Mama and her bambinosUPDATE: It's been pointed out to me today by certain Italians and Welshcakes has also drawn attention to it: "Grammar note, Mr Headmaster: [You do it to others, after all!] The plural of bambino is bambini but as they are all girls in the pic, it should, strictly speaking be bambine."
Thank you, m'lady.
Now this problem of Italian women we've all been grappling with. Just how real or how ridiculous is it? Tuscan Tony set the cat among the pigeons with his statement [and he lives over there]:
The intense diet of pasta and red wine has them playfully puppy-fat laden until the age of around 35, when they suddenly go up like auto-inflating liferafts.
This seemed unfair, even if popular wisdom did dictate that the Italian sweetie becomes the Italian balloon. So I tried to research it but it was so difficult to get hard data. Here is one from a medical record:
Italian women were shorter and fatter compared with age-matched Danish women, but in middle-age, had less abdominal fat distribution.
This seems to suggest that they put the weight on all over, especially in the arms and legs. A glance at the photo above seems to suggest though that it's more that their large frames get better covered, as nature intended, rather than trying to be anorexic any more.
And Italian men are noted for liking their women on the voluptuous side. Twiggy would have no place in
Now to the second major issue - is this post sexist, as Ellee might say?
Well, quite frankly, yes. It is obsessed with women because this blogger is interested in women's bodies, minds, souls and intelligent conversation. I'm afraid the statistics on the fatness of Italian men does not move me to quite the same degree.
And what?
The word "sexist", I feel, is an overused word, invoked at the drop of a hat and always with negative connotations. So let's liberate the word - set it free from its shackles!
Of course a man is going to prefer photos of women or talk about women or make love to them. Would you prefer me to be obsessed about men? I'd rather have a beer and an intelligent conversation with a man than talk with him about his body or sexuality.
I'd be interested in Ruthie Zaftig's take on this and Welshcakes Limoncello's. :)
Interesting observations. I tend to wonder the same things when viewing the ladies on the beach in Italy.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve. It's an intriguing thought but the lady I was discussing it with just now did not find it nearly so intriguing. She was laughing though.
ReplyDeleteBlimey, Count, I don't know where to start on this most excellent and gentle fisking of my piece!
ReplyDeleteAs far as sexism is concerned, in the purest sense of the word, yes, my interest is (I think) genetically predetermined and happens to be biased towards the opposite sex. I am sure that the same can be said of some other bloggers, the delectable Lilith for example, whose rushes of blood it would seem from her fine blog are mainly (or should I say entirely) focused on the male of the species.
I think I'll put the whole thing down to the feverish nature of the oiled-body rich August holiday season!
It's a general rule that Italian women (at least, the last generation of the American variety) are pleasantly curvy until about 30 (or kids), at which point they get fat and happy.
ReplyDeleteOr at least, that's been my experience.
I'm going to try to avoid this, though, by exercising a lot.
Also, I already had my kid.
I don't think the post is sexist, actually.
ReplyDeleteWell, here most of the young women I know here spend a lot of time in the gym and it pays off: they look slim but not like stick insects and shapely as womwn should be. There's nothing bad for your figure in pasta.[I know that's what TT implied, not you, James.] You do see some well-covered older women - I'm one myself - but you see plenty who have retained their figures, too. Neraly all are elegantly dressed. whatever their age. you don't see the general scruffiness that there is in Britain.
Grammar note, Mr Headmaster: [You do it to others, after all!] The plural of bambino is bambini but as they are all girls in the pic, it should, strictly speaking be bambine.
Tony - read next post. :)
ReplyDeleteRuthie - best of Italian luck.
Welshcakes - thanks for those observations too. Grammar note noted and corrected, Schoolma'am [it was Agatha Christie's, not mine].
I've been to Italy often but although the women tend to be voluptuous they are not fat on the whole. You seldom see the obese women that you see in North America and let's not forget the Mediterranean diet is considered a heart healthy diet.
ReplyDeleteAll my consuocera's friends are slim, as she is, (it means my daughter's mother in law), although they live in the North.
Of course pasta is consumed correctly there, just a small amount before the main course. While North Americans have decided to eat huge plates of it as a main course. Italians don't eat butter with their bread either.
I saw Tuscan Tony's post. That is one fine looking woman whose photo you have reproduced, but I'm sure he could have found lots of slim ones too. This was more pleasing to his eye, no doubt.
I don't think La Loren has gone to fat, do you? Although she could use less eye makeup now that's she's older, same age as me in fact. Sadly not much similarity in appearance.
regards
jmb
voluptous is a good word and a good way to be ..
ReplyDeleteMabye it's just the meditaranean body. Here in Egypt(it's considered a med. country) most girls are curvy, some girls at my university are stick-thin because they want to be like paris hilton, they always tell me that hollywood celebrities have great bodies. Anyways, the majority of women here have curves and if you are not veiled, they like to show their curves.
ReplyDeleteJMB - "I don't think La Loren has gone to fat, do you?" very interesting question and I'll check it out.
ReplyDeleteM&M - :)
Kizzie - much better a M&M says I think. And you?
I agree with m&m - I have to really with my shape ...
ReplyDeleteAnd I take pleasure in my body and it being appreciated.
Thanks for including my link recently. I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteJust add lots of great sex great calorie burner. those foods u eat will not be a problem.
ReplyDelete