"Don't hate me because I am beautiful." A famous tag line from a shampoo commercial. Funny thing about the commercial is that I can't remember the brand of shampoo the ad men and women were trying to sell, nor the actress that spoke those lines. I have to admit I did use Google to do a quick bit of detective work to find that it was Pantene and the actress was Kelly LeBrock. The words stuck with me and, based on my Google search, many others in this world because they are still talking about that tag line. The notion that women would actually not like another woman because she was considered beautiful because of her physical appearance has stuck with our societal consciousness for almost twenty years since the airing of this commercial. Is this an example of the power of the media to create a behavior or is it the power we as a society can give words and images if we so choose buy into these created notions?
"I never know if guys like me for who I am or because I am so pretty." A line from a recent Ugly Betty episode. Truth be told, at some point in our lives, we do question why we are liked or loved by at least one individual. It is that great turning point in most love stories played out on the small or large screen. Remember Julia Roberts superstar character to Hugh Grant's simple bookstar character declaring that despite her celebrity status she was, "...just a girl looking to be loved...." Are these examples of the media having the power to put an idea into the heads of young girls and women or is the media giving power into our laps by letting our greatest insecurities out of the bag so that we no longer have to feel so alone and isolated in the world? Their is great strength in knowing that there are others out there that we can share our feelings and experiences...it allows us to grow.
So The Beautiful Women Project leaves you with these thoughts: Does the media have the power over society to change ideas and create behavior or is the media simply reflecting back onto society what is really going on but don't want to talk about out loud?
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Finding Inspiration
The Beautiful Women Project believes that our greatest life challenges should also be viewed as our greatest opportunities. Challenging times are a wonderful opportunity to ask ourselves, "What inspires me?" "Who inspires me?" "How can I inspire others?"
It is through inspiration that our greatest acts of love and kindness emerge from us. Inspiration turns acts of hatred into acts of kindness and compassion. Inspiration transforms a doodle on a scrap piece of paper into an image that transcends form and figure. Inspiration provides a pathway away from self hatred to a life filled with self love.
Inspirations is a wonderful gift that you can give to yourself and share with others around you. Your inspiration may just be how you get through the challenging opportunities that lie before you today.
It is through inspiration that our greatest acts of love and kindness emerge from us. Inspiration turns acts of hatred into acts of kindness and compassion. Inspiration transforms a doodle on a scrap piece of paper into an image that transcends form and figure. Inspiration provides a pathway away from self hatred to a life filled with self love.
Inspirations is a wonderful gift that you can give to yourself and share with others around you. Your inspiration may just be how you get through the challenging opportunities that lie before you today.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Reflections on Halloween 2008 - The Year of the Trampy Costume
Move over Scary Witch, Fairy Princess, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and make room for Sexy Witches, Seductive Little Mermaids, and Trampy Cheerleaders?!?! Welcome to Halloween 2008 - The Year of the Trampy Costume.
Who thought that it was okay to take the innocence out of Halloween costumes for young girls, tween, and teens? Take a cruise down your local retailer and the costumes available for young girls are far too revealing for young girls and teens. The costumes for boys have them well covered: firemen, policemen, turtles, commandos...they even get props to complete their ensembles. The male pirate is covered from head to toe with pants and a flowing long sleeved shirt while the female version has a VERY short skirt and a form fitting short sleeved shirt. And who thought it would be "cute" for tweens and teens to dress like Playboy bunnies?
Moms are frustrated, they can't find costumes that are appropriate for their daughters to wear to school, community parades, around the neighborhood, or just around the house for dress up. Girls are upset with their mothers for not letting them wear the costumes they are seeing in the stores. Tempers are flaring, tears are being shed, time is drawing closer to the big parade and party. There are no Cinderella costumes that are appropriate for the ball.
Girls feel tremendous pressure everyday to grow up before their time. Is there really a need to pressure them to be sexy in their Halloween costumes?
Who thought that it was okay to take the innocence out of Halloween costumes for young girls, tween, and teens? Take a cruise down your local retailer and the costumes available for young girls are far too revealing for young girls and teens. The costumes for boys have them well covered: firemen, policemen, turtles, commandos...they even get props to complete their ensembles. The male pirate is covered from head to toe with pants and a flowing long sleeved shirt while the female version has a VERY short skirt and a form fitting short sleeved shirt. And who thought it would be "cute" for tweens and teens to dress like Playboy bunnies?
