When looking at the ideological and generational gap between Boomers and Millennial’s we can see huge shifts in what was sought after, especially in women (womxn): The shift in aesthetic from Twiggy to Meg Thee Stallion; the longing for thinness v “thick” (we can have an entirely different conversation about the appropriation of AAVE (thicc), Hip Hop, and Black culture for pop culture consumption), familial ideological shifts, and how we define success. Now, I could write an entire PhD thesis on this topic however, I wanted to highlight 1968, Vogue, and the creation (yes, creation) of the word Cellulite and its entrance into mainstream lexicon. Why? Because it’s 2020 and women are still caught up in the ploy of cellulite.
First, let’s define what cellulite is: “deposits of subcutaneous fat within fibrous connective tissue (as in the thighs, hips, and buttocks) that give a puckered and dimpled appearance to the skin surface.” Thank you, Websters Dictionary. Interestingly enough, this word didn’t exist until 1968 and there is no documentation of cellulite as a social phenomenon until then. Taking us back to that blasted year, in April 1968, Vogue became the first English-language periodical to print the term “cellulite,” engendering both a new word and a fashionable new way for American women to hate their bodies. Since we’ve just passed the 52nd anniversary of this massive editorial gaffe, we’re going to have a quick trip down this cursed memory lane to tell the tale of how cellulite came to be the engineered nightmare that it is. And this nightmare, of course, starts in France (Kelsey Miller did an amazing write up of this in Refinery 29 so, I am quoting her work below):
In 1873, doctors Émile Littré and Charles-Philippe Robin included the word “cellulite” in the 12th edition of the Dictionnaire de Médecine. This was the first-known use of the term, according to Professor Rossella Ghigi, whose thesis on the history of cellulite is arguably the most in-depth resource ever written on the subject. The crucial point, however, is that the original (and accurate) definition of cellulite had nothing to do with dimples or fat. Rather, it was a general term applied to cells or tissues in a state of inflammation or infection. It was closely related to cellulitis, a diagnosis still used today (which also has nothing to do with bumpy buttocks), and was primarily used when referring to pelvic infections.
Do you see where I bolded out the text? Do ya? Cause…the OG definition of cellulite has nothing, zero, zilch to do with our twisted connotation of cellulite today. Now, I would LOVE (and I mean L O V E) to delve into the details of how WWII, the military industrial complex, and the shifting dynamics of our nations workforce (ie., women in factories, working outside of the home, etc) all played a role in the change of social (and bodily) norms for women. To save you the dissertation, the culmination of these things led to a shift of what was deemed ‘desirable’ and thus, the days of body fat being tied to prosperity and social standing were gone. In fact, we (I) could argue that the epicenter of lipophobia (fatphobia) was born out of this era.
So, let’s answer the questions that most women have about cellulite:
- Why does cellulite seem to be more prevalent in (cis)women then (cis)men?
Well, because it is. Although men experience cellulite much less frequently, at least 10 percent of them have it, too. “Men have fibrous bands that run more parallel with the skin surface,” says Lisa Donofrio, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and Associate Clinical Professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. “Women have bands that run perpendicular, thus causing the telltale dimpling.”
- Can you “cure” cellulite?
No. The prevalence of visible cellulite on a body is entirely up to genetics. Companies that have marketed their products as a “cure” have been successfully sued.
- There is nothing to cure.
- Cellulite is not a disease.
- There is nothing to cure.
- Can you reduce the appearance of cellulite?
In some cases, you can reduce the appearance of cellulite by decreasing body fat and increasing your lean body mass (also known as body recomposition). But, like all good things, this is not a quick process and is greatly dependent upon your individual genetic make-up.
To conclude, of all the things in the world that we can (and should) worry about, cellulite is not one of them. Having cellulite just makes your human. It doesn’t make you less worthy of love, of affection, and if someone has something negative to say about how your body shows up in this world…send them my way.
Stay healthy ya’ll,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Soldierfit
THE BUNKER 