Has anyone else noticed that when someone says, "she's really let herself go"?", it usually means "she's gained weight?
on my way home from AA, i sometimes listen to a Talk Radio show about relationships. they seem to talk about a woman's weight an awful lot. for example, the topic might be - why does a man cheat? one of the reason's that always comes up - his wife has "let herself go", meaning she's put on some pounds since the wedding.
when i hear "letting herself go", i picture a frazzled woman in her pajamas with hair on end and in deep need of a shower. but, for someone reason, she's thin. but that's me.
why does weight gain equal not taking care of yourself or not making a good appearance? and why on earth could it be considered grounds for infidelity?
good call. i hate that 'let herself go' thing. it actually applied to a friend of mine who dated an infidel and someone said she'd 'let herself go'. now, she is overweight but that's because of medical problems and medication but WTF? HE'S the one who's let go. i hate how it always seems to apply to weight.
ReplyDeleteOoh, I hate that phrase. I think it's more common for women a generation ahead of us to use it, don't you? I never hear my peers using those words. Maybe I just have nice friends though. I would love to let myself go actually! Not to have to worry about my hair, face, makeup, body, clothing. What a relief that would be! Even when I am in casual clothes I want to look stylish, thin and young. As for my husband, I have to say, when I was 35 pounds heavier he had no trouble with my body. He has always been overweight, since I met him, and he doesn't like his body either, so maybe he has more understanding of me because of that. He would never leave me because of my weight. I can think of lots of other reasons he would leave me, but not that one!
ReplyDeleteFunny, when I first read this, I was thinking of "let herself go" in a liberating, positive way, ie "I've finally let myself go and given up all this illusory control." I wonder what that says about me :) Haha.
ReplyDeleteBecause we live in a sick, sad world that is only focused on outward appearance. Superficiality has reigned supreme. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny cause my first thought was almost exactly like yours, a totally frazzaled woman with bad hair, clothes and a manic look. Didn't even think about the weight.
ReplyDeleteOh and men don't cheat because a woman let her self go we cheat because,
Well I'm not going to go there. I was accused of it once and I didn't think it was cheat it was talking to a another woman, I guess that was not allowed. Water/Bridge whatever.
funny, we don't here so much about men "letting themselves go". Lame.
ReplyDeleteBTW I was watching Wifeswap last night and as one family was awaiting the "new" mom the teenage girls were talking abbout what they hoped she would be like and one of the girls said "I hope she's not fat!".
Sometimes our society just disgusts me.
Another sad fact of society that is not only ridiculous but makes it even harder to recover from an eating disorder. Best wishes, thanks so much for your support xxx
ReplyDeleteI hate that phrase so much, and the pressure it puts on us. I get damned tired of trying to look 'perfect' all the time. Some day I am going to walk out of my house without any makeup and in the sloppiest clothes I can find and dare anyone to say anything!
ReplyDeleteHEY BLOGGER FRIENDS. TWICE, I WROTE LONG RESPONSES TO YOUR COMMENTS. TWICE, COMPUTER GENIUS OVER HERE DELETED THEM INSTEAD OF POSTING. FRUSTRATING!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES. AND YES (SORRY DAVID) YOU REALLY NEVER HEAR ABOUT MEN LETTING THEMSELVES GO.
I WONDER IF I HAVE THE GUTS TO CALMLY SHARE MY THOUGHTS TO THE NEXT PERSON WHO SAYS, "SHE'S LET HERSELF GO".
George Straight (sp?.lol) has a really good song "She let herself go"...but the opposite of what you would think..
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