Is this 'normal'? Mentally ill? Eccentric? Weird? What do you think?

Question

First let me just say that however someone else chooses to live is not my business. I wondered though what you think about Sylphide's assertion that she is ''a normal young woman''? http://www.sylphide.de/estart.htm

The lady has a 17 inch waist (obviously not naturally) and states:

" It should be normal to wear a corset. My boyfriend already admired my naturally small waist and he often dreamed of how it would be if it was even smaller."

"I think that it allows other ladies to lace without to be connected with prostitution. "

""Often I didn't want to get up in the morning because of the lacing and the resulting unpleasant feeling. Therefore I started wearing the corset day and night."

"you save a lot of money by wearing corsets, you're going to attract even more attention than with most expensive clothing!"

"I wear my corset permanently and even feel a bit uncomfortable without it. "

Mentally disturbed or a 'normal' young woman??

A few things.

I put the word ''normal'' in quotation marks as anyone with eyes can see. I am quoting that woman's own words you see. Not making judgements. What is 'normal' anyway? Her words, not mine.

You jump to a lot of conclusions about me. Daleks can wear corsets too you know... I happen to do so occasionally, but I am talking about the type that do not damage the body.

THE REASON I used the term 'mentally disturbed' (or distrubed, if you prefer, LOL) is because of the what the lady says herself. Example:

"I didn't like to put on the corset in the morning because after lacing it tight I had an unpleasant feeling for some time. Often I didn't want to get up in the morning because of the lacing and the resulting unpleasant feeling. I started wearing the corset day and night. "

I'm asking opinions about that, not judging. Read the question pals before jumping to conclusions.

Answer 1

What bothers me isn't the corset wearing, as such. It's the fact that 'Sylphide' seems to have developed a real dependency here. I had a look through the site and found this:

"Sylphide says: I'm currently wearing this corset continuously. I put it off only each 24h for taking a shower and to do fitness-exercises and stretching. I then put it on immediately. The first half hour is somewhat uncomfortable, but after it, especially after the first night, I hardly feel the corset anymore (only when bending or doing unusual movements). Please note that the corset does not interfere with my sleep! Furthermore I think it is important that one eats and drinks only when laced into a corset. This prevents overeating and one feels comfortable after the meal. This would not be the case if one ate uncorsetted and put on the corset afterwards (even some hours later)."

If she wants to do this to her body, that is her prerogative, but to say that "It should be normal to wear a corset" really sets alarm bells ringing for me. Your quotes about how much she disliked wearing a corset at first show that she's become conditioned - to me, at least, that much is very clear.

We're not talking about wearing pretty corset tops here, or even about using a modern corset to cinch the waist - we are talking about unhealthiness. If her waist really HAS been reduced to 17 inches, and she really does wear these things 24 hours a day, this indicates serious body dysmorphia on her part. (That's just my opinion, of course.)

Answer 2

The first thing that strikes me in that, admittedly, out of context statement - is her references to 'my boyfriend...' and 'You're going to attract even more attention...' This is what she is all about trying to package 'what women want' in an attention grabbing way. So she and her publicists are implying that woman want to please their 'boyfriends' and 'look good' therefore they twist this around and imply that by wearing an 'inexpensive' corset this is going to be achieved. Personally I think it is dangerous and irresponsible, but for some people it gives them a licence to say what they want, because they're making big money. As for Sylphide herself, just another in a long line of 'fashion world puppets' and she'll be washed out, tossed aside and forgotten long before she even starts to get to grips with some of the mental issues that this veneer is causing. However the fall from grace of a previously successful model is yet more means of making big bucks, so great, who cares about the individual when there always be the next greatest thing around the next corner?

Answer 3

I like to think of myself as very open-minded but I think that having a waist as small as my neck is a little disturbing. Even as a plus-size woman who would like to be a bit more svelte and thinner, I believe that wearing a corset permanently and losing almost 24 inches in the waist is just plain weird. I bet she's even smaller than what the original Barbie's measurements are. I'd be worried about internal organs and my ribs! I know as a larger woman my critique is probably not as unbiased as one of a smaller woman, but at least I won't slide out of roller coasters because the harness and seat belts can't hold me in!

Answer 4

People can be gifted without being weird... however there are many gifted people and certain ways that normal, gifted, people look at problems... It is the weird people (often called geniuses) that can look at the same problem but think of it in a different, possibly, easier way and solve it without effort. A problem that may have taken generations was solved with one broad stroke. They aren't abnormally smart... they just think differently. Thinking differently can lead to actions which others might consider quirky or weird.

Answer 5

Oh, yeah, she'll attract some attention.

She seems to have just grown into the habit of wearing her corset. Without it, she will experience some form of withdrawal, like with cigarettes. However, why would her boyfriend want a waist THAT small? He should have gotten a Gumby. And why would she want to submit to a desire like that? She obviously has some deep-seated self-esteem issue.

Answer 6

It seems almost like a form of externalized anorexia. It also seems to be just as physically dangerous - women who wore corsets in the Victorian age have seriously malformed skeletons, not to mention the damage done to their internal organs.

A woman who habitually wears a corset cannot run; she cannot take a complete breath. She is frequently weak, as she cannot eat more than a bite at a time. She is helpless.

A man who WANTS a woman like this is just sick.

Answer 7

She has her own choices to make.

Others can inform of the dangers etc, although thousands of women survived wearing corsets in the past, so I realy don't know what dangers there might be. But it is up to her to choose.

I think it is interesting that she has chosen this unusual route, is this a teenager trying to establish her own identity?

Answer 8

I think she's unwell and obsessing about body shape an unhealthy amount. I don't believe you can do that to yourself without causing some degree of physical misery. By modern standards thats basically causing a deformity to herself, I felt queasy just looking!

I mean, that comment regarding not wanting to get up in the morning because of the awful feeling of the corsetry. It's as if she felt forced, which is surely not a healthy sign!

Answer 9

Her waist looks wrong and unnatural. Maybe an obsessive compulsive disorder with her waist. Very sad that someone would put their body through that pain and moving internal organs, just to look thin. Also her b/f wanting her waist to be smaller is sick.

Answer 10

Mentally disturbed. Low self image if defining worth through waist size. Because she is a freak, she finds comfort in a boyfriend who is freak enough to support her warped thoughts. This is sad.