The New Intimacy

What terms would you prefer to describe people of less weight?

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Contributor: Kayla Kayla
I write reviews all the time (as you guys know), and I'm also a plus-size woman. As such, I tend to seem to have a slight bad attitude towards most skinny models placed on packaging. However, in the effort of fairness, I don't want to project that view during reviews, and I'm wondering if the terms I'm using are doing that.

I've thought about saying "normal-sized woman", but these packaging models regularly are. And thus, this poll. I want to know what people consider to be the least bad-intention term. I usually use "skinny" or "thin", but I've heard people say that it's offensive much like the term "fat" would be to some.
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
Skinny
38
Thin
123
Small
35
Tiny
7
Twig
6
Supermodel weight
3
Lanky
1
Other
26
Total votes: 239 (153 voters)
Poll is closed
09/05/2010
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Contributor: kck kck
I think it depends on the person being described. I am 5' and have a small frame. Obviously, I would not describe myself as lanky. I don't like it when people call me skinny, because that's just how I am, it's my natural self. To me, "skinny" is like skin and bones / emaciated, not necessarily thin. My preferred term is petite.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
I'm thin - 5'3" 105 lbs - and don't find any of the terms above offensive.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
Quote:
Originally posted by kck
I think it depends on the person being described. I am 5' and have a small frame. Obviously, I would not describe myself as lanky. I don't like it when people call me skinny, because that's just how I am, it's my natural self. To me, ... more
Petite means short, not thin. Many people don't know this.
09/05/2010
Contributor: kck kck
Quote:
Originally posted by Tuesday
Petite means short, not thin. Many people don't know this.
In French, yes, it means short. But in American English it can also mean thin: link

I am both, so petite is what I prefer
09/05/2010
Contributor: SydVicious SydVicious
Quote:
Originally posted by Tuesday
Petite means short, not thin. Many people don't know this.
That's what I was going to say. Example: Petite jeans have a shorter inseam than average or tall jeans, but you can still buy petite jeans in plus sizes.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
Quote:
Originally posted by SydVicious
That's what I was going to say. Example: Petite jeans have a shorter inseam than average or tall jeans, but you can still buy petite jeans in plus sizes.
Yes. When it comes to clothing, inseams are where you see that term.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Coralbell Coralbell
I would use thin. Skinny sounds a bit negative, but not to the point that it's actually offensive. Twig sounds like an insult. Small or tiny make me think short as well as thin and lanky would be someone who is tall and thin.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Tuesday Tuesday
Quote:
Originally posted by Coralbell
I would use thin. Skinny sounds a bit negative, but not to the point that it's actually offensive. Twig sounds like an insult. Small or tiny make me think short as well as thin and lanky would be someone who is tall and thin.
Skinny doesn't sound negative to me. I've been referred to as skinny all my life without it being meant as an insult. I've only been called that in positive ways. I don't think anyone has called me a twig, but I don't think it would bother me.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Sir Sir
Every body type is different. There's a difference between small, skinny, thin, lanky, etc. So I use all of the above, mostly, other than the twig and supermodel options (I've never used those references). But thin, skinny, lanky, yes, depending on their body type.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
I like slender.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Rockin' Rockin'
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
I like slender.
I was just about to say slender! I second this wholeheartedly and I don't think I've ever heard it in a negative way. But that's just me.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Kayla Kayla
Quote:
Originally posted by Carrie Ann
I like slender.
I think I kinda like slender. I'm not sure if it portrays those of below-average weight though. I still think I'll use it.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Carrie Ann Carrie Ann
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
I think I kinda like slender. I'm not sure if it portrays those of below-average weight though. I still think I'll use it.
Willowy?
09/05/2010
Contributor: ToyTimeTim ToyTimeTim
Quote:
Originally posted by Kayla
I think I kinda like slender. I'm not sure if it portrays those of below-average weight though. I still think I'll use it.
I like slender, it seems the best term of those given.
09/05/2010
Contributor: PassionQT PassionQT
I'll use the word "trim" sometimes.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Well I answered thin or small, but now seeing Carrie Ann's suggestion of slender I think that would be good too.

I never thought of anything negative about thin though..hmm. Skinny I can see since skinny sometimes makes people think of people who are so thin that they seem malnourished.
09/05/2010
Contributor: buzzvibe buzzvibe
I don't consider any of the above words offensive. However, to me lanky means tall and thin in an awkward, Lurch-from-the-Addams- family way. I'm not a big fan of twig either since it has dead and weak connotations for me. But that's just my own personal whatever.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
I say skinny or thin. When it comes to my guy friends who are underweight I jokingly call them twigs or toothpicks. All in good fun, though.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Not here Not here
I prefer thin. I am what I describe as "thin and curvy"- I have big boobs (34D) and a big ass and curvy hips, but a thin waist. I HATE when people call me skinny. I actually get offended, because I consider skinny to be an adjective describing people who are skin and bones, people that you want to tell to go eat a sandwich. I know that I am a healthy weight, and if someone calls me skinny, I feel like they're telling me I should eat something.

That's just my opinion, though.
09/05/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Thin or Trim or Slender would be the best. Lanky denotes tall and thin, usually with long arms and legs. I usually reserve this for men, young girls and young dogs and horses.

Petite (or small) women can be curvy, we're not all "thin." Petite simply means "under 5 ft 3 and short waisted, Between a size 0 and 16." I'm usually a "Petite 10" (sometimes a Petite 8 or 12, depending) when I can get petites in the stuff I am buying, which means it fits my short arms, short legs and lack of body height.
09/05/2010
Contributor: Liz Liz
I think "thin" or "slender" are the bset. I absolutely hate "skinny."
09/05/2010
Contributor: SexyySarah SexyySarah
I think "small" or "thin" possibly even "slender".
09/06/2010
Contributor: Naughty Student Naughty Student
I like the word slender

I am average, I have curves. Some people may say I am skinny but I don't think I am. Either way none of the terms used up in the poll are insulting to me.
09/06/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
I might use any of the above depending on the person I'm describing. The only times I find things offensive is when people refer to thinner women as "normal" or women with curves as "real" women compared to thinner women. To me the descriptors you've chosen are just that--a way to describe someone. On the other hand, saying someone is "normal" or "real" is a rude comparison. Make sense?
09/06/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
I'm 5'2 and weigh roughly 100 pounds, and honestly, I don't find any of those terms to really be all that offensive. I mean, if they were meant in an offensive context then, yes, I might have a problem, but still. When I do my lingerie reviews I tend to stick with "smaller framed" and "larger framed" because I don't want to offend anybody that might happen to be a different size than myself.
09/06/2010
Contributor: LikeSunshineDust LikeSunshineDust
I'm 5'4"ish and 125ish lbs and I've been called skinny (I'm not) and been offended by it. I guess I prefer to be called thin or average.
09/06/2010
Contributor: Avant-garde Avant-garde
Typically I think thin, skinny or supermodel size.
09/06/2010
Contributor: PurpleBerry PurpleBerry
Slender or thin
09/14/2010
Contributor: Eden C. Eden C.
It depends. Some people work hard to be skinny, so the terms, "skinny," "bony," etc. are compliments. Then there are people who try as they might to gain weight and cannot, and I think they may prefer euphemisms like "small".
03/02/2011