Hi Reine,Originally Posted by ReineD
Awww Leslie, you aren't being nice at all! Are you implying that if a woman is not the picture perfect media beauty ideal then she is manly?
Also, many of your examples are of older women. It makes sense that older women lose their younger, more feminine looks due to the loss of estrogen, just like older men lose their virile looks due to reduced testosterone. The gender gap in terms of physical appearance reduces as we all age.
Even then, I bet that if you had ever spent some time with any of these women, their amazing spirits would shine through and you would have gotten to see them for the beautiful women they are (political differences where applicable notwithstanding). :p
Edit an hour later: maybe I got your intent wrong. If so, then please just ignore this post.
I totally agree with you, and that is exactly my point - maybe I just didn't articulate it properly.
Beauty absolutely is only skin deep, and the GG's I referenced above are all amazing and accomplished women in their own right and terrific role models. And what makes their successes even more remarkable is the fact that they couldn't fall back on smashing good looks to be recognized and get ahead in life despite the fact that we have become so shallow and celebrity-obsessed as a society that we often judge people by their appearance and "star-power" first and foremost. It is this type of sexism that these ladies overcame through intellect, ability, drive, and sheer willpower, and which makes them all the more remarkable as a result.
Prince Charles chose "homely" Camilla over Princess Diana because he connected with her on a far deeper level than looks, breeding, or "wow" factor alone, unlike that neurotic, vain, ditsy, and publicity-seeking clotheshorse whom he married first partly to meet the public's expectations of what a fairy-tale princess should be. Sadly, she only had looks, youth, and celebrity status going for her but not much else, and he finally came to his senses. And even the public finally came around and recognized that maybe - just maybe - Camilla really was the right person for him after all despite all those snide remarks about her alleged frumpy style of dress and "horse face", and that they truly fulfilled each other as the soul-mates that they were underneath it all.
That's why I say that while some of us gurlz may not qualify as beauty queens (or even come close!) in the traditional sense, there is no need for us to hide in the shadows because we feel that we might not "pass". Many GG's don't "pass" either when measured by that yardstick, but they refuse to let that hold them back, are proud of who and what they are, and still manage to live their lives to the fullest. And you know what? - When people see that positive attitude they respond in kind, and somehow, looks then suddenly become totally irrelevant as to how they are perceived. And so it is for us, if only we have the courage to challenge ourselves in this way...