Moms are frustrated, they can't find costumes that are appropriate for their daughters to wear to school, community parades, around the neighborhood, or just around the house for dress up. Girls are upset with their mothers for not letting them wear the costumes they are seeing in the stores. Tempers are flaring, tears are being shed, time is drawing closer to the big parade and party. There are no Cinderella costumes that are appropriate for the ball.
Girls feel tremendous pressure everyday to grow up before their time. Is there really a need to pressure them to be sexy in their Halloween costumes?
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The Beautiful Women Project's Second Anniversary and Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This weekend marks The Beautiful Women Project's Second Anniversary. The Beautiful Women Project was launched on October 11, 2006, in Saratoga Springs, NY. In the past two years we have raised awareness of women's health initiatives, visited numerous art in public space venues, helped raise funds for countless not-for-profits, and through our outreach work have touched the lives of thousands of individuals.
I purposefully chose the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to launch The Beautiful Women Project. As women, every October, we are reminded how important it is to take the time to conduct self-examinations of our breasts. This very simple preventative measure is one of the best ways that we have gained ground in the fight against breast cancer. Unfortunately, all too often, something that is healthy for us as women - self examination, becomes something that becomes unhealthy. It is easy to begin the searching to find all of the things we don't like about our bodies - the bit of flesh coming out of the bra, the breasts that don't stand up at attention as they did when we were teenagers, the skin under our arms that hangs from the bone, the sun spots that run across the upper chest, the hips that may have widened after childbirth...the list can go on and on and on.
Beginning this month - WHEN YOU CONDUCT YOUR SELF BREAST EXAMINATION, instead of making a list of all of the things you don't like about your body write down one thing you LIKE ABOUT YOUR BODY. Next month, look at your list of one and add a second. Each month add something new that you like about your body to your list and by the end of the year you should have at least twelve things you like about your body and healthy breasts.
If you are one of the thousands of women who do not conduct their monthly breast exams because you don't like looking at your body in the mirror, take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror - fully clothed, and see your own beauty. Please take the time to honor yourself and conduct your breast examination, even if you do it with a shirt on this first month. Before, or after, write down one thing that you do like about your body. Next month, conduct your self exam again and write two things you like about your body - by the end of the year you will have at least twelve things you like about your body, be comfortable with your body, and you will be healthy.
It is also fitting that October 15th has been designated Love Your Body Day by the National Organization for Women. On this, and everyday, take a moment to recognize that your physical body is a small part of your individual beauty - it is the sum of your life experiences that shine through your body that makes you beautiful.
I purposefully chose the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to launch The Beautiful Women Project. As women, every October, we are reminded how important it is to take the time to conduct self-examinations of our breasts. This very simple preventative measure is one of the best ways that we have gained ground in the fight against breast cancer. Unfortunately, all too often, something that is healthy for us as women - self examination, becomes something that becomes unhealthy. It is easy to begin the searching to find all of the things we don't like about our bodies - the bit of flesh coming out of the bra, the breasts that don't stand up at attention as they did when we were teenagers, the skin under our arms that hangs from the bone, the sun spots that run across the upper chest, the hips that may have widened after childbirth...the list can go on and on and on.
Beginning this month - WHEN YOU CONDUCT YOUR SELF BREAST EXAMINATION, instead of making a list of all of the things you don't like about your body write down one thing you LIKE ABOUT YOUR BODY. Next month, look at your list of one and add a second. Each month add something new that you like about your body to your list and by the end of the year you should have at least twelve things you like about your body and healthy breasts.
If you are one of the thousands of women who do not conduct their monthly breast exams because you don't like looking at your body in the mirror, take a moment to look at yourself in the mirror - fully clothed, and see your own beauty. Please take the time to honor yourself and conduct your breast examination, even if you do it with a shirt on this first month. Before, or after, write down one thing that you do like about your body. Next month, conduct your self exam again and write two things you like about your body - by the end of the year you will have at least twelve things you like about your body, be comfortable with your body, and you will be healthy.
It is also fitting that October 15th has been designated Love Your Body Day by the National Organization for Women. On this, and everyday, take a moment to recognize that your physical body is a small part of your individual beauty - it is the sum of your life experiences that shine through your body that makes you beautiful.
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