I remember all the hubbub about the book back when it came out in 2007, but I had no idea the author created a whole web presence/social media presence complete with a forum and support groups.
The whole website is so over the top I have to laugh.
Now, I'll admit that I haven't read the book, but I understand the author's brand identity is all about moving away from the American behavior "Oh, I'm too tired too cook, I'll eat fast food and then spend 3 hours in the gym tomorrow" to a more wholesome eating and exercising outlook. And that's great.
But the website has French words peppered in the English just to make things sound fancy (the newsletter sign up is "Stay au courant"), and there are things like:
In Paris, rollerblading en masse seems to continue sans interruption on weekends through the winter.
What it Means to Move Like a French Woman: "American women seem to have two modes: sitting or spinning. French women prefer the gentler, more regular varieties of all-day movement—"the slow burn" in American terms."Not sure my colleagues who meet at the pool each Wednesday to do water aerobics together and compare diet tips would agree.
Mireille's Ultimate Accessories What This French Woman Can't Live Without: "Watches1) Does she realize Breitling is a luxury brand, and way out of the price range of most people? 2) I can't say that I've ever noticed French women wearing the watch face on the inside of the wrist. I feel like most people don't wear watches anymore, so this perhaps deserves some more observation.
I love my Breitling. I don't always wear a watch, but sometimes I must, and I appreciate how important watches are to some people and how much they are noticed. The model I wear is Callistino. When it comes to watches, I was raised to trust the Swiss. Breitling is a family company that only makes the best. I usually wear it the French way, that is with the dial on the palm side of my wrist and the bracelet on top of my wrist so it looks like I am actually wearing a fancy bracelet. I also find wearing it this way facilitates discreet glances at the time."
French Cinema: I’m happy to report that French cinema is making a comeback, and I enjoyed more films the past two years than I have in a long time.1) Wait, there was a specific period when French cinema was in trouble or not producing good films? Or is this a comparison to the 60's new wave movement? 2) No date is mentioned anywhere, so what two years are you thinking of?
Enough trash talking though. What bothers me the most about this kind of website is that it feeds into a stereotype of French women as chic fashionistas who have a glamorous career and are still sexy for their husbands and have found the perfect work-life balance. And also the stereotype of France as still being something like it looks in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort. And while I'm the first to say I appreciate the French relationship with food, cuisine, and "convivialité" more than the American relationship, the website only presents a white, bourgeois, and a bit fantastic (as in being a fantasy) way of living.
What the author is selling looks really amazing on the outside (eat what you want but stay thin, look chic, have a stylish life), but if you scratch the surface a lot of it is anti-feminist and even a bit "réac". There's not much room in her French Women's Manifesto for anyone who is financially unstable, a minority, or something other than cis-gender heterosexual. France is made up of a lot of different people, and from my lunch room experiences with colleagues, dieting and exercise is not taboo like the author makes it out to be (though granted they're not dealt with the same way as by American women). It's a shame multiple books and the website are perpetuating such a narrow idea of France and French women.
2 comments:
I agree, so many stereotypes are just ridiculous. I had the same feeling reading a book writing by an American who admires the way French raise their kids. While the idea is interesting, the book didn't depict real French life at all... nannies, rich people and giant apartments are not exactly what every French family enjoys!
Hehe, I think I'll check out the site for sone entertainment later! I picked up a second hand copy of the book a while back and it really annoyed me. As you say, the basic premise is sound- French women are less likely to get fat because they eat well and so are satisfied with smaller portions. But she lost me at the point when she suggested champagne and oysters as typical little treats.
I'll do a surge you today of French and non-French watch-wearing habits and report back!
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