Big Butts

Well, I must be feeling super contemplative right now. I went over to cuz' Brie's blog a few days ago, and she's got this funny bit up about how she's feeling post-pregnancy. And after I finished chuckling, because I can totally hear her saying all that stuff in my head, I started thinking about self esteem and women and big butts and all the associated stuff. So I posted this comment:

Do you think being open about physical insecurities helps our self-image? Or do you think it hurts? On one hand, I think maybe it makes other women feel better to hear that they aren’t the only ones who have insecurities. But then I wonder if hearing other women worry prompts further scrutinizing of ourselves and others? I remember my mother used to talk very openly about how she felt old or had wrinkles or had gained weight in her thighs, and I remember being insanely obsessed about these things while I lived at home. I’m not [lacking confidence] now, but I wonder if I would have been more confident if she had displayed more confidence? (Just to be clear, this is not a comparison to Brie, who is awesome and a fantastic mom.) I’m also thinking of a work party I went to where a woman walked into the bathroom and said to me, “Don’t you just feel like a fat pig sometimes?” And the truth was no, I didn’t. But I felt very aware of the fact that female culture dictated that I was then supposed to say something like, “Yeah, my ass is huge!” Do you think this is a culture we create? Or do you think it just IS no matter what we say and do?

(Just for clarification, my mom is a wonderful person, and I don't at all blame her for how she was feeling back then. I just think she was subject to all of the insecurities that women are subject to, especially when they become mothers themselves.)

A few weeks ago, I went to this hippy-dippy pole dancing class at a studio here as part of my exploration of all things circus, and it turned out to be very stripper-ish in the name of improving women's self-image. I shouldn't have been surprised, since the studio is called "Fit for a Goddess." The class was actually kinda fun, but I wasn't expecting it to be so blatantly geared toward women who are feeling insecure about their bodies. On one hand, it's great that people are aware of this and are looking for ways to counteract negativity. On the other hand, it made me sad that there's a need for this at all. That just the exercise of it and the necessary physical awareness required for any athletic endeavor isn't enough to give women confidence.

So since I'm still thinking about this, and since I know most of you wonderful reader people are ladies--although the menfolk are welcome to chime in--I thought I'd post it here, too. What do you guys think? Does being open about physical insecurities help women? Or does it hurt?