I'd like to take a break from the fashion & fun part of my blog to talk about something a little more serious: the increasing role the media plays in women judging not only the bodies of others but the bodies of themselves.
Graphic artist Barbara Kruger was a huge feminist artist of the 1970's and 80's. This is one of her most famous pieces, and one that always sticks out to me when talking about stuff like this.
Read more about her here.
This is, by any means, not a new phenomena. The media has been influencing our behaviors and thoughts since the moment it became into existence. I could go on and on about how it affected our perceptions of various immigrant groups to America (I learned all about that last semester in one of my classes!), how it affects our view of gender roles (think 1950's housewife in the kitchen), and many more. But today I will stick to just a couple new things affecting women today: thigh gaps and hand lifts.
THIGH GAPS
This is just an absurd and unrealistic fad! To those who aren't familiar with what a thigh gap is, it refers to having a space between your inner thighs near your crotch when you stand with your feet or knees touching. (Wikipedia page & source for my definition here). After becoming famous, it spread like fire on the internet, promoting workouts that would help women attain one, men speaking out about their attractiveness, even the phrase Thinspo, or "Thin-Inspiration". Several things are sad about the thigh gap craze. 1) That women are crazy enough to follow such a self-degrading trend, and 2) that they follow something that is so unattainable for many women. I'm no expert on the structure of the body, but I'm pretty sure that the ability for a thigh gap to occur has many factors involved. What about those with narrow hips? Their thighs are naturally going to be close together! What about athletes or gym junkies? They workout so much that their thighs are larger, and they probably won't have one!
One day I was having a conversation with a girl and thigh gaps came up. I said something along the lines of that I think they are an unrealistic goal and that I didn't have one and I didn't care to have one, and the girl responded with, "But you're so skinny, you could totally get on really easily!" Yeah, maybe I could. But then again, I am one of those with narrow hips, and I used to be a dancer so my thighs are not huge but they aren't sticks either. Regardless, I have no desire for one! And you shouldn't either.
My sister Kelly wrote a phenomenal post on her blog Where in the World Is KP Schwan about thigh gaps, and I highly suggest you read it here. She speaks from the heart, and if you like to travel she has tons of tips on her blog as well!
HAND LIFTS
When an article about this popped up on my facebook newsfeed, I clicked the link thinking, is this real?! Yes, sadly, it is. According to the article I first read (from Cosmopolitan Magazine) and the follow up article I read (from FOX 4- Ft. Myers) there appears to be trend among brides and brides-to-be that involves getting plastic surgery in your hand so that in engagement pictures or engagement announcement "selfies" their hands don't look old, or wrinkly. WOW. Really? It is known that hands are one of the first places to show age, and apparently that is more important to some women than the excitement of saying yes to your soulmate and the idea of being able to spend the rest of your life with them! Again I'm no expert on this subject (I'm not married or engaged) but I think that marriage is not about the material aspects but instead about the health of the strong bond between you and your partner. When I get engaged, I'm not going to be thinking about if my hands look old, or even if I have a fresh manicure... because I might not! After all I am a real person, not a Barbie doll. I will instead be overcome with joy and excitement; how it should be.
There are plenty of other goals to work towards in life, other than achieving a thigh gap or getting a hand lift: following your passions, working hard at work for a promotion, eating healthy and working out to feel better, and spending more time with friends and loved ones. Phenomenons like this will only continue if us women continue to allow ourselves to obsess about them and try to achieve perfection.
