A long time ago, in a world far, far away, plump women were considered pretty. Sexy. Attractive.

Aside from the fact that I hate the word 'plump,' this may have been a good thing. Except for Kate Moss and Nicole Ritchie perhaps.

I came across an interesting article yesterday in the New York Times about girls being "overfed" in the mostly Islamic country of Mauritania in North Africa.

Why?

Men find them sexier that way.

Hmmmmm........

In days gone by, fat was a symbol of fertility. It meant that you had enough energy reserves to sustain a pregnancy. That you could survive a famine. I'm guessing (hoping) that this was a woman's natural fat and curves, but even so. While I'd wager that carrying too much weight on your body is far less harmful than carrying too little, it's still not good. Especially psychologically.

The article describes the ordeals of girls being overfed, such as being forced to drink 5 gallons of camel's milk, and having to eat their own vomit if they couldn't keep it down. It's the total, utter, and complete opposite of dieting young girls here in America. That it's normal. That health will be risked in order to achieve what society calls the ideal body. That the ideal body is so far off from reality that you have to alter yourself physically to achieve it.

Basically, it means that just about everyone, everywhere idealizes a female figure that is not compatible with the way most women look.

I heard it explained in one book on evolutionary psychology that beauty has to be somewhat rare because ordinary really isn't beautiful. And beautiful is a good way to find a mate with ideal genes.

Bollocks. Yeah, beauty is on the inside, but people also find different things beautiful in the opposite (or same) sex. Nor is this a ticket to eternal happiness, as much as current weight loss companies would have us believe.

Of course, the article started with a little vignette about Mauritanian women taking walks, all fat and huffing and puffing. Why?

One woman said, "Because I am fat."

Another woman said, "For my health and to be skinny."

And this is where cultures collide. Big time.

Is this tradition of overfeeding girls dying out because of health risks? Or because men are finding different things beautiful in women?

I'm no expert, but I have a hunch that it's the latter. Or maybe it's driven by the women, thinking that they will have a better chance of finding a mate if they look thinner.

Basically, the moral of the story is this: why can't we be beautiful just the way we are? (cue Christina Aguilara music) Why do we have to starve or binge in order for someone to find us attractive?

I think it also goes deeper than just what men want. It's the little snarky competition between women as to who will get the best guy. I feel much more insecure about my looks when I'm in a group of women than when I'm in a group of men. How am I being judged? Do I measure up? It's all of this primal competition. For years, this sexual selection has allowed our species to survive.

Isn't it time for a better way?