HOW TO STOP WORRYING ABOUR YOUR WEIGHT

HOW TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT?

Nance Thacker copyright 1984
click on image to enlarge

GO TO THE BEACH.
I'm not kidding. Take a weekend and DO NOT:

1. watch the TV
2. look at magazines, newspapers or ads
3. surf the net
4. go to the movies

Just throw on your bathing suit, get out there into the real world, GO TO THE BEACH AND PEOPLE WATCH. You'll be amazed at the wide varieties of bodies: walking around, swimming, reading, jumping in the waves, playing volleyball and just hanging out — while letting it all hang out!

And as you watch them all, watch your mind, your judgements, your comparisons, your self-righteousness, your self-loathing; it'll all be there, baby. No need to go into seclusion for self-awareness, cus it's all right there in spades until finally you'll realize (despite what you may be thinking or feeling) hey, these people are having a good time.

Sure you'll see some bodies that are beautiful by today's limited standards; you'll also notice how fleeting it all is. Just observe the Rubenesque figure, the old gnarly body that won't give up, the pudginess of youth, slender tiny boned and delicate types, round and full ones, lumpy ones and smooth ones, dark and fair, etherial ones that seem like they could float away and earthy types, grounded and powerful. 

Bikini wearing bodies of every description can be seen at every turn til finally that old disapproving tape  oh, she shouldn't be wearing that changes (if you can be that honest with yourself) to I wish I felt that secure, confident and accepting of my body. 

If you find yourself stuck in silent judgment notice if it matters to those around you on the beach. Not one bit. Then ask yourself, thinking these thoughts, how do I feel right now? How do I feel about my own body?

Observe bodies just being what they are: fat, bones, muscle, hair, dimples, wrinkles, smiles, giggles, laughter, lounging, running, swimming, kissing, cuddling, playing. See if you can't help but find the beauty in each one.

Then go home, strip down in front of a mirror and see the beauty that you are — because somewhere in that mass of bodies is you too. 

POW - power of women?

I saw Courtney Cox on Ellen the other day and they played this trailer. The show's been on for some time now and this was the clip that I saw most often to promote COUGAR TOWN before it went on air. Now, we're supposed to believe that the kid was distracted cus Courtney's so hot. And, I have to admit that she does look great especially for a 40something, but I can't help thinking that horny as he would be the kid would also be somewhat grossed out. Come on, someone his mother's age is flashing him.

The guy Cox's character is talking to has just said, "...you couldn't bag a young stud"and, this is her response. Young stud — the guy's what 14, and, riding a bike. Am I missing something here?

Reminds me of this cartoon I did 20 years ago (YIKES!) in response to some TV ads pitch for a weight loss program.

Cartoon copyright Nance Thacker 1990.
All rights reserved.
Click on photo to enlarge.


I'm just sayin' that, in the way we find value in ourselves, sometimes women are just... WEIRD. 

Cartoon Break

We women bust our asses, in a never ending attempt, to achieve the ideal figure – everything will be perfect then; then I can get my life together, then I’ll be worthy of love, we tell ourselves. We live in a culture where 80 year old ladies all over North America are still obsessed with the size of their “tummies”.

The premise of the cartoon was: what if some gorgeous (inside and out) guy really, really loved you for who you were and how you looked, and you were very far from the cultural ideal of thinness or beauty – would you believe it.

So, as often happens when I’m drawing a cartoon, with query in mind, I put it to the page, let the characters emerge and watch the story unfold. As the couple in question took form, I realized that they both were totally smitten with each other to the exclusion of everything around them. She was confident and proud of her body and he adored her and saw her as beautiful.

The real question that arose then was: what if some gorgeous (inside and out) guy really, really loved a fat, plain woman – could we, the viewing public believe it. Could we rise above our conditioning and accept the idea of beauty loving the beast?

At the time I was going out with a physically beautiful, 6’4” tall guy who dressed in the manner of a GQ cover guy. He looked like George Peppard in his Breakfast at Tiffany’s stage (not the A-team guy). I am 4’10” with an unremarkable appearance, and a tendency to casual attire - the type that gets lost in a crowd.

We had a great time in each other’s company. But, the looks we’d get from others radioed to me, “He’s going out with her?!! Surely he can do better than that!” When we went out to a restaurant I would have to command the waitresses’ attention, so taken were they by his attractiveness it was as if I was invisible.

The relationship didn’t last (thank God – he was absolutely not the guy for me for many other reasons) but for a while we had a lot of fun despite, or maybe even because of, the reactions of others.

As I write this I wonder about such a couple. Would they, over time, succumb to pervasive, subconscious, scrutiny and judgment? I’d like to think not.

So, I revisited these 2 characters in the panel and found that they got married shortly after they introduced themselves to me. They have 2 teenaged children and have faced many challenges, as does any couple married for over 23 years, but their commitment to each other has been, and continues to be, unwavering, as is their love which has grown and matured. He’s aged well, as they say and she is still fat, and plain but not to his adoring eyes – they remain as deeply infatuated with each other as when they first met.

“A fantasy,” you say.
“What makes you say that?” I ask.

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For those of you who got on to my site earlier today you'd have seen a different commentary. I realized, after discussing the post matter with someone shortly afterwards, that I didn't really express myself very well and that I, and my characters, had more to say.

Cartoon copyright Nance Thacker '86.