Oh I am So Confused

So I was recently conversing with a mother/woman (roles?)/being/person about the ideology and paradigm of beauty, health and young women. It is a dangerous subject and I don’t believe one that is easily able to be resolved.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” I don’t care how many times you remind me, yes it’s true but so what? This changes nothing.

My concerns grow as the desire to obtain the unattainable grows and consumes. The concept of beauty has changed over the past 2k years, agreed but now the question is: is what we conceptualize as beautiful even obtainable?

Here is why I ask; we know that the beauty seen on screens and even in real life is due to any or a combination of the following:

1) Crash diets

2) Starvation diets

3) Hormone replacement/supplements/steroids/prescription or OTC drugs

4) hemming

5) Push up bras

6) Plastic surgery

7) Make up

8) Tailored clothing

9) CGI

10) Photoshop

11) Lighting

12) Genetics/gene manipulation

13) Camera Tricks

14) etc, etc

So with all of the “aids” we know that what we see, well…..isnt really what we see…. But what we see, even though we may know or come to know that it is false, not real, never able to happen, we still want that…consciously/subconsciously. I have heard many a woman quickly comment that what men believe they should look like is impossible/stressful and creates/controls women to always be striving for this “look.” I retort back; do you have any idea what men have to try and obtain? You want us to be Gods, super heroes, or super human:

So, really, its kind of a two-way street. No we can all stop complaining about who has it worse. Ego aside, is there even anything we can do about it?

Well, yes I think so. We need to understand what is possible and what is not. Does that mean just lay down and be fat because we will never be rock gods and movie stars? No that isn’t exactly what we should do either. Should we do what the “fat” celebs are doing and say “just love your curves!!” No, definitely not. I think Adele or Aguilar telling girls this is the wrong thing. Why? Because they are being complete liars. They have their own stylists, tailors, make up artists and take pictures and do interviews for publications that for sure use photoshop and other CG software. So they are saying “just be beautiful ladies” but I am going to spend hours in a make up chair and allow someone to alter my “natural, just loving myself” physical appearance. And because they cannot lower the bodyfat without added stressors they say they are just going to love being big and beautiful. Im sorry but you are a complete liar and you are ruining the lives of others. Dont claim to love yourself and cover it up at the same time. That is false advertising. It is also wrong to tell any to “go ahead, be unhealthy” eat what you want, don’t worry about being fat or contracting certain diseases just “love yourself.” I agree with the last part but not under terms and conditions.

Ultimately I think that it needs to be understood that the images we strive for come with “alterations” in one sense or another. If raising young girls or boys the truth needs to be explained that what you see on the screen is “make-believe.” Always has been. Most actors go through a great amount of “training” before a movie. Well yes because their “talents” both performance and physical appearance may be on the line. Millions of dollars are at stake. Awards may be won or lost. It is a type of profession, it is art. But for the normal, everyday soccer mom or working dad reality needs to be reminded and examined. What we see on the magazine racks and in theaters is not real. Little girls need to know this and both sexes should frequently be reminded of so. There is a difference between image and health. At a point they intersect but they are ultimately separate. If you have young girls that fall victim to this false advertising please show them the following:

http://www.complex.com/style/2012/02/30-shocking-photos-of-supermodels-without-makeup/emily-didonato

http://www.thefrisky.com/photos/10-models-without-makeup/

http://www.businessinsider.com/victorias-secret-models-without-makeup-2012-12#angel-miranda-kerr-appeared-bare-faced-to-a-red-carpet-event-her-skin-is-famously-smooth-even-without-makeup-2

http://newjustin.com/2010/04/ridiculous-men-slam-models-without-makeup-louis-vuitton-jezebel/

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=0&gs_ri=hp&cp=9&gs_id=y&xhr=t&q=models+without+makeup&bpcl=39942515&biw=1093&bih=538&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&wrapid=tlif135534044704510&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=otrIUOaMCISLjAKfwYCYAg

http://jeffdlawrence.com/2011/12/23/some-thoughts-on-how-to-talk-to-little-girls/

And ask yourself this important question: