Oh. My. Gosh. I just watched a three minute video on Jenyfer Matthews blog that really, really spoke to me. If you so desire, go to her blog and scroll down to the post, "Will I Be Pretty?"
WOW! There are gazillion girls this needs to be conveyed to. It is a very thought provoking video that shows exactly what we do to young girls... and this continues into womanhood. What a waste of time spent in the pursuit of "Pretty", I never realized it.
Yes, we all want to be pretty, but pretty is not just looks. It comes from how you interact with people.
Ooh my Mama Pea, I could go on and on with this subject, but I will refrain from writing a book here on your blog! Suffice it to say, yes, it is a very thought provoking video.
Yvette - Isn't it sad that our society puts all the emphasis on physical perfection? And it's not even "beauty" when we encourage everyone to look just like everyone else with no leeway for any deviation. We all must have long, thick hair and eyelashes, straight noses, thin thighs, big busts, no hips, flat abdomens, etc., etc. and anyone who doesn't, isn't good enough. It's truly a sad state of affairs.
Oh my, I must refrain from writing a book here, too!!
The worst part about this??? Society is WOMEN. I have NEVER been told by a man that I'm not good enough. It's these CATTY women whose entire life revolves around clothes, hair, make-up and jewelry who have made the cracks and the comments. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband and a few choice friends who love me DESPITE the fact I'm NOT PRETTY. (though I did grow some pretty flowers!) :)
Sue - Well, it certainly IS the females who "agree" to have their bodies mutilated by plastic surgery and starve themselves to fit a certain mold (and are generally the catty ones of the species) but I do think there is a certain percentage of the male population who refuse to even look at a female (or get to know her) if she doesn't measure up to their standards of "beauty." Think trophy wives. (Not that any of these males are ones I'd wish to associate with or are worth a clump of sh . . . beans.)
As a teenager I was called "a dog" by a group of guys and you can bet that didn't do a lot for my self-esteem.
I've never seen a picture of you but please don't say you're not pretty. I think you're beautiful.
Jenyfer and Mama Pea, thanks for sharing that! I was one that was plagued by horrible cystic acne for most of my life and dealt on occasion with the same issue Mama Pea had, and I agree with Sue, most if not all of these instances were from other girls, not guys. I am lucky in that my mom always made me feel beautiful even when I was crying about how I looked. It didn't necessarily make me feel better at the time, but I know that it's why I turned into a woman who feels comfortable with the way I look and no longer hide if I don't feel like I "measure up". Now that I am 40 I am amazed at how many of these "pretty" girls have never found happiness, always looking for the perfection that doesn't exist. Right now I am thinking how thankful I am that I have friends and a husband who don't give these issues a second thought. I knew there was something about them that made me feel good, but this video made me realize why these people are special, they love me for exactly what I am! Now I have to go wipe the tears off from watching this!
WOW! There are gazillion girls this needs to be conveyed to. It is a very thought provoking video that shows exactly what we do to young girls... and this continues into womanhood. What a waste of time spent in the pursuit of "Pretty", I never realized it.
ReplyDeleteYes, we all want to be pretty, but pretty is not just looks. It comes from how you interact with people.
Ooh my Mama Pea, I could go on and on with this subject, but I will refrain from writing a book here on your blog! Suffice it to say, yes, it is a very thought provoking video.
Hugs
Yvette
Yvette - Isn't it sad that our society puts all the emphasis on physical perfection? And it's not even "beauty" when we encourage everyone to look just like everyone else with no leeway for any deviation. We all must have long, thick hair and eyelashes, straight noses, thin thighs, big busts, no hips, flat abdomens, etc., etc. and anyone who doesn't, isn't good enough. It's truly a sad state of affairs.
ReplyDeleteOh my, I must refrain from writing a book here, too!!
Glad you enjoyed it, Mama Pea, and thanks for sharing the link. It is definitely a message worth spreading around.
ReplyDeleteThe worst part about this??? Society is WOMEN. I have NEVER been told by a man that I'm not good enough. It's these CATTY women whose entire life revolves around clothes, hair, make-up and jewelry who have made the cracks and the comments. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband and a few choice friends who love me DESPITE the fact I'm NOT PRETTY. (though I did grow some pretty flowers!)
ReplyDelete:)
Sue - Well, it certainly IS the females who "agree" to have their bodies mutilated by plastic surgery and starve themselves to fit a certain mold (and are generally the catty ones of the species) but I do think there is a certain percentage of the male population who refuse to even look at a female (or get to know her) if she doesn't measure up to their standards of "beauty." Think trophy wives. (Not that any of these males are ones I'd wish to associate with or are worth a clump of sh . . . beans.)
ReplyDeleteAs a teenager I was called "a dog" by a group of guys and you can bet that didn't do a lot for my self-esteem.
I've never seen a picture of you but please don't say you're not pretty. I think you're beautiful.
headed over there now!
ReplyDeleteJenyfer and Mama Pea, thanks for sharing that! I was one that was plagued by horrible cystic acne for most of my life and dealt on occasion with the same issue Mama Pea had, and I agree with Sue, most if not all of these instances were from other girls, not guys. I am lucky in that my mom always made me feel beautiful even when I was crying about how I looked. It didn't necessarily make me feel better at the time, but I know that it's why I turned into a woman who feels comfortable with the way I look and no longer hide if I don't feel like I "measure up". Now that I am 40 I am amazed at how many of these "pretty" girls have never found happiness, always looking for the perfection that doesn't exist. Right now I am thinking how thankful I am that I have friends and a husband who don't give these issues a second thought. I knew there was something about them that made me feel good, but this video made me realize why these people are special, they love me for exactly what I am! Now I have to go wipe the tears off from watching this!
ReplyDeleteErin - We all are what we are today because of what has gone before.
ReplyDelete