I think this is a wonderful custom for Isreal. I applaud them for not feeding the foolishness that thin equals beautiful. If only the USA might consider this pageant.....one can always hope.

Great. Another excuse for people to spam. I've enjoyed average figures (estimating between 140-160lbs). Some of it is a reflection of my mother, but also because I don't like getting bruises from simply hugging a skinny woman.
Designers recently exposed that the reason for skinny models is that they fit the art. Apparently designers don't want to waste money on more fabric to make art that's actually wearable. If they wanted to make walking art, they should hire a robotics engineer to make them a life-size stick-man (you know, the kind kids draw).

don't click on Alex's link! Its a virus!!

Why is it that just because some people are "fat", that they are considered to eat "healthy" or more than people who are "skinny". I've seen "skinny" people put down more food that two "fat people put together. So don't assume that just because you see someone fat that that's all they do is eat.

"And, apparently, she's not afraid of eating well."

I hope Lesley Kennedy doesn't think she's a real writer. With back-handed comments like these in her superficial, trivial posts, I think we all know why the Rocky Mountain News went under while she was Fashion Editor there.

Only 3 out of 9 comments on this article are non-spam. Hopefully that should make it clear to Lesley Kennedy how meaningless her career is.

Apparently, the fashion industry in the US still hasn't quite caught up to Israel in terms of openness to and tolerance of all shapes and sizes. Judging from Lesley Kennedy's glib, mean-spirited remarks, it's obvious that she has no interest in helping Americans become more enlightened about the diverse forms that beauty can take.

Yep, just what the world needs, to praise women for being unhealthy. Wonderful.

I find a flaw with this article. Under the photograph of the crown it is claimed that this pageant does not discriminate, however, the content of the article and the rules of the pageant itself are quite contradictory to this claim. A woman has to weigh at least 176 lbs to enter this pageant. This criterion is clearly discriminatory to any woman under 176 pounds.

I do not think that it is a wise idea to applaud women who are obese. It is fine if you are a helathy weight, I don't like super skinny either. But any extreme is going to be bad. I am a woman who does struggle with weight, however I have never been over or under the healthy weight for my height. I think that to put it in a pageant that skinny or fat is okay is not a good role model for our youth.

I have seen so many (as I live in the city) fat women that are fat rude disgusting and foul mouthed with babies. Ugh! That is not to take away from a heavy woman who is nice, pretty and has it together. It just seems some just use it as an excuse to be a fat slob. But good for the pageant and those who enjoy all it entails.

I am overweight and I find nothing, absolutely nothing attractive about being overweight. Fat is ugly. Rolls on your body are ugly and disgusting. Flab is disgusting. So, PLEASE do not pretend that it is attractive to be overweight; it is not. And, it is also not attractive to be anorexic. I have NO interest in seeing either reveared in the press for any reason. All skin and bones is unhealthy and disgusting; all fat and hanging over flab is unhealthy and disgusting. Let's not pretend that fat is beautiful - it is not.

I weigh about 200lbs and you'd never know it. I just had my first kill, so yeah, I have alittle flab from that. But prior to that I was in the military and the majority of my weight was muscle. I was wearing a size 4 and weighed 160, but I'm also 5'8. Now I wear a size 9 and I look fine. Sure, I am in the process of losing the weight but I'm not going to overdo myself with starvation tactics and exercise that makes me too tired to play with my baby. You have to take what the scale says with a grain of salt, because there are other things that factor in. But the mirror, that will say it all.

Okay, let's give awards to those women who are "fat and beautiful". Are there also awards for "the worst diabetes" "the worst case of heart disease" "The worst joint pain from having to carry excess weight" ? I'm not saying thin is gorgeous but I am willing to say that overweight is tragic and sad. We should have healthy pagents where women are at safe, strong, and healthy weights and can run a mile on their own.

so now being at greater risk for heart disease and diabetes is something to be proud of......riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. that makes sense.

Who wants to see a bunch of FAT sweaty blubbery slobs strut their sagging flesh across a stage

what is this high school? for all of u who are making fun of this competition u need to bring ur high school drama somewhere else. I think its great that theyre not making this about being a picture perfect magazine look competition. Whoever said its not healthy for our kids. Well when your kid is not skinny mini and doesn't look like a magazine picture, depression isn't healthy either. Do your job as a parent to keep ur kid healthy and dont worrry about the media. Also if ur gonna judge ur child by weight then ur not healthy either.

This is great to see more and more pageants like that are opened to the non-typical standard in women. Like the Miss Goddess® International Pageant. It was designed to change the face of the modeling, pageant, and beauty industry; by attempting to create a successfully unique and brilliant pageant system for women who are often over-looked. You have to be at least a size 12 or greater to enter!

Check it out at http://goddesspageants.webs.com