the original “schönste” could be either translated to most beautiful or nicest (looking nicest [most nice?!]). but in the context of the time the modern “hottest” wouldn’t be to far fetched.
anyway, nowadays teens mature faster. so a 14 yo at that time could easily look like a 12 yo nowadays. but the sensitivities at the time were vastly different. good that we didn’t life then.
Thats not exactly true. The mean pubertal age has always persisted around 12-13, the only time that age has increased is during the industrial revolution causing a delayed sexual maturity.
Also, people can look way younger or even way older than they really are - past sexual maturity, the persons looks change dramatically.
first period earlier on average than they did in the 1950s and '60s
That is a extremely narrow scope, quite possibly interfering with heavy industrialization as stated before. The historical data therein are not really discussed; but in such narrow scope it is true that the age of menarche has gone down - its just that there is more to it.
when i wrote that i was thinking about a particular study, which was finding a correlation between food supply/shortages and onset of voice break. but for the love of God, i can’t find it now. so possible that i just hallucinated it ;)
the original “schönste” could be either translated to most beautiful or nicest (looking nicest [most nice?!]). but in the context of the time the modern “hottest” wouldn’t be to far fetched.
anyway, nowadays teens mature faster. so a 14 yo at that time could easily look like a 12 yo nowadays. but the sensitivities at the time were vastly different. good that we didn’t life then.
Thats not exactly true. The mean pubertal age has always persisted around 12-13, the only time that age has increased is during the industrial revolution causing a delayed sexual maturity.
Also, people can look way younger or even way older than they really are - past sexual maturity, the persons looks change dramatically.
https://www.npr.org/2024/06/02/nx-s1-4986075/girls-in-the-u-s-are-getting-their-period-earlier-heres-what-parents-should-know
Europe too, iirc.
That is a extremely narrow scope, quite possibly interfering with heavy industrialization as stated before. The historical data therein are not really discussed; but in such narrow scope it is true that the age of menarche has gone down - its just that there is more to it.
when i wrote that i was thinking about a particular study, which was finding a correlation between food supply/shortages and onset of voice break. but for the love of God, i can’t find it now. so possible that i just hallucinated it ;)