The following was written by my friend, Taylore. I love what she says here. We have all built our lives around what has been dictated to us. Even I, in trying to fight the norm, have built who I am around these views. Wow, reading this really makes me think... and cringe... and wonder why we do it.


have you ever read The Beauty Myth? I don't agree w/ all of it.. but it points out some interesting things about the way "beauty" is portrayed in advertising.. she talks a lot about the irony of the fact that women who are emaciated, unhealthy, probably not ovulating and unable to bear children due to their frame are projected as the "ideal" for the female...gaunt, weak, and easily overpowered. Lots of advertising has successfully convinced healthy women they must alter their bodies in a clearly unhealthy way in order to be 'perfect.' At a time when women are living longer, able to be more active, are attaining more and more power, they are at the same time putting their bodies in physical danger by cutting and invading them forbreast implants, liposuction, face lifts etc...starving their bodies.. and this somehow dignifies us, allows us to feel we are more desired and acceptable to society?? I try to remind myself of that when I start to feel 'victimized' by society's ideals.. inreality, I'm no victim.. It's my job to makedecisions/self-evaluations that aren't influenced by the mass media's RETARDED ploys to makeme buy more products. Blah. have you ever read The Beauty Myth? I don't agree w/ all of it.. but it points out some interesting things about the way "beauty" is portrayed in advertising.. she talks a lot about the irony of the fact that women who are emaciated, unhealthy, probably not ovulating and unable to bear children due to their frame are projected as the "ideal" for the female...gaunt, weak, and easily overpowered. Lots of advertising has successfully convinced healthy women they must alter their bodies in a clearly unhealthy way in order to be 'perfect.' At a time when women are living longer, able to be more active, are attaining more and more power, they are at the same time putting their bodies in physical danger by cutting and invading them forbreast implants, liposuction, face lifts etc...starving their bodies.. and this somehow dignifies us, allows us to feel we are more desired and acceptable to society?? I try to remind myself of that when I start to feel 'victimized' by society's ideals.. inreality, I'm no victim.. It's my job to makedecisions/self-evaluations that aren't influenced by the mass media's RETARDED ploys to makeme buy more products. Blah.