Body matters

The constant need to be more beautiful and thin is a common goal for most woman in the world. You would think pregnancy would hinder this goal for many women because their babys health is more important. Think again..

(The orange county series)

Holly: Are you here for prenatal yoga?

Kirsten: Yes, i am and you?

Holly: Yes, i just found out. How far along are you?

Kirsten: Not very, i just found out too

Holly: Well, this class is great. Iv worked way too hard for this body to just let it turn into some dumpy baby factory. i mean, who says i can't have a baby and a six pack?

Kirsten: (looking very confused) Ok, i should probaly stretch before class, excuse me

Holly: Hold on just a second, hey ho's come here (calling pregnant friends in the yoga class) This is Mrs. Cohen, she just found out shes preganant too.

Friends: O, my gos, congratulations - and your not even showing!!

Holly: so should we let her in?

Friends: o yeah shes totally ripped

Holly: we formed a club, promised ourselves we wouldnt turn out like molly the mammoth over there. (points to a normal pregnant lady in the class)

Friends and holly: euw

Friend: like in 9 months, i am so wearing my bikini. I dont care what anyone says

Friend no.2: and i told jerry if i get too big, im inducing at 8 months. Its much easier to lose the weight.

Holly: So do you want in? we call ourselves the 6 pack pack. Dont you just want to barf its so cute.

Kirsten: all the time

Writing sime thirty years ago, John Berger explored the impact of images of feminity on audiences, ranging from renaissance paintings to advertising. He identified an astounding gender difference in ways of seeing women.

"Men look at women, Women watch themselves being looked at"

This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women to themselves (1972:47)

John Berger explains this:

To be born a women has been to born, within an alloted and confined space, into the keeping of men. A women must continually watch herself . She is almost always being accompanied by her own image of herself. From earliest childhood she has been taught and persuaded to survey herself continually.

"Women learn to reconstruct themselves. It is second nature to women to disguise themselves, dress themselves and decorate themselves with materials. Over the past 30 years, it has become more dramatic, women re arrange some of the organic material which is their body- sometimes with no harm on health and sometimes with devastating consequences"

Fashion, diet, extreme exercise, plastic surgery, surgical re modellind and chemical maintenance is just a few things that women are prepared to do to look better.

I just assumed women would do this after or before bearing a child but it seems women still feel the constant pressure to be a hot mommy.

"Gone are the days when an expectant mother would don a potato sack and pack on the pounds. Today’s preggos are sexier, and hornier, than ever. Yeah, baby"

Maxim magazine

"Women with pregorexia, as it has been dubbed, speak proudly of not looking pregnant when viewed from behind - while wearing 'normal' jeans into the second trimester has become something of a badge of honour. (src)"

"I starved my baby to stay thin. Woman Magazine"