The purpose of this essay is to discover whether fit bodies in women are more feminine. In order to properly address this question it is imperative to define what 'fit' and 'feminine' represent in this context. If the definitions of 'fit' and 'feminine' are similar then it is quite possible that a 'fit' body is more 'feminine'. In Helen Lenskyj's Women, Sport, and Sexuality, she uses words such as slim, trim, and fashionable to describe what it is to be 'feminine'. My definition of 'feminine' is a little more all-encompassing, it includes a fashionable appearance (hair, clothes, accessories), flirtatious, sexy, ectomorph body type (slender build), elegant strides, clean and clear speech with a soft voice. The definition of 'fit' is divided into the internal and external body. The internal body is the heart, liver, lungs, and so forth; the external body is the muscles, bones, and skin tissue. A 'fit' internal body is defined by blood pressure, resting metabolic rate, and well working organs according to an ideal model based on height and weight. A 'fit' external body can be defined as a mesomorph body type which includes hard and tight skin tissue, well-developed muscles, and strong bone

Femininity and all that it entails, described above, coincides with the commercialized image of the 'fit' woman. This image depicts a slender build , measurements of 36-28-32, and toned but not defined muscles. The definition of 'fit' seems to fall into three categories: the muscular body, the fitness body, and the commercialized 'fit' body. The commercialized 'fit' body we have discussed already, it is associated with commercial ads, videos, and books. This type of 'fit' body has a slim, trim, and sexy appeal which identifies with a model's body. The muscular body is rectangular with well-defined muscles, it is the ideal shape of the body builder and results from intense weight lifting and physical training. The fitness body is not slim and not rectangular, it has curves but it is not soft. The physically fit body requires regular activity but not intense training. The three categories of 'fit' are easier to relate to the feminine ideal once broken down. Looking back on the criteria of a feminine woman, some of the key factors were a slender build, a fashionable appearance, elegant strides, flirtatious, and sexy. Comparing these factors to the three categories of 'fit' will quickly eliminate the muscular body and the physically fit body. The muscular body is eliminated by its rectangular shape and well-defined muscles. The physically fit body is curvy and shapely discarding it from the ideal slender build of the feminine woman. Which narrows the categories down to the commercialized 'fit' body. It seems to correlate with the feminine ideal because of the slim, trim, and sexy appeal related with ads, videos, and books. The commercialized 'fit' body is fashionable and elegant, these women are also photographed working out with men. All of these criteria match the ideal feminine woman, therefore the commercialized 'fit' woman could be classified as feminine. However, there are a few factors that have not been covered which will complete the ideal feminine woman.

In my personal opinion, the ideal feminine and commercialized 'fit' women are both negative models for young women to aim towards. The ideal feminine woman is stereotypical of a patriarchal society where women convey a passive role behind men. In our quest for equality woman must be aggressive and strong, they must not allow themselves to disappear behind overpowering men. The 1990's

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Approximate Word count = 1591
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)