Let's Be Part Of The Two Percent
I was looking to alternate my controversial last post with a funny post, but instead I found the very sad statistic that only two percent of women around the world describe themselves as beautiful.
"From Brazil to the Netherlands to Argentina -- across cultures, ages, ethnicities and race -- women make it clear they believe there is a one-dimensional and narrow, physical definition of beauty. The findings show that the ideas of beauty and physical attractiveness are largely synonymous, and although both are highly valued by society, both are rendered almost impossible to attain."
See the comments button below? Why don't you hit it this morning, and tell us all what is beautiful about you.
"From Brazil to the Netherlands to Argentina -- across cultures, ages, ethnicities and race -- women make it clear they believe there is a one-dimensional and narrow, physical definition of beauty. The findings show that the ideas of beauty and physical attractiveness are largely synonymous, and although both are highly valued by society, both are rendered almost impossible to attain."
See the comments button below? Why don't you hit it this morning, and tell us all what is beautiful about you.
posted by mo pie at 10:01 AM
23 Comments:
I'll go.
I have big blue eyes. I smile at people a lot. I have very long legs. My body is soft and curvy. I like my collarbone. I am huggable, but in a sexy way. I am wearing an awesome hot pink shirt. I put on turquoise eyeliner today. I am ready to do some serious flirting. I am confident. I'm a good kisser. I'm a smart and goofy girl. I respect and am inspired by my fellow women. I read books. I vote. I take chances. I make art. And so I'm beautiful.
Your turn!
Ok my turn - I need this after this week!
I have beautiful thick, shiny golden blonde hair that often has a mind of its own. I have expressive eyes that give away my every thought and feeling. I have very fair and creamy skin that is unblemished and has no sun damage. I have a beautiful long slender neck, defined collar bones and sexy shoulders. I have soft curves, small feet, and a short little nose.
I laugh easily and often. I read books and the newspaper. I am interested in everything. I alternate between goofy and dead serious in a matter of minutes. I enjoy the simple things in life. I am a girly girl who loves men but takes great pleasure in beating them in sports. I can argue both sides of any argument. I have very strong beliefs and principles - but I respect those who disagree with me. I giggle. I can walk and even run in stilettos. I have been extremely self confident all my life - when I was a size 18 and now that I am a size 8/10 and every size in between. I am extremely happy and love my life! And THAT is why I am beautiful.
Yay! What a great idea. I'll go.
I have beautiful THICK curly hair that everyone always comments on. It's a nice shade of brown with honey and caramel highlights. I have lovely eyes - they are huge (also get comments) with supernaturally long eyelashes. My eyes are light brown with flecks of green and seem to change color with the light or what I'm wearing. I have clear, rosy skin and perfectly shaped lips.
I have small wrists and ankles, and nice calves that look good in a skirt.
I also have nice hands and fingernails.
Go, me!
I have really pretty blue eyes. And really pretty red and curly hair. I have great teeth that are naturally pretty straight and white. I laugh all the time at everything and I make other people laugh too.
I have wide, curvy hips and a soft, kissable belly!
I'm not calling myself 'La Belle" for nuthin' ya know.
And it ain't just physical. When someone asks my aid, I help them or find help for them. I have voted in every single election, national or local, since 1976. I speak up, but with a civil tongue. I look out for kids, all kids. My trash goes into a proper trash can and is not just dropped on the street. I recycle, maybe a little obsessively. I am always polite to busdrivers and sales clerks and counter clerks. I put my money where my mouth is by sending regular good-sized checks to organizations such as U.S.P.I.R.G, The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Capitol Area Food Bank, among others. When I can, I also give my time.
This is great!
The things that make me beautiful are....
My eyes. They're almond shaped, very dark, and speak for me when I don't say a word. I have a thick, healthy head of very curly hair that is the envy of women of all ethnicities (I'm black, BTW). I have a beautiful hourglass figure that is very healthy and strong. I can walk extremely long distances and dance for hours without getting tired. I pay no attention to the latest fashions because I have my own style. I'm often oblivious of my looks and focus on being my smart, kind, witty self. I don't judge ANYONE, and can love unconditionally.
I have beautiful, naturally straight teeth (no braces for me!), which are also naturally white (according to my hygenist), and are supported by strong, healthy pink gums and a stable jawbone. I've spent the past few years fighting to save my smile from the damage done by periodontal disease, and last week my dentist confirmed I've pretty much won the war! My smile is downright gorgeous! Also, my feet are pretty, and are regularly pedicured.
This is a great way to start a week!
All of you are beautiful!!
I have beautiful blue eyes,fabulous shoulders and some darn cute toes! People tell me I'm easy to talk to and a good listener.
