ALONG COMES MARY

Ever since I was little, I have always had that unrealistic image of what I should look like; since puberty hit, I will admit that probably at-least 40% of the time, I have been unhappy with my physical appearance. I grew up reading Seventeen, Allure & Jane magazines always with the intent of emulating the looks in between those pages of photo shopped, air brushed models, that $30 mascara that would finally make my eyes pop, or asking for workout equipment advertised on late night TV because I was convinced I wouldn’t be accepted in society as pretty til I had 6 pack abs. Yes, these are literal glimpses from my past. Cringe worthy, isn’t it?

Sadly, I was pretty mild with my neurosis compared to what more than half of young women in our society are facing, & have been facing more & more as each year (& decade) goes by. Eating disorders continue to rise, girls are spending more money on cosmetics & plastic surgery than on their education, they are feeling that the only way to get by in life is to adapt a persona that is that of “The Real House Wives” or a malnourished starlet who is up on charges for another DUI. WHY has it been allowed to let these perceptions of women be on top? WHY are female journalists getting breast enhancements & face lifts while their male, aging co-anchor is getting larger in size & going bald? WHY do actresses have to celebrate the landing of a new TV role with visiting the dermatologist for horrible, invasive Botox injections that rob them of the beautiful life & movement in their faces?

I was recommended  to watch Miss Representation on Netflix by a friend, & I found myself in tears or gasping throughout the hour & a half documentary. We are living in a world where if Hilary Clinton is running for office, she has to see protestors holding up signs reading “Iron My Shirt” in the audience, Sarah Palin dealt with so much hate, & that hate included men degrading her by saying she is masturbate worthy. Katie Couric may not have made it on The CBS Nightly News simply because she is a woman. Whatever happened to listening to what these people have to say? If you have a disagreement or dislike, as many do when it comes to Politics, give us some real reasons you have concerns; perhaps their views on abortion, the economy, education, etc, not just think because there’s a woman involved, you can make kitchen jokes.

The interviews with young women in Miss Representation, were absolutely heartbreaking. One high schooler discussed that her sister in 5th grade is already throwing up her food & cutting, as she attempts to face all the bullies & people at school making her convinced she is not perfect as she is. Another beautiful girl explained that because of her petite demeanor, people believe she is anorexic, & therefore this healthy, naturally slim young woman forces herself to eat, just to prove to others she does not have an eating disorder.
Having given up reading fashion magazines like they’re my Bible years ago, being reminded of the way photographs of already skinny models are manipulated to make said model even MORE skinny, more like the size of a child, is so disturbing & was a reminder as to why I no longer subscribe to a boat load of magazines with unrealistic articles & pictures.

Jane Fonda speaks in this film, & what she had to say shows us that this is, unfortunately, nothing new, just getting worse. In her first role in the 1950s, she was asked to get teeth removed & wear false eyelashes.

After ending this eye opening film, I headed right to The Miss Representation website.  There, I signed the pledge for gender equality & to join over 100,000 others to make a change. I also filled out the form to become a Social Action Representative; which will help me get even more involved in helping women realize they’re AWESOME & GORGEOUS just how they are.

Together, we can all make a change towards a better future! xo