I've deliberately stayed away from contributing to this thread for a number of reasons, although I've been lurking the responses.
I do not have what I consider a distorted body image now, but I well remember the days when I did. It's been the work of my adult lifetime to shake off not only the self-criticism and comparison with ostensible "ideal", but also simply the self-analysis. My body is what it is, and what I pay attention to far more is its athletic capabilities, and how good I'm feeling physically as opposed to how good I might be looking.
In all candor, I sincerely believe women are their own worst enemies AND each others' when it comes to the body self image game. I have never lost my absolute astonishment over the fact that people seem to think discussion about one's physique, its attributes, faults, what have you, are considered appropriate conversation. Not only pointed comments directed to the woman herself, but also discussions ABOUT that person in print or other conversation. One thing I always find very distressing, and distasteful, are the threads here on the Cathe forums that deconstruct the physiques of Cathe and her crew.
Further, I can recite chapter and verse the pointed comments and harsh criticisms about my physique in my formative years, my teen years especially . . . and they almost all came from my mother, my older sister, my aunt, female teachers, women all. I think we as women need to look very carefully at how we speak to each other and about each other. And women with daughters need to examine themselves very closely, to determine what messages their sending their daughters not only with their spoken comments but with their own self-absorption about their physiques. Children indeed learn what they live, especially from their same-sex parent.
I do not believe it has to be this way. I think we have choices in what we choose to accept, reject and/or internalize in terms of what we value, or simply pay attention to, in our lives. It's not always easy, but it is possible to break away from body-image obsession, and simply live our lives accepting ourselves for who we are.
A-Jock