Being bigger is not only beautiful, it’s also a sign of wealth
Gorgeous ... Joycelyn Phillips
Published: Today at 02:13
BLACK women are heavier AND happier with their bodies than white women, according to a new poll.
A US survey found that 66 per cent of overweight or obese black women had high self-esteem compared to 41 per cent of average-sized or thin white females.
Looking good was a top priority, with 28 per cent of black ladies saying physical attractiveness is "very important", compared to 11 per cent of white women.
X Factor star Alexandra Burke, 23, echoed this sentiment in a recent interview when she said: "I am a curvaceous girl. I like having an ass. No man can tell me they want a skinny bird.
"I don't have big boobs but that doesn't mean I am going to get a big old boob job. I don't feel pressured in any way. Those people who want to go out there and be a size zero, it's not a great reflection on how a woman should look."
So what is it that makes some black women happy with their curves while many white girls are addicted to dieting?
Here, we speak to two women proud to be body-confident.
JOYCELYN PHILLIPS has two children, Amaliah, 17, and Zachary, 11.
The manager from Hampstead, north west London, believes a healthy appetite equals a healthy bank balance – and also goes towards creating an utterly gorgeous, curvy body.
Dress size: 16
Shoe size: 8
Since having my children, I have got bigger but my confidence has never wavered.
My tummy is big but it was the home of my two children — so why would I get rid of it?
I am a 5ft 9in, size 16 woman and proud of it.
I wear make-up, buy beautiful clothes and weaves and look after myself.
I call myself B.I.G — Being Intentionally Gorgeous.
Even though I'm 38, I have more guys chasing me than ever.
In our culture being bigger is not only beautiful — it's also a sign of wealth.
People assume that if you are skinny, you can't afford to eat.
Meal times are all about sharing so the table is always full of food and everyone tucks in. In my experience, men like their women to jiggle and have a bubbly personality — that is far more attractive than a washboard stomach.
In the Caribbean, clothing and make-up is colourful to accentuate our curvaceous shape.
If I went back to the West Indies to see my family and had lost weight, they would think I was ill.
Over there, women don't give their size a second thought.
There are size 26 girls who walk around in shorts and mini dresses with their men hanging on to their lumps and bumps — they are 100 per cent fabulous.
I don't read magazines because I feel the images are unrealistic.
I really believe that it's unfair to make women feel like they have to be a size zero.
We are becoming a country of easily influenced women who aspire to look like skinny, scrawny models and that's not normal.
I have a tattoo across my lower back saying "GORGEOUS" — that's how strongly I feel about my body image.
My mum brought me up to love my reflection and that's what I want to pass on to my daughter.
SOCIABLE office temp Michelle Edwards, from Walthamstow, east London, says food is at the heart of her family life.
Dress size: 14
Shoe size: 7
In my family we were always encouraged to be ourselves.
My mum would say: "Be proud and don't aspire to be anyone but yourself."
That confidence has stayed with me.
Meal times are a big deal in black culture. Growing up, I was so aware that everyone eats together and meal times are treated as a celebration — it really wouldn't be acceptable to not eat with the family.
If something was cooked for you, you would eat it.
Meals were cooked with the anticipation of visitors arriving and needing feeding.
Even if there were no visitors planned that day, there would be enough food cooked just in case.
All Caribbean families cook extra. It is so important for a household to have food that can be served straight away.
The theory behind this tradition is you may not have a lot of material belongings but you can always feed.
I know there has been a lot of media attention surrounding famous black women and their bottoms but I'm not sure why. White girls can have great bottoms, too!
My bum isn't especially big or especially small but I was always taught to be happy with the genes I was born with.
After all, being healthy is the most important thing.
Weight loss was never encouraged in my household and there certainly wasn't any talk of going to the gym.
My father was a wonderful influence. Dad believes natural is beautiful and that was paramount in making me feel confident as I grew up.
My mother is curvy and she has tried diets but they never lasted. I think dad prefers her looking voluptuous.
My boyfriends have always preferred me bigger.
But it's not all about men. Me and my girlfriends all really look out for each other.
We tell each other how fabulous we are all the time. That's how it should be.
WE live in a society which idealises and values its women based primarily on how they look.
This is reflected in the disturbingly high proportion of women caught up in a cycle of yo-yo dieting, poor self-esteem and negative body image.
Women should be thankful for a healthy body, food in the fridge, an abundance of choice and for the ability to nurture and nourish their family.
But instead, we sadly live in a society where many women can't enjoy food without guilt, and are body and diet obsessed.
There is a massive pressure on women to look a certain way and our ideals of beauty are the images that are reflected back at us in the pages of the magazines.
I have clinics and workshops full of women who have crippling levels of self-esteem and unhealthy relationships with food and their bodies.
I feel the same sort of pressures around appearance as any woman but, culturally, I was raised to value who I am as a person and my worth was not dependant on how I looked or my body shape but rather my strength of character.
I grew up in the kitchen with a mum who could prepare a meal for 50 at the drop of a hat and where food and celebration went hand in hand and are the cornerstone of family life.
