At the risk of sounding sexist; with the exception of forums like this, where we all converse before (if ever) meeting each other in person, generally speaking you are
first judged by what you look like. It's the first impression that my guess is everyone's (I know mine sure did) mother and father told them to make. Should people be
foremost judged by their looks? I think that (at least the effort you put in to making them presentable) along with intelligence, work ethic, manners, et al. should be how people are judged, but no not foremost.
I see what you're saying about putting your best foot forward but the jest I get from her is that you shouldn't put either foot forward, because people should just accept you for you. I also see that the problems that once seemed contained to adulthood have more than trickled down to children. Eating disorders and obesity both. Granted I don't have a daughter but should I ever I'd have to think I'd want her to exercise if she were obese (like the vast number of children that are these days) to lose weight.
I read two separate parts of the poem. The first of which explaining her mothers actions, which I definitely don't condone. If people want to have unnecessary surgery to change their appearance then I think that's a choice they should make for themselves and one that shouldn't be made for them. The second aspect of the poem however seems to say the circus that she mentions is so absolutely ludicrous that the opposite should be had. I understand what you mean that the fashion and marketing industry particularly highlight very thin women, and that can have a negative impact on a young woman's self imagine. I just feel that the complete opposite of that is just as ludicrous. Obesity is a problem in our country; in fact, one of the biggest. Heart disease is still one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
If I have a daughter I want her to grow up being a realist. Exercising enough to be healthy and making sure she is put together appearance wise when she needs to be.
Ghia- I love your taste in automobiles. I do however like the Citroen DS a lot as well, always thought that was a car before its time, still probably is. I noticed what you noticed too and I think it speaks to a dichotomy that she doesn't explicitly talk about. What about the women that are happy with working hard to maintain their physique or really enjoy fashion? For the little girls: I just don't understand why they shouldn't ask if they'll be pretty. They should ask all of those questions, and the answer should be that you can attain whatever goal you realistically set.
Triing- No risk of misrepresentation here, the fact that you asked makes me smile. I'm too used to the mud-slinging of the Lavender Room :)
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Wouldn't you be a little frustrated if you had to put on make-up and blow dry and curl your hair every morning? HUGE waste of time, and for no real reason, if you ask me.
Have you tried walking in heels all day long, Worked for J. Edgar Hoover didn't it ;) I will say I've never tried to walk in heels, I don't think it'd go to well with my daily attire. I've dated girls that love them though and also dated a few that wouldn't wear them, conundrum I suppose. But I digress... I have seen the dove commercial before and completely understand that the "standards" are very often unrealistic. It just seems to me that the (I'll term it) "Environment of Acceptance" swings the pendulum too far in the opposite direction. I think anything
beyond what is done to stay healthy should be by one's own choice, but what I often hear is an "accept your body for what it is" mentality, not "exercise, eat right, take care of yourself, and be healthy"
mentality. I guess my theory is that the ethic we should send our kids is to be the best you can in all facets of life.
When someone pulls laws out of their @$$, all we end up with are laws that smell like sh!t. -Skippy