In 2009, British supermodel Kate Moss caused a stir when she said: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.”
Click start to play today’s Word Search, which has a jumble of interesting words for you to find, including the ever-controversial word, “fat”.
Moss’ words were not well-received. Many said she spoke from a place of privilege, as she didn’t have to worry about her next meal, and others felt her comment encapsulated a narrow Western perception that was far-removed from the rest of the world.
In fact, perceptions of larger body types have always tended to be positive in history. For centuries, having curves was considered to be the norm around the world. Even art encapsulated that fact – an example is an archaeological artifact called the Venus of Willendorf, which was found in Austria in 1908. Dating to the Upper Paleolithic age, around 25,000 years ago, the 11cm-tall figurine carved from limestone depicts a large – even fat – woman, with her face and head covered by a woven hat.
Another famous set of figurines found in Malta, date back to the Neolithic era, roughly 5,000 years ago, and are called the Fat Ladies of Malta. They depict seated or reclining female figures, and many of them were found in burial sites and mortuary shrines, indicating that they were revered and perhaps had a spiritual aspect to them.
All this is to say that there seems to have been nothing wrong with being fat in years past.
However, this perception has changed remarkably in the modern age. A study published in the US-based University of Chicago Press Journals in 2011 found that until the 1990s, several societies, such as Paraguay and Mexico, were traditionally thought of as fat-positive – or that they preferred plump bodies. But over the following years, with increasing globalisation, the same societies began to stigmatise fat – what was once associated with beauty, wealth, and fertility, is now being associated with undesirability, ugliness, and laziness.
Researchers found that part from slimmer bodies being idealised, the shift in attitude was influenced by new forms of educational media, including global public health campaigns. So, the negative perception isn’t just about body image, but has to do with prioritising health and active lifestyles. Researchers also found that cultural diversity in thinking about ideal or acceptable body size is on the decline – for now, the general consensus is that fat is out, and skinny or slim is in.
Weigh in on the issue with your thoughts. Play today’s Word Search and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
