It's been a long time since I had any serious issues with self-conciousness and body image. I think people of both genders are quite capable of being crude and/or thoughtless. Men who find one attractive sometimes are crude not because of who we are, but because of who they are or how they wish to see us. Sometimes, too, it's just a lack of finess on a fella's part.

No matter what you look like, it's possible to have a phase in your life when you're over-concerned about the image you project. I saw an interview with Christie Brinkley where she talked about feeling horrified that her butt looked huge in a Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. I don't think a female-form-appreciating person anywhere in North America thought there was a damned thing wrong with her size or proportions. For an assortment of reasons she later attributed to things going on in her life, she didn't calm down and come to appreciate her appearance in those photos for several months.

In terms of women and catty comments, it's regrettable but true that many women have a poor concept of sisterhood. More than a few women compete with other attractive women by trying to drag them down, start mean-spirited labels for them and just plain shake their confidence. Mum always taught me that people with real class rise above it.

If you like the way you look, wear it proudly and never mind the opinions of others. (Except the special people who've earned the right to comment on your appearance).

My rule is: if 3 people, independent and unrelated to one another make the same sort of comment about something, - "What's with your hair lately, Juls. You look like you slept in a barn," -it's *possibly* worth considering. Those are the only circumstances under which I allow any negative feedback about my looks to suck up my time.