Hey guys and dolls.

I've been studying up on society, bodies, etc. (hey my body is changing)
And I was wondering if we feel the same pressures to conform bodily to societal ideals. This is particularly interesting to me growing up as a female and being pressured by peers and society to look a certain way.
I know how females are taught that their entire existence rides on how feminine and beautiful they look.
So how do you feel about societal pressures to look a certain way as a woman - big breasted and ribs showing, etc or as a guy - solid, six pack, etc.?


Do you feel pressured to look like this?

Or this?

First... Hi Nero!!!

Second... Chloe Kalin is sooo hot. LoL

Do I feel pressures by societal expectations, rules, restrictions and caveats of beauty? No... no way.

$100+ monthly clothes bills
$100+ monthly makeup bills
dozens of shoes
$200+ hair maintenance every 6-8 weeks
<1,000 calories a day
countless hours spent in front of the mirror applying makeup, doing my hair and changing outfits.

All that and I still don't look as good as Chloe on her bad day?

Do I feel pressure? Nope... none.

Quote from: lacitychick21 on July 12, 2009, 01:37:20 PM
First... Hi Nero!!!

Second... Chloe Kalin is sooo hot. LoL

Do I feel pressures by societal expectations, rules, restrictions and caveats of beauty? No... no way.

$100+ monthly clothes bills
$100+ monthly makeup bills
dozens of shoes
$200+ hair maintenance every 6-8 weeks
<1,000 calories a day
countless hours spent in front of the mirror applying makeup, doing my hair and changing outfits.

All that and I still don't look as good as Chloe on her bad day?

Do I feel pressure? Nope... none.

what? you look better than her! haven't seen you in a bikini yet, but from what I've seen... yum, yum, yum.   

My momma warned me about sweet talkers like you... 

No.

Used to in female mode; now I'm thrilled beyond belief to be perceived as my true self after all these years.

Do I wish I were taller? fitter? etc?  yes, but not to the point that I obsess or whine, etc.  I just started working out, taking advantages of what T has to offer but dont' feel the need to have a 6-pack.  Can't do anything about my height, so I embrace my shortness!


Jay

I absolutely feel pressured to conform to a certain female body type. While I do feel that I fit in with what is considered average for a womans height and weight I still feel very self conscious about the width of my shoulders, the flabby tummy and lack of adequate breast size. I also obsess over my still some what masculine arms and legs too.

I know its silly and perhaps even unhealthy but I would love to be 130 lbs and have a size 6 waist. 

Okay... I can't really reply to the poll part, because my answer doesn't really fit there. When I was pretending to be a girl, as I call the first 24 years or so of my life, the only times I remember conforming to others' ideals of what I should be were in 8th and 9th grade, when I wore makeup and form-fitting clothes to avoid persecution from classmates, and when I got older and went to bars... always would wear padded bras and makeup so guys would buy me drinks. Sad, yes, and I'm sure anyone who's seen my pics now can't imagine me wearing a low-cut top and looking all girly, but it actually worked quite well at the time.

However, I may be at least somewhat influenced by the media in my tendency toward attraction to skinny chicks. The girls I go for are typically taller, lanky, and smaller chested, like Keira Knightley or Kristen Stewart. So there's the thin thing, though I suppose most guys would go for large chests. Sorry, haven't yet fallen prey to that one. My taste in women developed a long time ago, back before every woman in Hollywood was considering breast implants.

SD

Quote from: Cami on July 12, 2009, 04:04:58 PM
I absolutely feel pressured to conform to a certain female body type.

I do too...but I find it's difficult to distinguish external pressure from internal pressure.

I have a vision of what I think I need to look like that is influenced by how other women look but I'm not sure how much of that the world around me demands from me.

Quote
While I do feel that I fit in with what is considered average for a womans height and weight I still feel very self conscious about the width of my shoulders, the flabby tummy and lack of adequate breast size. I also obsess over my still some what masculine arms and legs too.

I know its silly and perhaps even unhealthy but I would love to be 130 lbs and have a size 6 waist.

"So say we all"

I wouldn't say I feel pressured, per se, just I would love it if I looked "normal", i.e. like a GG.

Interesting question from my perspective. I was looking forward to not feeling this way when I transitioned (pressure to conform) and it has not gone away and actually gotten worse. I am not sure whether it is me or just the men I am surrounded by but they all happen to be pretty fit and none seem to be over weight. Right now I have been putting on weight like crazy at one point was up to 155 (I am 5 foot 6), I have gotten myself back down to 150 bu its hard as I am putting on muscle but can also see my gut getting bigger. (ok it's still pretty small I must admit, but it now exists which it didn't before). I was always a pretty fit in shape female and now find myself at the other end of the spectrum (in my mind) as a male. I should say people have commented that they did not realize the amount of muscle I had before as i used to hide it, men's clothes don't hide it as much.
Myles

At the moment, i'm not for sure what my body ideal "should be" (boy/girl?). So I guess not. As a boy I sure don't look like that posted picture, and as a girl i'm *way* away from the posted picture. Either would be nice to have though 

Certainly I don't expect to be on the cover of Playboy but do desire to look feminine.I beleive a woman can look good without being Bay Watch material. What is the ideal female body?

I don't really feel pressured, but I would like to afford SRS and grow some larger boobs  Although being on the board of directors of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee isn't all that bad 

From society, absolutely not.  But from me, definitely.  I look at other women, and begin to compare myself.

I put the pressure on myself.

Janet

No question that we are our own worst critics. I feel pressure and Im certain thats mostly internal. Part of transitioning is becoming comfortable with what we got, but that doesnt mean we still dont chase something that we may never attain...

But then are we any more obsessed than those that are GG/GM? Im guessing not...

Absolutely. But so is my sister who is GG. I just want to pass as myself but my sister seems to have obsession that her body must be perfect. 

not so much by society, just mostly from myself. I try to compensate by spending too much money on clothes and starving myself to fit into them, but I know I'll never have a supermodel body. It's okay though, a supermodel will never have mine either lol

When I began my new life I was obsessed with passing.  Then one day I looked at myself in the mirror.  As I studied my body, face and the dread hair problem.  A thought occurred to me, "What if I was born a genetic female and still had the problems I am facing now?  What would you be doing?"  And I realized that is all a matter of ATTITUDE.

Yes I still observe but it now to compare myself to the rest of the female population.  And I am just another girl with problems about my looks.

Virginia thinks she is a super model. Just no-one else has noticed yet  Laughs historically then runs to hide 

Nope.  I don't/can't work out due to some physical issues, but even if I could I probably wouldn't.  I'm of the mindset that as long as I'm healthy and seen as attractive by my lady, I could give a crap less what anybody else thinks.