Women's Bodies: When did size 8 become fat?

Last week I was catching up on my trashy television by watching the marathon of "The Real World XX: Hollywood." And it was in Coral-vision! Coral is the famed, loudmouth snarkster from season 10: Back to New York. It's like watching a show with pop-ups or commentary; Coral has guests (other Real World/Road Rules alums) join her for an episode where they bag on the melodramatic happenings of the losers on the current season. All in good fun, and usually a healthy dose of the truth that hurts.

On the episode I was watching, roomies Dave and Nick are on vacation in Cancun and decide to hit on a hot blonde in the hotel bar. She has a friend with her, so the guys are set. They start talking up the girls when the Coral-vision flashes up and her co-host, Wes (the aggressive and pig-headed dick from Real World: Austin) pipes up to say, "Whoa! Whose gonna end up with her friend?" in an obviously disgusted tone. The blonde was tiny, not more than a size 2 or 4, and her friend looked a very healthy and attractive size 8 or 10. What gives? Since when does a size 8 or 10 land you on the undesirable list? I won't deny that the blonde was the more conventionally attractive (at least in size), but I'm not exaggerating the attractiveness of her friend's size or appearance to make Wes look like an ass - the girl looked perfectly cute to me, even if a little curvier than her friend.

Wes's next comment was, "Come on Nick! You don't have to settle for that! You're on the Real World now!" This I believe. While nothing was wrong with the appearance of "blonde's friend," I don't doubt that there are plenty of tiny, cute fame-whores out there, happy to flop over for a chance to be with one of the stunted, cocky, alcoholic Real World cast members. But the attitude taken by Wes offended me anyway. It's bad enough that a practically impossible vision of perfection is the ideal in most Hollywood films; has it transferred to people hooking up in a Cancun bar too?

I know this issue gets covered with decent regularity (some designers are now insisting their models meet a certain weight in order to walk in shows, ABC cast curvy America Ferrera as the star of "Ugly Betty," Grey's Anatomy star Sara Ramierez and Dreamgirls Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson are both size 12+ and proud of it) but the complaints never really seem to go away. I'm happy that some of the curvier stars are proving that size is not necessarily a detriment to sex appeal, or to being a working actress. But many of the attempts to portray female characters as healthy role models, not anorexic ideals, have gone about it the wrong way.

Take the Charlie's Angels films: executive producer Drew Barrymore, God love her, decided to show the Angels eating regularly - and not just oatmeal, but fast food, bread, junk food - in order to send the message to young girls that it's okay to eat and to like food. As admirable as her intention obviously was, it portrays a conflicting dichotomy: yes, we may see gorgeous, slender Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore eating like pigs in the film, but we know that in real life, these actresses have to watch their diet, steadfastly work out, and train like hell to pull off those stunts. It sets up another impossible ideal: the beautiful, skinny woman who can eat whatever she wants. I don't doubt that women like that exist, but it needs to be understood that being a size zero isn't usually synonymous with a person who regularly eats junk food.

To some degree, this crime of misperception was perpetrated by Sarah Jessica Parker on "Sex and the City." Her character Carrie, like Parker, is a petite size 0, a has the body of a fashion plate (see her crazy, yet somehow charming, wardrobe). But Carrie always eats out, enjoys carbs and junk food, drinks cocktails daily, and claims shopping is her only exercise. In reality, Parker works to keep her body looking good. I can't speak for her diet (she may be one of those lucky 'anything goes' women with regards to food) but Carrie's tight, toned, in shape body belies that Parker must do some frequent strength and cardio training. But the image of the character is that she can eat anything, be lazy, and still look fabulous. (To be fair to the show, Samantha's strict adherence to 'organic' foods and water with lemon was a major plot point, Miranda went through a round of Weight Watchers to get rid of her post-baby weight, and Charlotte has frequent doubts about her curvy thighs, eats appropriately, and is portrayed as a consistent runner.) I don't want television shows and films to revolve around female characters eating a lot and then having pointed dialogue about how they have to work out, but if you're going to have tiny women in practically every role, it is necessary to organically incorporate the fact that these characters have to exercise or watch their diet, otherwise it's not sending quite the empowering message producers and writers may be aiming for.

I guess that's part of the reason I was so happy to see Hairspray last summer. Not only is the star of the film a cheery, cheeky plus-size ball of enthusiasm, but in the course of the film, she stays the same size, refuses to feel bad about her weight, and gets the guy! I know it's a tad unrealistic, but it sure did feel good to watch. Most films about an overweight, or drab and dowdy, heroine require that she go through a beautifying transformation before she gets her man (The Mirror Has Two Faces, She's All That, The Breakfast Club, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the list goes on and on). Of course, once she's gorgeous the man will say that he always loved her anyways, that she didn't need to change. Which means that her transformation is for the audience's benefit; these films are subtly re-enforcing the idea that only beautiful women are deserving of love. So when chunky Nicki Blonsky wins her man by defiantly dancing her ass off, regardless of size, she wins him over with her joy in doing what she loves, not with her size 2 figure. And because the object of her affection is played by tween-heartthrob Zac Efron, I'll bet a lot more girls paid attention. That makes me happy. (I also adore that curvy Minnie Driver never goes through a drastic makeover in the underrated Circle of Friends - she too gets her man by being herself, albeit a few more complications.)

In the interest of well-being, unhealthy bodies shouldn't be glorified, but I don't see any harm in portraying women's bodies in slightly more varied forms. And in many cases, positive strides are being made. But hearing Real World Wes put down a girl, relegate her to the realm of the "unfuckable" just because she's bigger than a size 4, well that just pissed me off and made me wanna re-examine the issue, yet again. To be fair, when sex is all you're looking for, just a one-night stand, I don't suppose it makes much difference whether you're basing that decision on looks alone; it's not gonna become a relationship anyways, and I'm sure all the Real World guys knew that. I just hate hearing perfectly good-looking women put down because of ridiculous expectations in size.