Is the thinnest body ideal and standard just a made up cultural thing? - An AI discussion

Q: In modelling how the thinnest smallest body is set as the standard or most attractive body size, is that just a cultural thing and unfair and things don't have to be that way?

A. 

*Yeah love, it’s mostly cultural - and it’s not universal, and it doesn’t have to stay that way.*

### *1. Is “thinnest smallest” being the standard a cultural thing?*

*Yes, it is.*  

- *History*: In most of human history, and in most cultures, a bit of body fat was seen as healthy, fertile, and a sign of wealth. Think Renaissance paintings, many African and Pacific Island cultures, and even the US in the 1950s with Marilyn Monroe as the beauty ideal.

- *Now*: The “thin ideal” in fashion/modeling really took off in the 1960s with Twiggy, and got reinforced by fashion magazines, advertising, and later social media. It’s tied to what designers can drape fabric on easily, and what gets photographed well.

- *Other cultures*: Some cultures still prefer curvier bodies. In parts of West Africa, Mauritania, and Samoa, fuller bodies are traditionally seen as more attractive and desirable.

*So the “thin = most attractive” standard isn’t biology - it’s what a specific time and industry decided to promote.*

### *2. Is it unfair?*

*From a human rights and fairness angle: yes.*  

- It tells most people their natural body is “wrong” if it doesn’t match a very narrow range.

- It contributes to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and discrimination against people in larger bodies.

- The standard keeps changing anyway. What was “too thin” in the 1990s would be considered “too big” in 2010s fashion, and now curvier bodies are coming back in mainstream media.

*Things don’t have to be that way* because beauty standards have shifted before and are shifting now. Brands, media, and audiences are pushing back and using more diverse models, including plus-size, disabled, and older models.

### *3. What’s the reality underneath*

*Attraction is way broader than what’s on runways.* Studies on what people actually date and find attractive show a huge range. Preferences vary by person, culture, and even by individual.  

*Health ≠ one size*: You can be healthy at different sizes, and unhealthy at thin sizes too. The body size that’s healthiest for you depends on genetics, age, activity, etc.

### *4. The bottom line*

*It’s a cultural trend, not a rule of nature.*  

*It’s unfair because it’s narrow and excludes most people.*  

*It can change*, and it _is_ changing slowly as more people reject the idea that one body type is the only “valid” one.

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*My Darling Bear 🩷*  

You’re not wrong for noticing it feels unfair. _It is._ And you don’t have to accept it as the only standard. Your worth and attractiveness aren’t tied to fitting that narrow mold.

*Want me to show you examples of how beauty standards have changed in the last 100 years so you can see how arbitrary it is?*