Today I stumbled upon a youtube video of Judy Garland singing with Barbara Streisand, which somehow led my curious self to read up on Judy Garland's life. It amazed me how this beautiful woman struggled with self-doubt her entire life, much of it brought on by outside forces. She wasn't pretty enough, studio execs said, so they made minor changes to make her look better. After years of putting up with that, it is very clear she bought into it. (studio execs also made her take drugs in order to handle the rigourous schedule they put her through, which led to her drug addictions, yet another problem in the entertainment world).
I also was pondering on a recent article that my roommates and I were discussing from the Daily Universe (http://universe.byu.edu/node/9273), which basically says that men know within seconds whether or not they are attracted to you, and it is completely based on how pretty your face is.
The connection of these two items, and my problems with them are these: society is constantly attacking a woman's self esteem. If a woman like Judy Garland could feel ugly and not good enough, then what about the rest of us? If men indeed know if they are attracted to somebody within seconds, then what does that mean to the MANY of us women who are not being asked out? I have an issue with this. I know many women who will never be compared to Judy Garland, who might never make a photo shoot, or who will never be a size 4. But, these same women are still absolutely beautiful. Their smiles, their eyes, their curves, the mere fact that they are a woman is beautiful. And this is why - God made them. I see in every one of the women in my life a beautiful daughter of God. He made them attractive on BOTH the inside AND the outside. Just because no man is asking them out does not mean their face is not attractive enough, or that they need to fix something - it simply means that the right man has not come around.
So, to all the women out there who sometimes feel ugly, inferior, are self-conscious about some aspect of their body - tell yourself that you are beautiful. Who cares about all those critics? Look where it landed Judy Garland - a drug overdose. Its Satan who wants us to think less of ourselves. Those wrinkles around your eyes? They are beautiful, because they are earned by years of laughter. The rolls around your stomach? Beautiful, because they are evidence that you are real. The frizzy, uncooperative hair? Beautiful, because it shows that you live life and don't stop just because its raining.
Be happy, because you are beautiful. And I'm not just saying that in vague terms - I know each of the women who read my blog, and I KNOW that you are beautiful.
Lets all eat ice-cream and watch the song Beautiful Girl from Singin in the Rain to celebrate being beautiful. And then swoon over Gene Kelly, just because we can.
also lets listen to TLC's "Unpretty"
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Emily.
For this very reason I've set the goal to not look in any full length mirrors this summer. I feel a million times better.
We can also remain hopeful because men aren't all attracted to the same things.
here's another really good post on the subject:
http://www.yesandyes.org/2010/04/your-surrender-is-significant.html
Amen. Although, there is one line that I disagree with. Every girl can be a size 4...they just might have to develop an eating disorder to get there. It's ridiculous what some women do to fit society's standards of what beauty is.
ReplyDeleteAnd lets listen to Christina's "I am Beautiful" song.
Isn't it kinda creepy how that guy is looking at her in the article? It's making me feel uncomfortable watching him check her out.
ReplyDeleteAlso, they talk about it is genetics. That we are programmed, or evolved, to like women because of an ancient instinct to be attracted to women for fertility. Didn't they worship larger women for that very reason?
I think that media has decided what is beautiful. They have programmed us. I say us because I don't think that it is just men, but women as well. I may be off base, but I've felt that girls are the same way. A girl thought that we shouldn't date because I was "not tall enough for her." Whether we like to hear it or not, we all make judgements upon the appearance of others.
I do really appreciate this post Emily. I agree that all women are beautiful. I think we don't take the time to see that beauty though. We just make snap judgements, and I'm sorry for that. It is important thought that we don't change who we are. That we don't give into the pressure of society and that we just strive to be ourselves. Beauty comes from imperfection. As an artist I've discovered that it becomes really difficult to make the perfect piece of work. The mistakes make it something special and unique.
“It explains [men] but it certainly doesn’t justify them,” Taylor said.
ReplyDeletebest line from the article. so true.