM on 02/18/2011

Sir

I believe it is true that most women have negative opinions about their bodies.

I read an interesting article a short while ago. It said that most women were more embarrassed to strip in front of another woman than to strip in front of a man.

It seems that other women are more critical. The men are just grateful.

Sincerely, Derek Lantin. http://dereklantin.booksabuzz.com

[TheBlondeRaven]

09:23 PM on 02/18/2011

How is this shocking to anyone? This is pretty basic knowledge.

[Laura Fenamore]

08:54 PM on 02/18/2011

This does not surprise me. Society will continue to perpetuate this myth until women take their power back. I hear this everyday in my work at www.OnePinky.com. Thank you for this article.

[Catothemuchyounger]

03:07 PM on 02/19/2011

What "power" are you talking about? There have always been general societal concepts of what is attractive and unattractive. What is seen as attractive changes, but there are always going to be standards of beauty.

Fortunately, there is also considerable variability among what people consider attractive.

[Laura Fenamore]

04:34 PM on 02/19/2011

personal power! that no one can violate, no matter how much they try.

peace