While American women see super-thin stick models and feel unattractive and unhappy about their average or curvy bodies, men don't feel the same way. Fully 80 percent of men ages 18 to 50 say they want a voluptuous woman, according to former plus size model Nancy Hayssen, who has written a book every woman could love based on the title alone: "101 Sexy Secrets: How to Be Hot, Sexy & Beautiful at ANY Size!" Another 15 percent of men prefer a woman of average size, while just 5 percent opt for a super skinny lady.

Twenty years ago, most fashion models were a size 8. Today, that's been replaced by an emaciated size 0. Meanwhile, during those same two decades, the average American woman, who stands 5' 4", ballooned from a size 10 to a size 14. Fun fact: A 14, which is now considered a "plus size," was approximately sex bomb Marilyn Monroe's dress size.

"We're being lied to everyday. The fashion industry and Hollywood have spread the myth that men want skinny, anorexic-looking women," asserts Hayssen. "The truth is it's plus size or curvy women who are considered beautiful."

That sentiment was echoed in a recent poll of 4,000 adults conducted by British weekly magazine Grazia to find out the ultimate attractive man and woman. Men overwhelmingly said they are most attracted to women who have curves, rather than skinny women, and prefer brunettes with "long, wavy hair." And 78 percent said a woman's most attractive feature is her smile.

Men are a practical lot. Three-quarters said the hobby they find most attractive in the opposite sex is cooking.

So what do women want in a man? A stunning 93 percent are looking for someone who makes them laugh, while 73 percent want someone who will "automatically" pay for a meal. Men who own their own home are five times more attractive than a man who does not. OK, so women are practical, too.


So org men do you agree?

You don't have to be "plus size" to be curvy.....

yeah, well, it'd be nice if we weren't still bombarded with the idea that bony arms and hips are something to strive for.

So leave that message alone and pick up something worth reading. Why even bother with shit like Cosmo, a magazine whose sole purpose is to make it's readers feel like shit so they rush out and buy things? How about a good novel? How about a women's magazine like Bitch? Or a general interest one like Mental Floss? Hell, why not even a textbook or the back of a matchbook over traditional women's titles like Cosmo, Vogue, etc.?

Notice how the term "curvy" is being used lately as code for "plus-sized"?

Speaking as a skinny chick myself, I'm getting sick and tired of being demonized by average and big women. Some (*ahem!* Mo'nique) even go so far as to call us evil. Cunt.

Newsflash: No, most of us don't have eating disorders or otherwise starve ourselves. No, we're not skinny to make you bigger women feel bad about yourselves. No, you do not have the right to stare or make comments about skinny women you see. And yes, you are a fucking idiot if you actually bought that crap magazines feed you and felt bad about yourself because of it. Sounds harsh, but how in God's name could somebody fall for that? Anybody with half a brain knows it's all bullshit anyway.

Notice how the term "curvy" is being used lately as code for "plus-sized"?

Speaking as a skinny chick myself, I'm getting sick and tired of being demonized by average and big women. Some (*ahem!* Mo'nique) even go so far as to call us evil. Cunt.

Newsflash: No, most of us don't have eating disorders or otherwise starve ourselves. No, we're not skinny to make you bigger women feel bad about yourselves. No, you do not have the right to stare or make comments about skinny women you see. And yes, you are a fucking idiot if you actually bought that crap magazines feed you and felt bad about yourself because of it. Sounds harsh, but how in God's name could somebody fall for that? Anybody with half a brain knows it's all bullshit anyway.

So leave that message alone and pick up something worth reading. Why even bother with shit like Cosmo, a magazine whose sole purpose is to make it's readers feel like shit so they rush out and buy things? How about a good novel? How about a women's magazine like Bitch? Or a general interest one like Mental Floss? Hell, why not even a textbook or the back of a matchbook over traditional women's titles like Cosmo, Vogue, etc.?

I agree that I am tired of people who think that all skinny women don't eat enough. That's not true, not at all. But skinny women are far better off than bigger women are these days, don't you think?

the only magazine i read regularly is Time. women's magazines generally bore me to tears. isn't vogue like $6 or something anyway? fuck that. i've spent the last few weeks buried in my textbooks, i haven't had time to continue the Marquez novel i was in the middle of. it's not just magazines, media, ads in general, culture, blahblahblah. you can try to avoid it and mentally reject it, but it's still there.

I agree that I am tired of people who think that all skinny women don't eat enough. That's not true, not at all. But skinny women are far better off than bigger women are these days, don't you think?

I used to get really irritated at this women at work. She was not obese but she was not petite by any means but it really did not matter to me. Every day she would say things to me like "I hate skinny blonde women like you, you make me sick!". Usually she would say things like that to me as she was stuffing her face with fast food and I was snacking on something healthy. It was so funny because if I was to say to her "I hate fat women like you that eat fast food junk everyday, you make me sick". I would have been considered cruel, though I admit I would never say something like that to anyone because it is not for me to judge. It just seemed rude the comments she would make to me. Finally I told her that I really have to watch what I eat because my weight fluctuates and my dad's side of the family is really large and I do not want to end up like that. I wanted her to know that I am thin like this because of the choices I make and back then I was exercising too.
It is funny the double standards some times.

I used to get really irritated at this women at work. She was not obese but she was not petite by any means but it really did not matter to me. Every day she would say things to me like "I hate skinny blonde women like you, you make me sick!". Usually she would say things like that to me as she was stuffing her face with fast food and I was snacking on something healthy. It was so funny because if I was to say to her "I hate fat women like you that eat fast food junk everyday, you make me sick". I would have been considered cruel, though I admit I would never say something like that to anyone because it is not for me to judge. It just seemed rude the comments she would make to me. Finally I told her that I really have to watch what I eat because my weight fluctuates and my dad's side of the family is really large and I do not want to end up like that. I wanted her to know that I am thin like this because of the choices I make and back then I was exercising too.
It is funny the double standards some times.

It's perfectly acceptable to shit on thin women these days. Maybe it's some sort of revenge for years of fat jokes, but it's just as obnoxious.

And I swear to God, next time a complete stranger asks me if I'm anorexic I'm going to punch them in the neck. :

do it. i'll never understand how some people need to comment on the blatantly obvious physical characteristics of others. it's so fucking rude.

I agree that I am tired of people who think that all skinny women don't eat enough. That's not true, not at all. But skinny women are far better off than bigger women are these days, don't you think?