[Wo[men]'s] Bodies

They are ever the object of media scrutiny and cultural critique. And not in any beneficial way.

If a woman is in the public eye, no matter what profession she has--politician, actress, humanitarian, singer, writer, etc.-- we are always overly concerned with her physical appearance. And if that appearance falls below standards we've set for her then her intelligence, integrity, good works and talent are all in jeopardy. Mother Teresa is the only exception I can think of to this and honestly she is an exception only because she was already an elderly nun at the time she became most reknowned (only the most non-PC jerks would publicly criticize the appearence of an elderly nun).

What's said on TV or printed in magazines, newspapers, or online gossip columns isn't the only problem of course. I am learning to be just as disturbed when this kind of judgement happens in "private" places like my heart and mind. There's this tension--the same God who created us beautifully, to desire to see beauty, and with the desire to be beautiful, is the one who says "For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. The problem must be in our "standards" and in where we place the most emphasis.

I also want to note, and I hope this came across in the post title, that I think men are subject to the same judgement. I just don't think the issue is anywhere near as pervasive (yet)  or as problematic for them because men have the historical privilege of already being established--they haven't had to "break in" to any field or arena of life and prove they have a valuable contribution to make. The main discourse is still that men get things done and that women give them a reason for getting things done...by being pretty. If a woman wants to accomplish something she better not forget or neglect her main purpose.

The following are links to recent articles that discuss aspects of this problem. And I have to ask, who but feminists are really pushing the dialogue about this?

Short and sweet for you Hunger Games fans.
http://moviepilot.com/#movies/44466-the-hunger-games/articles/387384-jennifer-lawrence-on-fat-snarking-they-are-criticizing-me-for-looking-normal?utm_campaign=jennifer-lawrence-fat-comments&utm_source=fb-stream-post&utm_medium=fb-stream-post

Long and fabulous! Ashley Judd did such a tremendous job with this article. Please read it!
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/09/ashley-judd-slaps-media-in-the-face-for-speculation-over-her-puffy-appearance.html

 My favorite quotes:

"That women are joining in the ongoing disassembling of my appearance is salient. Patriarchy is not men. Patriarchy is a system in which both women and men participate. It privileges, inter alia, the interests of boys and men over the bodi...ly integrity, autonomy, and dignity of girls and women. It is subtle, insidious, and never more dangerous than when women passionately deny that they themselves are engaging in it. This abnormal obsession with women’s faces and bodies has become so normal that we (I include myself at times—I absolutely fall for it still) have internalized patriarchy almost seamlessly. We are unable at times to identify ourselves as our own denigrating abusers, or as abusing other girls and women."

and

"In fact, it’s about boys and men, too, who are equally objectified and ridiculed, according to heteronormative definitions of masculinity that deny the full and dynamic range of their personhood. It affects each and every one of us, in multiple and nefarious ways: our self-image, how we show up in our relationships and at work, our sense of our worth, value, and potential as human beings."

I especially love this second quote for highlighting a problem that does not get enough attention. I am so against dominant standards of femininity and masculinity because they generally reflect only the ideals of those in power and either completely ignore or deny the legitimacy of the experiences of those who don't meet these ideals. God didn't make all men to be the same. God didn't make all women to be the same. Still we have that one list that we like to measure people against to decide wether or not they are satisfactorily masculine or feminine. Anywhoo, I'm drifting into another post haha...I will definitely discuss my thoughts on that particular topic, at length, later!

Really, the main purpose of this post was to  share the articles. Happy Reading!