Comments on BARE blog: A Perspective about V Magazine's "Size Issue"

given that a "healthy" bmi was only rece...

2010-01-15T19:39:45.527-08:00

given that a "healthy" bmi was only recently lowered to 18 from 20, yes a 25.1 bmi is a helluva lot healthier than a 15.5. Last time I was at my doctor's office the BMI grid didn't even bother filling out options below 17.5. Being slightly overweight is a lot healtheir than being significantly underweight.

More important, every bmi point below healthy range is a pretty signficant and unhealthy drop, with greater and more dangerous returns than every point about 25. It's 40 to reach morbid obesity and people live sometimes fairly healthy even above that.

For anonymous, I apologize if I have offended you....

2010-01-07T12:48:30.386-08:00

For anonymous, I apologize if I have offended you. However, I never said that wearing an 8/10 is in ANY way overweight. On a more personal note, I myself am a dress size 8 and do not see myself as overweight at all. My whole point was to show that the fashion industry does not portray what is healthy and the fact that they label what is overweight as curvy, may be confusing to other people.

In terms of the BMI,the information that I researched for this piece has come from the Department of Health and Human Services. I should also add that for people that are extremely athletic, the BMI cannot possibly apply. Take our dear governor, for example. He is estimated to have a BMI of about 30.8, yet I do not see him as overweight and unhealthy in any way. Now, for someone such as yourself, anonymous, you clearly lead a healthy and very active lifestyle--so what I am saying is that all of this is relative to each individual's lifestyle.

In terms of a piece like this, I cannot help but make sweeping generalizations, because the information and research that is provided makes sweeping generalizations. Furthermore, when I generalize, I am speaking to the not-as active crowd that does not go to the gym 5 times a week, because most of the population does not lead an active of a lifestyle as athletes do, who make up a smaller percentage of the world.

In short, this piece was not meant to offend anyone. This piece was to provide some sort of clarity as well as challenge the hierarchy or authority that fashion seems to hold over the concept of beauty.

This subject is way past due, and I personally thi...

2010-01-06T23:03:06.080-08:00

This subject is way past due, and I personally think it's great that V has opened so many ways for us to interpret "size." Obviously since it has been such a neglected topic in the past, starting fresh will be a little difficult. There has been no foundation topics for us to base our discussions off of, and thus we all need to be careful of stepping on each other's toes (or at least in terms of wording these kinds of articles). Great start!

I've always been a fan of fuller-figured model...

2010-01-06T22:06:50.337-08:00

I've always been a fan of fuller-figured models. There's a great site with many images of plus-size models here:

http://www.judgmentofparis.com/

They're all gorgeous.

The site's forum also has thought-provoking discussions about body image and the media.

"For example, a young woman that is 5’9 and 1...

2010-01-06T20:25:04.669-08:00

"For example, a young woman that is 5’9 and 105 pounds with a BMI of 15.5, is considered very unhealthy and underweight. However, is someone that is 5’9 and 170 pounds with a BMI of 25.1 any healthier?"
As someone who is 5'10, with a 25 BMI, goes to the gym 5 times a week, and wearing a size 8/10, I'd appreciate if you would think twice before making such generalizations.
You are in no more of a position to make sweeping statements about health as is the fashion world.