I've never commented on your blog before, but this is irresistable...hmm, where to start? I have very beautiful hands, with long, slender fingers and nice wrists. I have very wavy, lovely hair, large, expressive gray eyes, and a very curvy figure. I'm also extremely strong for my size and can move large pieces of furniture by myself. I make people laugh. I've helped a lot of people in need of a little rescuing. I'm a good cook and a good friend. Oh, and I have a great smile. When I look at my friends, I see them as beautiful, all in their own ways, and I wonder why they can't see it for themselves, it's so clear to me. But I also think we're trained all our lives to put ourselves down--envy can be much more socially acceptable than self-admiration--and it's so hard to believe in our own beauty.
So thanks for asking, Mo!
Excellent idea! I have luscious lips, seductive eyes, and a laugh that's infectious.
oh, if my looks don't reel you in, my intelligence and creativity will.
This is a long time after the original post, but since I need to remind myself -- I have long dark eyelashes, hazel eyes with green and gold in them, and eyebrows with a skeptical quirk. My legs are long and strong. I'm cuddly yet aerodynamic, and I look great in red.
This is so cool...here goes...
I'm beautiful because I love unconditionally. I'm beautiful because I'm not judgemental. I'm beautiful because I believe in faith, hope & love.
I have long hair down to the middle of my back. It's dark brown and although most people have said mean things about it, I've learned to love it. I'm mixed, BTW. I have expressive brown eyes & fair, creamy skin. I have small breasts that are barely a handful. I have beautiful curves & a well-shaped figure. I'm witty, open-minded, and fun-loving. I'm very imaginative & creative. I'm petite and people say I'm cute.
Neat site!! Here goes...
I'm cute & petite. I have nice curves & nice full lips. I have nice, toned legs. I am always complimented on my pretty hazel green eyes. I have long, curly, brown hair with honey caramel highlights down to my waist. I have a good heart and love to make people smile. I am smart & independant. I love all music & poetry. I have lots of friends. My friends tell me that I innocently flirt, meaning without realizing it I am doing it. Family always comes first for me. I have a great sense of fashion & like to be different in a positive way. I like to help others any way I can. For this I am beautiful!
Everyone here is Beautiful!! Luv this site!!
Neat site!! Here goes...
I am cute & petite. I have nice, toned legs and great full lips. I have long, curly, brown hair with honey caramel highlights down to my waist. I have cute curves. I am always complimented on my big, hazel green eyes. I have a good heart and love to make people smile. Family always comes first. I love all music & poetry. I love romance. I have lots of friends. My friends tell me that I am an innocent flirt, meaning I flirt without even realizing it. I have a great sense of fashion & like to be different in a positive way. I am outgoing and adventurous. My son & daughter are my LIFE!!
Love this site!! Everyone here is Beautiful!!
I am proud to say that I am part of the 2 percent of the world who think they're beautiful. I have short blonde hair that blinds people when light hits it and it's the thickest hair in the world, I'm tall and have killer legs (If I do say so myself) I stand tall, back straight, I have breast that are on the large side, along with hips, and I have blue-Green-grey eyes that change color with my mood, I'm smart, funny, I love to act, and I'm a healthy weight because I spend my free time swimming/and Ukrainian dancing. I give confidence to my friends when they need it, I'm overly silly and today I finally, after 6 months of trying, and I finally hit the bull’s-eye when I was practicing archery. If that’s not what beauty is, then I must be blind (Which I’m not).
never posted on anything like this before...
i have very nicely shaped full lips, and they're naturally very rosy, they turn down at the corners. i have hazel eyes that look dark green when i cry, and long dark eyelashes. i have a cute nose, not too big or too small (nothing about my body is smaller than average, and i like it that way!), and kinda rounded, i would say. i have a chubby cheeks and a cute dimple that pops up when i smile, a nice, wide, German face. :D my cheekbones are a bit higher than average, and when i smile, the apples of my cheeks are very promenint. i have very very thick hair that's almost in freaking LAYERS, and it's to my shoulders and i have very cute bangs. (i <3 my bangs. ^_^) my hair used to be a LOT longer, and i miss that, so i'm trying to grow it. i'm a chubby girl, and i have pale skin, and a slightly nicer than average complexion, i put lotion on my face when i wake up, and before i go to bed. i don't shave anywhere, i hate leg stubble, and i like my armpit hair. ^_^ i have nice, arched eyebrows. my personality, i'm pretty funny, and i love to laugh. i love snuggling. i can get easily obsessed with things (i.e.: RENT, Scrubs, German culture, the Sims 2, my computer...), devoted you might say. XD i like warm weather, and i'm pretty talketive, as you can probably tell. XD
ok, i think i'm done...i feel a bit conceited now, it was fun though. :)
ll and broad shouldered. when i am feeling yucky it makes me feel "big and manly" but when i have a proper head about myself i feel STRONG. and lovely. i have gorgeous skin and huge expressive eyes too. and my skin is soft- people who casually brush against me think so enough to tell me about it often. my legs are long and defined and my feet have beautiful arches. i am not dainty. but i am beautiful.
