Glassplastic:

I'm fairly certain anorexia exists in the developing world, although probably not among the poor. It is hardly a disorder that people busy with survival can indulge in.

I think there are different types of anorexia and different types of obesity. The perennial dieters who keep themselves too thin, the models who do for money- there is a rationality behind their actions. Models make good money, after all. Simlarly, moderately overweigh people get something out of being overweight (more indulgence, less workouts), but it doesn't ruin their lives or health.

Then there are the others who put their families through hell, in and out of the hospital, sucking up resources and time. What do these people get out of it? Some of the women in the HBO documentary on anorexia were mothers, and one fell to pieces when she got better enough to go home to her family. I think the morbidly obese- those people who get so fat they can't walk around the supermarket to go shopping- are probably the flip side of the coin. I don't think that mixing in obsessive dieters and the mildly overweight with people who deliberately destroy their own health through food does anything but cloud the issue.

Not even choice moms can have babies without men. Whenever the deliberately single mom polemic begins, the corresponding polemic about sperm donors never arises, not even in Broadsheet. Many of these men are deliberately bringing children into this world and not raising them. Perhaps some from altruism or as a wierd ego boost, or even for some extra cash. They are not donating blood- they're making babies! Say what you will about these single by choice moms, but they are raising these children. If creating a baby without a father to raise her is unethical, them creating a baby whose wellbeing you won't even monitor is unethical in the extreme. What difference is ther between thees men and other deadbeat dads, from the point of view of their children?

I'm trying to picture it and I'm not getting it- a woman wants a child, until she either finds out it's a girl, then she aborts it or does away with it when it's born. There is nothing in my culture, education, upbringing or society that can make me understand this or see it as a reasonable action given any set of extreme circumstances. I have never read or heard of any widespread practice of female infanticide in Western history, despite an obvious preference for males and even during very hard times. Despite the certain degree of sexism in our culture, to my knowledge gender selction in utero has never been common either. This level of disdain for women and girls cannot be explained away as a rational response to poverty and social customs, and I can say that no I definitely would not suffocate my newborn daughter if I were in the same situation. And some Broadsheeters are arguing over whether this violates the principle of reproductive control. Wow.

I can have it both ways- I can have it ALL ways! I can believe a woman's right to her own body, like a man's, is inviolate, AND I can think a culture that exterminates its own dauhters stinks. I can respect cultural differences AND think that the Middle and Far East have something rotten about them if this practice exists. I can have compassion for the poor AND think that infanticide is evil, and I can support abortion rights to raise women's status and have every baby be wanted AND think gender selection is evil too. This doesn't take any mental contortion, and there is no conflict or hypocrisy in my opinions.

Right back atcha.

So: Barbies and Bratz are slutty and make girls grow up too soon (into sluts?). AG Dolls are elistist and make girls grow into consumerists who don't drive a Prius, raise their own meat, weave their own cloth or compost in pre-school (sorry, other poster, but you sounded a little smug there).

Does anyone else smell the misogyny? How can a little girl win- if she wants to be like the big girls, she's a prosti-tot, and if she wants a fun day at a cool store she's a little materialistic bitch. Oh right- she can win by making her own toys. Gotcha.

These stores are in big urban centers where the high rollers shop- of course there's going to be a ridiculous family or two dropping way too much cash. But most of those little girls are of moderately prosperous families doing something fun with their families. Lighten up and be careful about calling girls of today materialistic skanks, in so many words.

P.S. I loved the AG store when I visted the Chicago one last summer. The miniture guitar and wheelchair were really cool.