**Disclaimer: I actually wrote this a couple of days ago, but I had to make some adjustments prior to publishing it.***
Being a woman is more than just wearing feminine clothes and make-up or even being anatomically different from males …however, some people choose to ignore that. I do not consider myself a feminist, but I do believe that as a result of our hyper-sexual, gender-role coveting, female objectifying society, a woman’s social contributions –whether it be in the form of anthropological find that alters history, or even an invention that makes day to day life easier to live—are commonly overlooked by whether the woman in question fits into a construction of beauty. Why is it that you have to be “beautiful” as a woman, in order to be taken seriously?
Last night I happened to stumble upon the most grotesque example of misogyny that I have seen in a great while. While most instances of this ideology [misogyny] are subliminal in nature, this was the most visibly obvious presentation. For those of you who are unaware of what the LFL is, let me lay it down for you. LFL stands for the Lingerie Football League. Yes, it is quite self explanatory in nature as far as what the “sport” is and what it entails…and quite honestly I’m disgusted. Ten different cities [some daring to represent whole STATES] have degraded their women into participating in this poor example of athletics. San Diego just happens to be a part of this practice alongside Los Angeles, Seattle, Dallas, Denver, Philadelphia, New York, Tampa, Chicago and Miami.
This organization embraces the idea of objectifying women. It makes it seem ok for other people, namely men, to view women in a way that makes them almost inhuman…practically like a mannequin. As I begrudged myself for even attempting to understand the LFL by watching a small portion of it last night I noticed something. As they panned the audience to show the organization’s support, 98% of them happened to be men; and of those 98%, approximately 60% were older than the 20-29 age range. The select women that happened to be in the audience seemed to be objectifying the players as well, however with a more admiring sense.
I happily applaud those who have chosen to take a stand against this injustice which is affecting women all around the world. These lies regarding beauty are being encompassed into media [TV shows, music, pictures and even dolls!] and on a constant basis being fed to young girls. However real artists like the very talented P!nk, have chosen to not only acknowledge but fight against it. Dove has also found their own way to combat these social ideals by launching a very successful NATURAL BEAUTY campaign.
I encourage men across the world to look for a woman who doesn’t have to WORK to be beautiful. A woman who is beautiful inside and out without make-up or a fake attitude/ body parts to play it off as real. The lord knows you will be happier with a woman that is genuine and natural compared to a woman that is not, anyway. Challenge yourselves to see beneath the skin and absorb the truth that is natural beauty. Give us “other” chicks a chance damn it. lol
☮ ♥ & ♫
