Develop a thick skin or else...

I and some of my female mates at work were discussing the Dove campaign. for the blokes amongst you, the concept is all about inner beauty and that it shouldn't matter how thin or fat you are, you can still be beautiful....and have high self esteeem.

ANYWAY - it just doesn't work out here. First of all the dove ad out here is using women who are sized 10 or 12 not the rather bigger sized ladies in the UK ad. And also the chinese women are don't really get the concept. Their view is - ' how could those women let themselves get that fat'

Basically the chinese are very frank indeed - when it comes to looks.

here are a few conversations my friends have told me about: (they've been on the receiving end)

' they played guess how much Diana weighs' - Chinese 'friends' at a dinner party. Diana is a respectable size 10/12 ish UK

' are you happy looking like that?' like what? - 'so fat' - tailor to my colleague Nicola, a toned statuesque marathon runner -

and tonight I overhead a hilarious comment by a middle aged chinese business men to an American female colleague - you face isn't so fat - (strokes his cheeks) are you tired or have you been working hard?? She looked quite shocked - and sad to say I didn't hear her response - in fact I think she was too stunned for words.

and the final one - a girl in my team had a new haircut and she wasn't sure about it. She asked another girl in my team about it for reassurance - and instead of it, got the comment - yes it does make your face look fatter, I am not surprised your husband doesn't like it!

So when I come back - you better tell me if it is rubbing off on me.