beauty standards

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Can you be considered fabulous when you’re fat?

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Several days ago I came across a show with a woman crying during an interview. She was crying because she was talking about how people make fun of her for being over weight. I immediately stayed on the channel to learn more about this woman. What I learned in that one hour gave me confidence in myself that I desperately needed.

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Hair We Go Again

Manscaping

Body hair, almost everyone has it. Some more than others and in more places too. But when did body hair become a symbol for unhygienic, dirty, and gross? There used to be a time when body hair on both men and women was completely normal. Men had hairy chests and women left their pubic hair in its natural state. But today both of those are big no – no’s in society. Continue reading →

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show: Message or Just for the Show
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Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show: Message or Just for the Show

Is there a message being giving in the Victoria Secrets Fashion Show or is it just a show we should sit back and admire, or look to buy?

The Victoria Secrets Fashion Show 2014 currently aired yesterday for the 13th time on national television. It is one of the United States largely viewed fashion shows and is broadcast annually.  The show features many slender and nothing short of tall and fabulous women. Now the models and designers have been working all year round and about $2.5 million goes to charity.The designers construct the over-the-top glamorous wings and costumes for the models to strut their stuff down the lit up and animated stage. And for the models, a constant hunger strike to keep their body whipped in shape. Not a ounce of fat to be seen by the viewers on t.v or the anxious fans who paid $25,000 for a front view seat. Maybe hunger strike is to aggressive of a phrase to describe these women’s actions, but from my (admitted) bias views I wouldn’t know what else to call it. They eat very tiny to no carbs for most of their life and being “perfectly” skinny is their life career. Don’t get me wrong, I highly believe it is a fun and glamorous job and I understand why people would aspire to gain that position. I shop at Victoria’s Secret, faithfully supporting them on their over priced items, as well as watch the show annually.

Even with my love for the Victoria’s Secret/PINK line, is there something they are trying to tell us? Along with the harmless glamour, is there an underlining message or are they only selling to us and no fuss should be made? Regardless of their “harmless” fashion, the facts of mostly Caucasian and extremely skinny women can not pass my mind. I am on the fence with my opinion because showcasing their product on mannequin sized women for a “nicer” appearance tells us how are bodies should look or what we should be aspiring. Or would that be making a big deal out of just a fashion show. I just feel as a company looking to pursue women (even those who are not size 2 considering they sell large sizes), they should appeal to more type of women from different ethnic backgrounds and shapes/sizes. Because to me they are blindly supporting a “right body acceptance issue.”

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Bodies, Self-Esteem, and Sex in “My Mad Fat Diary”

trigger warning: weight, body image, self-hate, suicide mention

Recently, actress Sharon Rooney who plays Rae Earl on the UK TV show My Mad Fat Diary announced that the show is returning for a third season. MMFD is allll about bodies. Rae Earl is the protagonist of the show, a fat sixteen-year-old girl dealing with not only her weight and low self-esteem but also with mental illness. She has a tough push-and-pull relationship with her mother, and a father that is out of the picture.

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A gruesome comment that filled me with rage

It’s amazing how you can get along quite well with someone until you realize they proudly blurt out their views that make you want to instantly kick them where it hurts.

I’m known generally as the nicest person in the world. I hate conflict, and when I’m in a conversation with someone, I feel an incredibly strong obligation to smile and listen. Last week I had an extremely gigantic exception.

I was racing onto campus from work to go to the Michael Brown discussion in the Women’s Center when I encountered one of my classmates from History. We both laughed about how last minute we are when it comes to writing papers, and all was fine and good, until he said:

“Did you see the protestors up there for Ferguson?” I had no idea he meant it in a bad way.

I immediately got excited that there were protestors and asked where they were, and that’s when he snapped and exclaimed:

“What are you excited for?! My brother is a cop, and he has to deal with this stuff all of the time! I’m tired of people calling racism. It’s annoying. It’s not like black people are slaves anymore. They have their freedom, they just need to move on.”

In the midst of his “argument,” I immediately snapped, and yelled “You don’t know what the f*** you’re talking about! You have no f******* idea!”And proceeding to race to the Women’s Center with tears drowning from my face.

Did he assume I’d agree with him because I was white? Did he really believe I’d go along with his absurd comments? It made me lose a lot of hope for my generation until I made it to the Women’s Center and found people as outraged as I was, and had sophisticated arguments as well as insightful thoughts. I didn’t feel so hopeless and alone after that, but it did make me realize more than ever that there is still a fight to be won. We are still in a society that holds particular standards for race, beauty, wealth, and power. We need people to get angry and aware if we want to be and see changes in our country. Until then, I hope that guy in my history class knows why I went from nice to outraged in .00006 seconds right in his face.