LEARN more at nutrition-rocks.co.uk.
Looking good was a top priority, with 28 per cent of black ladies saying physical attractiveness is "very important", compared to 11 per cent of white women.
X Factor star Alexandra Burke, 23, echoed this sentiment in a recent interview when she said: "I am a curvaceous girl. I like having an ass. No man can tell me they want a skinny bird.
Heavier and happier ... Alexandra Burke 'likes having an ass'
"I don't have big boobs but that doesn't mean I am going to get a big old boob job. I don't feel pressured in any way. Those people who want to go out there and be a size zero, it's not a great reflection on how a woman should look."
So what is it that makes some black women happy with their curves while many white girls are addicted to dieting?
Here, we speak to two women proud to be body-confident.
Joycelyn, 38
JOYCELYN PHILLIPS has two children, Amaliah, 17, and Zachary, 11.
The manager from Hampstead, north west London, believes a healthy appetite equals a healthy bank balance – and also goes towards creating an utterly gorgeous, curvy body.
Dress size: 16
Shoe size: 8
Confident ... Joycelyn says men like their women to jiggle
My tummy is big but it was the home of my two children — so why would I get rid of it?
I am a 5ft 9in, size 16 woman and proud of it.
I wear make-up, buy beautiful clothes and weaves and look after myself.
I call myself B.I.G — Being Intentionally Gorgeous.
Even though I'm 38, I have more guys chasing me than ever.
In our culture being bigger is not only beautiful — it's also a sign of wealth.
People assume that if you are skinny, you can't afford to eat.
Meal times are all about sharing so the table is always full of food and everyone tucks in. In my experience, men like their women to jiggle and have a bubbly personality — that is far more attractive than a washboard stomach.
In the Caribbean, clothing and make-up is colourful to accentuate our curvaceous shape.
If I went back to the West Indies to see my family and had lost weight, they would think I was ill.
Over there, women don't give their size a second thought.
There are size 26 girls who walk around in shorts and mini dresses with their men hanging on to their lumps and bumps — they are 100 per cent fabulous.
I don't read magazines because I feel the images are unrealistic.
I really believe that it's unfair to make women feel like they have to be a size zero.
We are becoming a country of easily influenced women who aspire to look like skinny, scrawny models and that's not normal.
I have a tattoo across my lower back saying "GORGEOUS" — that's how strongly I feel about my body image.
My mum brought me up to love my reflection and that's what I want to pass on to my daughter.
Michelle, 37
SOCIABLE office temp Michelle Edwards, from Walthamstow, east London, says food is at the heart of her family life.
Dress size: 14
Shoe size: 7
Sociable ... Michelle says meal times are a big deal in black culture
My mum would say: "Be proud and don't aspire to be anyone but yourself."
That confidence has stayed with me.
Meal times are a big deal in black culture. Growing up, I was so aware that everyone eats together and meal times are treated as a celebration — it really wouldn't be acceptable to not eat with the family.
If something was cooked for you, you would eat it.
Meals were cooked with the anticipation of visitors arriving and needing feeding.
Curvy ... Michelle says her boyfriends have always preferred her bigger
All Caribbean families cook extra. It is so important for a household to have food that can be served straight away.
The theory behind this tradition is you may not have a lot of material belongings but you can always feed.
I know there has been a lot of media attention surrounding famous black women and their bottoms but I'm not sure why. White girls can have great bottoms, too!
My bum isn't especially big or especially small but I was always taught to be happy with the genes I was born with.
After all, being healthy is the most important thing.
Weight loss was never encouraged in my household and there certainly wasn't any talk of going to the gym.
My father was a wonderful influence. Dad believes natural is beautiful and that was paramount in making me feel confident as I grew up.
My mother is curvy and she has tried diets but they never lasted. I think dad prefers her looking voluptuous.
My boyfriends have always preferred me bigger.
But it's not all about men. Me and my girlfriends all really look out for each other.
We tell each other how fabulous we are all the time. That's how it should be.
myView
By HALA EL-SHAFIE Specialist DieticianWE live in a society which idealises and values its women based primarily on how they look.
This is reflected in the disturbingly high proportion of women caught up in a cycle of yo-yo dieting, poor self-esteem and negative body image.
Women should be thankful for a healthy body, food in the fridge, an abundance of choice and for the ability to nurture and nourish their family.
But instead, we sadly live in a society where many women can't enjoy food without guilt, and are body and diet obsessed.
There is a massive pressure on women to look a certain way and our ideals of beauty are the images that are reflected back at us in the pages of the magazines.
I have clinics and workshops full of women who have crippling levels of self-esteem and unhealthy relationships with food and their bodies.
I feel the same sort of pressures around appearance as any woman but, culturally, I was raised to value who I am as a person and my worth was not dependant on how I looked or my body shape but rather my strength of character.
I grew up in the kitchen with a mum who could prepare a meal for 50 at the drop of a hat and where food and celebration went hand in hand and are the cornerstone of family life.
LEARN more at nutrition-rocks.co.uk.