I have a sparkly smile and I love being being helpful.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
And I am my own beholder, am I not?
I mean, I have a right to, on the basis of my own beliefs, prejudices and preferences, determine how I feel about how I look.
And when I do this, not trying to apply the lens or filter of anyone else, or “society,” I pretty much like what I see.
That isn’t to say that I don’t think that those other lenses or filters are completely unimportant, but it’s not that my judgment doesn’t matter, either.
It all seems somewhat silly, until I think about it from a more feminist perspective.
Shouldn’t I own my own image, or perception?
Is the only reason I exist is to serve as titillation for men?
If I don’t fit the criteria that most men (or maybe not even most men) would find attractive at 50 paces, does that mean I need to disappear?
I, and all people, are so much more than that.
It’s an issue of commodification. Of everything needing to be judged by the libido of a teenage (white American) male.
So, that’s not so silly. By appreciating my own beauty and being “out” about it, it’s a political statement. I have every right to think of myself as beautiful. Or, recently learning that about 2% of women IN THE WORLD think of themselves as beautiful, maybe I need another word. Beautiful is very weighty. To me it implies something that everyone agrees upon, like a fairy-tale princess’s beauty. Beauty in this context is both powerful and dangerous, and it can make you vulnerable, too (like Snow White and Cinderella).
So, what word works? What word captures that feeling you have of yourself that is satisfied, comfortable, at peace, and open rather than “full of yourself.” A feeling that your own personal beauty is connected to the beauty in others, in the natural world, in the universe?
To me, it’s a self-knowledge that is translated through the eyes, through the words and actions in the world. It can come through in how you dress, how you walk, how you move, and how you interact. I think that “knowing look” which so many models use is code for it. It’s a way of saying “I know you want me.” Which, again, is making a commodity out of a person. What I want to convey is “I want me” (to paraphrase Margaret Cho), and what you think isn’t terribly important but if you want to know me better, I’m open to that as long as you are respectful of my humanity.
I’ve been thinking about burkas and chadors and how they are a way of reclaiming women from men’s gazes. I don’t think they are the solution that makes the most sense, but they say, we know men are animals. We know that they are visual creatures. We are more than what we look like, so we are going to take what women look like out of the equation. Of course, it’s a lot more complicated than that, and there is an element of women as property/commodity in them, but there must also be a freedom to say that beauty is a private, not a public matter. It’s the opposite of a beauty pageant.
I can see that claiming my own beauty (and I still squirm a bit at that) is a powerful, political act. Maybe limiting it to beauty is too, uh, limiting. Maybe what I’m talking about is the more general self-ness, one-ness, etc.
I mean, I really like it when I feel connected to the universal. Whether I’m taking a walk in “nature” or feeling compassion for another human being, that is a nice feeling. I like it. And those feelings that I sometimes have of appreciation for who I am, the nice qualities I possess, the nice qualities others posess, what “nature” has, how amazing a spider’s web is (although I might be less tolerant of the same spider in my shower) – all of this adds up to a feeling of connectedness.
I certainly don’t believe I’m more beautiful than others, as a rule. So why do I feel I’m less beautiful than others, as a rule? I’m not either thing. I just am. Others are. We are. And in those moments of being that feel good, that’s where the beauty is.
I have crazy curly out of control hair. I have beautiful blue eyes. I have big breasts that guys seem to love! I wear fantastic clothes, and have excellent taste in clothes and color. I have clear soft pale skin, that never tans and I have learnt to love that. I have soft brown subtle freckles , especially on my forehead. I have the same nose and chin as my mum and nana, both of who are no longer here. I love looking in the mirror and seeing me and them. My mouth is gorgeous with a defined cupids bow-I think it should be kissed a bit more often!!!
I'm a loyal person who would do anything for a friend. I have my own opinions but I can usually see all sides of an argument and I always respect the views of others. I laugh very easily! I'm intelligent and always worked hard at school, despite the view that doing well isn't 'cool'. I'm optimistic and positive in most situations. I love my family with all my heart. I have lots of freckles. I always get comments about my red hair, from hairdressers, old ladies and people who claim to spend hundreds on trying to replicate the colour.
Post a Comment
<< Home