Society & It's Views On Women
I recently was accepted onto a workshop team in which we have to tell a true story designed to teach the listener about something from the speakers point of view...this is my story:
Where’s Marilyn?
In the 1950’s Marilyn Monroe was the pinnacle of American female beauty.
Marilyn was a valumptious, curvaceous blonde bombshell that men wanted and
women wanted to be like. Marilyn was a size 14.
In the past 50 years the image of a woman has changed dramatically. Even in the
last 20 years the ideal for a model has changed from Christy Brinkley’s curves to
Kate Mosse’s stick thin figure.
From before the time today’s young girls begin to define their own self-image, they
are bombarded with images of “sexy” models with styled hair, air-brushed skin and
make-up that takes hours to create for their photo shoots or fashion show runways.
Our young girls are brainwashed into thinking that society will only accept them if
they look a certain way and dress a certain way. Social cliques begin to develop
based more on style and appearance that personalities. And believe me, girls know
this.
Unfortunately, this leads many girls and woman on a cycle. They become unhappy
with their bodies because they are overweight, or see themselves that way. Without
positive reinforcement they become downtrodden. They either eat, or starve
themselves to occupy their hand, fill empty time, & to fill the void create by this
negative self image.
Marilyn was once quoted saying “I never heard I was pretty when I was a girl, every
little girl should be told that they are pretty.”
I have always been larger than other girls.....even some adult women. I mean just
look at the difference between Jessica and I in terms of our physical make-ups as
females. Just in terms of shopping for clothes for example.....we are definitely
shopping in different stores. I have walked into stores in the mall and received looks
from clerks as if to say, “Why are you here? You wont find something that
fits...why even bother?”
I’ve even had cashiers say something about it.
When I was a freshman in high school I went prom dress shopping with my aunt. It
was my first prom and I was very excited. We entered David’s Bridal to try on
dresses. I chose a few I liked and headed to the dressing room while my aunt looked
around for my possibilities. While I was in the dressing room the manager
approached my aunt and said, “We have nothing for her.” So there I was, “too big”
at 14 yrs. old.
I have a quote, by unknown origin. Britton Schnurr, a friend and psychologist, had a poster in college that read,
“A woman is often measured by the things she cannot control... She is
measured by 36-24-36 and inches and ages and numbers, by all the outside things
that don’t ever add up to who she is on the inside. And so if a woman is to be
measured, let her be measured by the things she can control, by who she is and who
she is trying to become... All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All
...they will say you’re not good enough or strong enough or talented enough, they’ll
say you’re the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or
be this or achieve this. They will tell you no...quite firmly and very quickly. They
will tell you no, and you will tell them yes.”
For much of my life I’ve been told that I can not do things because I am to large.
I’ve been told I have to be a center in basketball because I’m 6’1”, I’ve been told
that I can not be the female lead because I’m to large to be the angelue ..no lead is
THIS big. I’ve been told what path I should take, play ball & go to college for
something safe ..because that’s what fits. When I said, “I want to sing”, many have
said NO...I said YES.
The images that society feeds to it’s women of acceptable appearance is one that
leads the majority of females to a negative self-image. The picture we feed our
daughters, little sisters, best friends and nieces is one of starved professionally
trained, air-brushed, photo shopped strangers who’s careers will be ending by their
late twenties. This image is created to sell products that claim to make women
smaller, prettier, sexier and more appealing. It’s about selling things and making
profits...they have us hooked on the belief that if we just buy the stuff we can look
like the Victoria Secrets models.
Before the end of the day I would like you to compliment a young girl or woman,
one you normally may not notice. Compliment her on her eyes, smile, hair...feet.
Compliment her personality. It doesn’t matter just as long as you leave her feeling
beautiful for who she is.
