Jennifer Garner and Women's Bodies after Baby...

I've got no real beef with Jennifer Garner.  I like her fine and all. 

What I don't like is when there are articles ABOUT her that go like this:

"She debuted her postpartum figure at the 2006 Oscars wearing a beaded designer gown.

Such an outing isn't stress-free, Garner says.

"I usually feel like, `No matter how many girdles you put me in, you will not be able to zip this.' They always say to you — as though it's something that should make you happy — `This is fresh from the runway.'

"But what I think is, `That was made for some 14-year-old girl from Russia! It was not made to go on my body.'"

What a jumble of sentiments those few lines evoke in me.

FIRST... "Debuting" one's post partum figure?! COME ON. So now moms are supposed to worry about finding the time to get a new figure in addition to caring for a crying baby and trying to get some sleep (um, can you tell I'm speaking from experience here?).

And as for Jen's comments.  Well, I'm glad she has the guts to tell it like it is.... but I don't like her putting herself (and in a meta sense, all women) down by talking about girdles and shit. She don't need no girdles!

What about portly male stars... like say, um, oh, I don't know, her husband, Monsieur Ben Affleck, perhaps?  There's been a few instances where he's looked more than a little doughy.  Think he had to wear a girdle?

(and for the record, the etymology of the word "Girdle" is also something I take issue with.  It sounds too much like Girl....But I guess I'd probably have to take on the ancient Greeks or something to right that wrong).

Comments

[Ran Barton]

I'm with ya' until the girdle comment...

Girdle comes from gird, and gird has its own etymology from Middle English, so much like history/herstory and womyn, please don't get in a tizzy over a word that doesn't mean anything bad.

Phew, I feel better. But I am still not ready to debut my post-partum figure.

"gird1 (gûrd) pronunciation

v., gird·ed or girt (gûrt), gird·ing, girds.

v.tr.

1.
1. To encircle with a belt or band.
2. To fasten or secure (clothing, for example) with a belt or band.
3. To surround. See synonyms at surround.
2. To equip or endow.
3. To prepare (oneself) for action.

v.intr.

To prepare for action: “Men still spoke of peace but girded more sternly for war” (W. Bruce Lincoln).
idiom:

gird (up) (one's) loins

1. To summon up one's inner resources in preparation for action.

[Middle English girden, from Old English gyrdan.]

gird2 (gûrd) pronunciation
intr. & tr.v., gird·ed, gird·ing, girds.

To jeer or jeer at.
n.

A sarcastic remark.

[Middle English girden, to strike.]"

http://www.answers.com/gird&r=67