By: Nicole Nichols, SparkPeople Blogger
9/18/2009 6:18 AM   :  205 comments   :  13,766 Views

See More: body image, women's issues, poll,

My boyfriend thinks I have the perfect body. He even loves the parts that I consider my "problem areas." He tries to tell me that my own insecurities are meritless and that I have no reason to feel bad about the way I look. Not only that, but he says he has never noticed my cellulite (but trust me, it does exist).

Sometimes I think that men are more likely to see the bigger picture when it comes to a woman's body. In my experience, they're less likely to notice the "details" (like a few dimples or stretch marks) and more likely to appreciate a woman's body for its overall shape or size—how it looks as a total package, not piece by piece (the way we often scrutinize ourselves).

But women? We notice. We zero-in on the imperfections. We notice the extra layer of fat on the stomach or that lower belly pooch. We compare our bodies to other women's, whether we think theirs are better, worse or the same as ours.

Lately, I've been thinking that some of my own body-image insecurities come not from what other men might think of me—but from what women think. All those details that we see. All the mental comparisons we make, sizing each other up. This led me to wonder: Do you think women are more critical of other women's bodies than men are?

Personally, I do think women can be more judgmental and harsh about how other women look. We might not always come out and say what we think, but the fact remains that we probably still think it. To be honest, it bothers me that my brain takes notice of such trivial things. I wouldn't say that I judge other women based on their body imperfections (or perfections), but honestly, I do notice them a lot of the time. The parts that I feel most self-conscious about, like my belly or thighs, are what I tend to notice about other women. Raise your hand if you often compare your body to the bodies of other women you see at the pool, in the locker room, at the mall—anywhere really—sizing them up, wondering Is she bigger than me? Is that what my thighs look like? I do it sometimes, too, but it's something I have been trying to do less often. I've discovered that the more I compare my shape, size or weight to others, the worse I feel about myself.

Could it be that many women's insecurities or body-image issues stem more from what other women think of us than what men think? I think so. Why else would so many of us feel uncomfortable changing in the locker room where men aren't even present?

What do you think? Ladies, do you think women are more critical of other women's bodies than men are? Why or why not? Men, are you more critical of other men's bodies than you are of women's or does it not matter to you?