"Women's Bodies and Beauty Ideals" & "The More You Subtract the More You Add"

Beauty Ideals.

Who shapes beauty ideals, and what exactly is the "real" definition of beauty? These questions were the very first things that came to my mind when I read this article. Of course there are different ways that beauty can be nterpreted. Beauty is defined by one's culture or even by the dominant industries within one's society. We can recognize that mainly, beauty is gendered female. There is an endless amount of magazines and beauty products for women which will supposedly help them "better themselves". Women have made themselves into commodities, always looking for ways to be in the best condition.

Why buy in so easily? I feel like the beauty industry creates standards of beauty that we can never attain. No one will ever have the perfect hair, the perfect eye makeup, the perfect skin, the perfect body type -- no one will ever have "perfectness". Even traits that women supposedly should have can conflict with eachother. I admit, I sometimes get confused about what I'm supposed to act like or look like.

"Girls are put into a terrible double bind. They are supposed to repress their
power, their anger, their exuberance and be simply 'nice,' although they also
eventually must compete with men in the business world and be successful. They
must be overtly sexy and attractive but essentially passive and virginal." (133)

I also think about what the beauty ideals for guys are. They have to be the tall, dark, and handsome stereotype who portrays themselves as very masculine. These ideals have boxed us all in. I think it is already really hard to resist the stereotypes though. There is so much that has been ingrained into my thinking through different channels like television and magazines (which I find recreation in) throughout the years. I think being more aware of these issues and what they mean for us is helpful to shape how we view beauty.

Domestic Violence (Penguin Atlas of Women of the World)

After reading some of the facts about domestic violence in the Penguin Atlas of Women of the World text, it made me wonder why? I know that 'why' is a very powerful question, and the answer isn't always easy to find because there could be an endless amount of possible answers, but I couldn't help pondering the question.

From what we've learned so far, the statistics could be influenced by the gender expectations of the specific culture and area one is in. Like we observed in the movie "Tough Guise", males have to portray a tough exterior to fit into what is expected of them in some cultures. It seems like it makes it okay to be agressive and in control because that is what is expected. Some guys feel like they have to be in control and dominant over another person, most often over women. I wish I knew the thought process of the mind of an abuser to get an understanding of why, and possibly think of ways to combat it.

Another part of me also questions the other aspect of domestic violence. Sometimes we only think of it as women being abused and males abusing them. What happens when it is the opposite, with a woman abusing her husband or male spouse? Or also, if a man abuses his male partner or a woman abusing her female partner. What are the numbers behind those occurences, and what help would they be able to get? When men are abused, it's hard for them to admit to it because of having to portray a tough exterior. Tough men aren't supposed to be abused by a woman. Who helps them?

Beauty (The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World 52-53)

"International beauty contests promote and export white, Western standard of
beauty. Globalization is accelerating the adoption of these standards around the
world." (52)

When I was younger, I used to watch the broadcast of beauty pageants like Miss World and Miss Universe with my mom. I would always end up wishing I looked like a pageant contestant and would find myself putting more effort into the way I looked in the days after watching these contests. Now that I think about it, I wonder why in the world I would go and do that. I bought into the ideas of beauty that I was watching on television! I wanted to be thinner, stand taller, have my hair done, bat the longest lashes I could, and pretty much look like the girls in the pageant. The media, world wide, portrays these kind of traits as desirable and then it becomes the norm when we think about beauty.

Standards exist everywhere. When I watch TFC (The Filipino Channel) with my mom at home, I can't help but notice the way the women are portrayed. All of the dramas on that channel show women who have long , shiny, straight hair, very fair skin and are thin. Many of the older women in my family tune into this channel and I've noticed how they view lighter skin and straight hair as more beautiful. I naturally have a darker skin tone and wavy hair but I find myself staying out of the sun when I can and straightening my hair so that they can view me as beautiful too. Then, it confuses me when people admire me for being tan and having wavier hair. Maybe it's just me, but I just can't help feeling like I can never keep up with these things.

Love Feminism but Where's my Hip-Hop?

Let's face it, hip-hop culture is continually expanding and continues gaining popularity. Take a look at your own social circles. How many people you know are fans of the music, clothing, or swagger of hip-hop? Hip-hop is becoming a way of life -- slang keeps evolving and has become its own language; hip-hop inspired clothing and style has become a way for people to express themselves.

Like other cultures, the hip-hop culture is very male dominated. From producers to the artists themselves, men seem to be in charge. These male artists continue making music dealing with sex, drugs, money, and fame. I lose track of how many songs degrade women and support a patriarchal and materialistic society. Terms like "ho" have been used so freely in mainstream hip-hop that it has been desensitized (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUq1hWELKd0). I've noticed a lot of younger kids using these terms, oblivious to the significance of it. It bothers me to think of what other offensive terms will be desensitized next.

Also, in a lot of the hip-hop music videos, women make appearances, but not in a way that empowers them. Women in these videos are merely objects who serve a purpose to be eye candy for the male audience. Female bodies are put in the backgrounds to shake and wear almost nothing. Younger females see these images that they feel that guys are in to and these girls buy into it. Some attempt to imitate it, and it becomes popular to do so. It amazes me how hip-hop easily influences.

In the article, it is mentioned how femists have been able to take a stand in their music. Salt n Pepa, for example, have empowered themselves with their song lyrics. The way in which some of these female artists empower themselves, though, is through their sex appeal. I mean, it is good that they are finding empowerment, but to have to resort to using sex appeal to do so seems to take away from what they are trying to do. Sometimes, What is it with this obsession over sex, drugs, money, and fame? What about the other things in life. I feel like I've grown a deeper appreciation for the artists who are breaking boundaries. I like the artists who are talking about other topics and the female artists empowering themselves.


Can't Hold Us Down -- Christina Aguilera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0bjiyvWqb4