Perceptions of Beauty

Published on April 11, 2007 By Sugar High Elf In Misc

A friend of mine posted the video seen below, and I thought it was a good example of how distorted our sense of beauty is.

I've written before about the false images of beauty that are pushed on women of all ages and how those images are damaging. Here's a quote from an article I wrote... oh, years ago: "We are sold cosmetics, hair dye, teeth whiteners, hair gel, bikini wax, diet pills, anti-wrinkle cream, lip sticks, self-help books, exercise videos and scary looking tools to make us beautiful. We are told that beauty is only skin deep, and you can buy that skin at $19.95 a bottle. We hear that beauty is pain and starve ourselves to feel that pain."

Since I wrote that, the image of beauty has only gotten harder to maintain. So few actresses, singers, or models are larger than a size 4. But it goes beyond weight -- far beyond. Perfect skin, perfect teeth, big eyes, plump lips, perfect nails, perfect hair, subtle yet striking makeup, modest yet slutty clothes -- the list, as the road, goes ever on and on. Yet, no one has all of these things. No one. As shown in the video, air brushing makes perfection possible. Does it matter if the wrinkles are brushed away from the models eyes -- even if the product is wrinkle cream? Everything can be fixed by the computer -- except the perceptions.

Fat = ugly, unpleasant, stupid? Not really. Fat doesn't even alway equal unhealthy. I'm "plus sized" and yet I can spend forty-five minutes doing a hard core elliptical workout, while the size 2 girl next to me is panting and dropping out after ten. I can probably bench press half of them. My body fat percent is actually in normal female ranges, yet I'm not healthy, but the girl starving herself must be? You can kiss my size 14 ass.

Let's face it. Beautiful perfection can only be found in the airbrushed images in the pages of a magazine. So why torture ourselves and waste money on products that don't work anyway. That new shade of lipstick is not going to make that hot guy from class walk up to me and ask me out. Some confidence and a smile might do it, but I can't actually buy those at the store. Sure, a pair of pretty panties make me add a little sway to my step (or for the southerners, some hitch to my giddy-up), but that confidence must come from me, not the clump-free, extending, thickening mascara I just bought.

Even plastic surgery does not live up to hopes. Think of it like a genie in a bottle: you make a wish, and it comes true. You wanted bigger boobs, you now have bigger boobs. However, you forgot to specify that you wanted life to get better for you when you got the bigger boobs, and the genie is a trickster, and is not going to give it to you unless you ask... and you will never ask. When women lose weight, some find that their lives improve, but others begin to question those around them. "Would he have liked me if I was still fat? Would she be so nice to me if I was still fat?" When people are suddenly nicer, does it make you feel better about yourself, or worse about humanity?

Last, I would like to leave you with this "Fat Rant" found on YouTube. Some people have responded with, "You go girl!", "Thank you so much, you really inspired me." "You're hot!" "I would totally go straight for you!" and the like as well as, "Stupid fat bitch, go purge." and "You're killing yourself because you're so fat. Fat is not ok." and "Fat is ugly and gross." I'll let you decide what you think.

Comments (Page 2)

Texas Wahine

on Apr 14, 2007

The first chick didn't impress me all that much, but the girl from the fat rant was gorgeous.

The thing is, I am not beautiful like her, so while she can be overweight and still look fab, a lot of us mere mortals can't.

I agree with you, though, that being thin isn't a magic pill that suddenly solves all life's problems.

Sugar High Elf

on Apr 14, 2007

Tex, darling, I think I speak for everyone here when I say, if you don't cut out that kind of talk, I'm going to virtually pinch you!

But the beautiful, healthy, hereditarily-challenged people need not despair. If you're confident, intelligent, and take good care of yourself, it shows through your attitude and energy level. That's the true picture of health.

That's true for everyone, I think. I've seen some pretty greasy looking skinny people in my time, yet no one feels like they have to look at that person and say, "Why doesn't she take care of herself? She's just disgusting!" If a skinny girl doesn't shower, she' just "woke up late" or something, where if a bigger girl doesn't shower, she must be a lazy slob. My freshman year roommate would go days without a shower, and no one would think anything of it. If I missed a day because I woke up late, I felt like everyone was judging me. They may not have been, but I know it felt that way. (I was, of course, judging my roomie, but she smelled and I had to live with it. eeewwww.)

JillUser

on Apr 14, 2007

And, honestly, if I saw her advertising for a pair of jeans, it would encourage me to go shop at that store.

Me too! If I see nothing but size 0 models and manequins, I walk on by. It pisses me off when they even have tiny manequins sporting the clothes at plus size stores. They have the plus size clothes all pinned up to fit the "normal" size manequin. How is that going to give a plus size person a fair representation of how they will look in the clothes?!

MasonM

on Apr 14, 2007

Yeah I posted about that video a while back myself.

I've always said, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Sugar High Elf

on Apr 14, 2007

Amen, amen, amen!

Yeah I posted about that video a while back myself.

Oops! Sorry I missed it!

I've always said, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

I suppose I should try this as my next strategy... walk up to a guy and buy him a pint... or five.

MasonM

on Apr 15, 2007

I suppose I should try this as my next strategy... walk up to a guy and buy him a pint... or five.

Usually works on me

amandapearl2

on Apr 24, 2007

I've always had 'body image' issues. Saying 'be ok with your weight' is a lot easier said than done, especially when you're a teenage girl. But I try to not let myself worry about it and focus on my health more than my weight. But I don't know if it ever goes away for anyone, not really. We all just have to realize we're all the same and that's ok.

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