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Issues of dieting, fat, and slenderness are hot topics in our culture. Bordo addresses them from a postmodern, but historical, feminist perspective. In this essay, she attempts to explain the appeal of slenderness in our society; and also, how the ideology of normal our society holds can be mentally and physically damaging for many people. So, what does it mean to be slender? The ideas behind slenderness have changed considerably throughout human existence. The Greeks …

…The ideas and images that exist within it carve our lives for us. We accept the norm as what we see on television; then, we adapt. Bordo says, "Nobody can escape either the imprint of culture or its gendered meanings." This may be true; but, we can educate ourselves in hopes of finding a truth that will enable us to embrace both our mind and body to achieve a personal harmony that culture cannot corrupt.