I’m a 50+yr old aussie male, an ex’ and a parent, and somewhat overweight of course, like most of my ilk.
However, I have been a keen observer of the female of my species for 40 odd years now. I live in a tropical city with a large tourist industry, and so I get to see quite a cross-section of them, gee it’s tough, due to the climate they tend not to rug up.
The great trade-mark of the senior male has always been the “beer-belly”, or pot-belly as it’s known elsewhere. Nowadays, it seems to me, this is becoming more characteristic of the young female, not as gross, more of a pot-bellette. I’m sure it was nowhere near as common years ago, but perhaps it’s a matter of perception?
It is noticeable, many males here discuss the phenomenon. Perhaps it’s always been there, just the costumary hid it, perhaps it’s a side-effect of our society’s trend towards obesity? The odd thing about it is that it seems to be a largely female thing, the guys of that age group tend to either have a normal physique without one, or are just overall overweight. A long-term side-effect of continual use of the pill?
Wadda ya reckon?

i think you oughta get a life
and stop judging women by your own standards.

Maximiliion: << ...perhaps it’s a matter of perception? >>

Yes, I think so.

Sheesh! And I think you ought to go to an Art Gallery or look at magazines from pre-1960's, or call up great sculpture on the 'Net, or not just the Great Masters but, again, pre-1960 artists, painters and photographers.

Well Max you put your foot in it wipe your shoes.
Or did you? I am without shame early sixty's but feeling 30.
And on a diet, the beer gut will be the last to go but go it will.
If you look, truly look, over weight is not sex specific.
For too many years I lied to myself, its only once, I deserve it, it won't hurt.
And grabbed that bag two pies because lunch did not happen and the chips and something on the way home,e.
Take it from me, fat people never face the truth.
And telling a woman she is fat is looking for trouble, if its true more trouble.
We eat too much, we drink too much, we say live well and forget the future till we understand today is the future our only assured future.
And most importantly we use food for comfort and to help with stress and depression, if we talk about it we just one day do as I have, turn that stubbornness into a refusal not to change the way we eat.

Whistler, that was a meaningless statement, even by your standards.
The rest, you seem to have missed my point altogether, I was not commenting on women’s overall physique, or women in general, just the apparent prevalence of the “pot-petite” among the younger set, and/or their willingness to display it. I knew there’d be sensitivities touched, but was hoping for a more considered response. I am more familiar with the Arts than most, my mother was an art-teacher, and an artist in her own right, and I’m familiar with Rubenesque women and etc and etc.
Oh well, I suppose most here just can’t get their heads around discussing something like this without getting personal. Objectivity goes out the window when this subject is brought up.