Reply #30: I agree with pckelly here

[Nikki Stone1]

And I would further add that the desire for skinny skinny women is not usually a hetero male trait under normal conditions. Studies have shown that, left to his own devices, the hetero male likes curves and a little body fat (most likely because both indicate fertility traits. A too skinny woman may not be menstrating or be able to carry a pregnancy to term.) In our current culture, males are discouraged from these normal desires and directed toward the super skinny by media images and the idea of the "never too rich or too thing" upper class woman. I have a study on computer at home that says pretty much the same thing about gay women.

I think from looking at those photos on the NY Times website that the purpose of the super skinny male is not just about weight--it's about feminizing the guy or making him weak, gamine like.