WHALE OR MERMAID?
Aug 8th 2009, 8:29 am
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Kohimarama
Posts: 1,626
WHALE OR MERMAID?
WHALE OR MERMAID?
Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tanned woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:
THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?
A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded
To Whom It May Concern:
Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia . Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.
Mermaids don't exist.. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don't have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?
The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.
P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think,Good gosh, look how smart I am........
Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tanned woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:
THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?
A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded
To Whom It May Concern:
Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia . Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.
Mermaids don't exist.. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don't have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?
The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.
P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think,Good gosh, look how smart I am........
Aug 8th 2009, 10:04 am
#2
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: WHALE OR MERMAID?
Nice one. Whatever size anyone is, if they're happy and comfortable then that's the size they should be, to hell with everyone else's opinion. Majority of people find a body with meat on to be far more attractive than one with only a thin coating.
Aug 8th 2009, 12:34 pm
#3
Hasta la victoria siempre
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 806
Re: WHALE OR MERMAID?
Can I add; if they're healthy - to hell with everyone's opinion. Beauty shouldn't come into it, what's more important are the health risks of being overweight and the shortened life expectancy - much like the whales in the oceans have a fab life until a japanese ship comes along and harpoons them....
Aug 8th 2009, 2:18 pm
#4
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Joined: Sep 2007
Location: Happily in Adelaide
Posts: 11,994
Re: WHALE OR MERMAID?
Can I add; if they're healthy - to hell with everyone's opinion. Beauty shouldn't come into it, what's more important are the health risks of being overweight and the shortened life expectancy - much like the whales in the oceans have a fab life until a japanese ship comes along and harpoons them....
Risks of being underweight
If you are underweight (BMI less than 20), you may be malnourished and develop:
* Compromised immune function
* Respiratory disease
* Digestive disease
* Cancer
* Osteoporosis
* Increased risk of falls and fractures.
(From Victorian Government Health
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/b...ndex_%28BMI%29)
Add to that infertility, malnutrition, aneamia... etc
This type of stereotyping about women's body shape is directly correlated with the increase in eating disorders. Yes being overweight is dangerous, but what was once considered skinny is now the norm. Larger people on the whole know the risks, skinny people who think they are healthy are far more at risk.
Aug 8th 2009, 3:15 pm
#5
Hasta la victoria siempre
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 806
Re: WHALE OR MERMAID?
Sure. Being unhealthily underweight is as bad as being unhealthily overweight.
Aug 8th 2009, 11:22 pm
#6
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: utopia within my head
Posts: 1,990
Re: WHALE OR MERMAID?
Ditto being underweight.
Risks of being underweight
If you are underweight (BMI less than 20), you may be malnourished and develop:
* Compromised immune function
* Respiratory disease
* Digestive disease
* Cancer
* Osteoporosis
* Increased risk of falls and fractures.
(From Victorian Government Health
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/b...ndex_%28BMI%29)
Add to that infertility, malnutrition, aneamia... etc
This type of stereotyping about women's body shape is directly correlated with the increase in eating disorders. Yes being overweight is dangerous, but what was once considered skinny is now the norm. Larger people on the whole know the risks, skinny people who think they are healthy are far more at risk.
Risks of being underweight
If you are underweight (BMI less than 20), you may be malnourished and develop:
* Compromised immune function
* Respiratory disease
* Digestive disease
* Cancer
* Osteoporosis
* Increased risk of falls and fractures.
(From Victorian Government Health
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/b...ndex_%28BMI%29)
Add to that infertility, malnutrition, aneamia... etc
This type of stereotyping about women's body shape is directly correlated with the increase in eating disorders. Yes being overweight is dangerous, but what was once considered skinny is now the norm. Larger people on the whole know the risks, skinny people who think they are healthy are far more at risk.
