The Opinions Thin, White and Right: The Ideal Christian Woman
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Jul 30, 2025 Jessica Grose, an Opinion writer for the New York Times, explores the troubling intersection of diet culture and conservative Christian values. She highlights how influencers are reshaping beauty standards and intertwining morality with weight loss, significantly impacting women's self-image. Grose discusses the rise of body positivity amidst these challenges and critiques the narratives that conflate health with spirituality and virtue. Their conversation dives into the complex societal pressures women face regarding body image and the politics surrounding thinness.
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Christian Influencers' Narrow Ideal
- Christian influencers define a narrow ideal of womanhood tied to thinness and behavior as a reaction to liberal-coded body positivity.
- They contrast conservative health and traditional femininity with a politicized, negative view of liberal women.
Diet and Morality Intertwined
- Christian diet culture ties body size to morality, viewing overeating as sinful gluttony and self-control as a spiritual gift.
- This frames health and weight loss as religious obligations, not just personal choices.
Thinness and Traditional Roles
- The conservative ideal emphasizes traditional gender roles with women focused on marriage, babies, and fitness.
- Thinness mirrors political positioning, reinforcing women's absence from leadership and public spaces.
