Do you see the image above?
Is it really portraying an unbiased message? Not really. In many cases
the new trend is to focus on the fact that we have become culturally
obsessed with skinny and slim that we for the most part do not
appreciate more curvy women. Then there are those on the other side that
say that curvy women are real women while skinny women are not. But is
this true?
Last time I checked, the word ‘real’
referred to something actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact;
it’s not something that is imagined or supposed. So this means that if
you see a woman, man, dog, cat, lemonade stand or even an earwig under
the BBQ mat (eeeeeeeehheeee) it’s REAL! Unless of course you are on a
hallucinogen and are imagining it being there.
In all seriousness, a real woman, and
even a real man, is whoever we are. ‘Real’ isn’t any specific thing. So
we don’t need to create campaigns and movements focused on showing
what’s real. We simply need to accept what is in all cases and
culturally let go of the perceptions we place on what beauty is and what
‘real’ is.
Imagine for an instance that we suddenly
went the other direction completely and now “real” meant more curvy
women. How does the girl or women who has a very skinny body type feel?
The same thing goes for men. Many men hit the gym in an attempt to
achieve the correct body weight, shape and look in order to be
considered muscular and good-looking. Reality is, this is just another
illusion -and with having a decent background in kinesiology, some men,
just like women, have body types that don’t allow them to achieve the
body types their ego’s are after.
The image above is from Dove’s “Real
Beauty” campaign. I’ll admit, they’ve done a pretty good job in touching
on many body types, there are still some missing and they are still
focusing on this as real beauty. The bodies are still clearly airbrushed
to a degree, their hair is all done up and each is wearing a generous
amount of makeup. Is this real beauty? You be the judge.
But for me, if we want to truly go back
to “real beauty” this means going beyond the idea of makeup as well.
Have fun with it, dress up, wear it from time to time, but does it have
to be a daily thing? Can we leave the house without make-up, perfecting
our hair, adjusting our eyelids and hiding our “flaws?” Can our friends
or new love interests see us without make up? I keep saying “us” simply
because I believe men do things relating to this as well. Sure it may
not be makeup but a male can be just as self-conscious about their looks
as a female and I believe it’s important to simply embrace who you are.
So! Male or female, it doesn’t matter,
let’s let go of the idea of “real” and instead accept ourselves for who
we are. You will notice very very quickly, the more acceptance and
“confidence” you have within yourself about who you are completely, the
less you or anyone will even care about your physical appearance because
you are projecting an entirely new energy.
But wait, what about the whole idea that
dressing up nice and making yourself look dashing will make you feel
good about yourself? Is that what it takes for us to feel good? Doesn’t
the very fact that, that is what makes us feel good reveal how we truly
feel about ourselves and the importance we put on appearance? Once
again, don’t get me wrong, I’m not vilifying dressing up or anything of
that nature, enjoy it as you wish, I’m simply drawing attention to the
fact that when it is a neutral act it comes from a space of acceptance
within ourselves versus a self consciousness or need to impress others.
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