Fighting The Power

I watched possibly the most profound documentary today. America The Beautiful, a film by Darryl Roberts, explored this nation's obsession with perfection and beauty. While this obviously isn't a new unexplored territory, the film really hit home for me. Having struggled with eating disorders and body image issues since puberty, I felt empowered after watching this film. I don't want to give too much away, but I will share this : The film opens with the story of a gorgeous new model Gerren Taylor. She is a young black model who is 6 ft tall and a size zero, truly an exquisite beauty. They show Gerren at a model party on a roof top, filled with half naked, topless models (though she is not one of them), gallavanting around with bottles of booze ... then the narrator shares Gerren's age ... 12. A TWELVE YEAR OLD RUNWAY MODEL. WHAT. THE. HELL.


One of the arguments made by the fashion designers in the film in regards to why the models are so skinny, was that the material is too expensive to waste on "bigger" sizes that "no one will buy". Right. Personally, I think that the runway designs, for the most part look ridiculous. In addition, I know that I in no way resemble that 6 ft tall size 0 model, so it is even less appealing to me. If they had "normal" sized woman parading around on the runway I might pay attention, because I could realistically envision myself wearing that outfit. Also, as a side note, ever notice that most of the clothes on the sale rack are a size 0 or 2? There's a reason folks.



The film continues to delve into the subject of social responsibilty, and really sheds light on the fact that we really need to re evaluate our whole sense of self, because this whole standard of "beauty" is literally killing us, our mothers, sisters, nieces and daughters are taught that they are not good enough from the womb. A disturbing statistic shared in the film is that almost 1/2 of all 4th graders are on a "diet". Eve Ensler, an American playwright most famous for the "Vagina Monologues" made a comment that stuck with me:
"There was a great expierience I had when I was in Africa.This woman in the fields of Nyrobi, I asked her 'Do you like your body?'
And she looked at me like I was crazy. 'My body? Like my body?I love my body!
I love my hands, my fingers! My finger nails, they looks like little crescent moons. And my arms! My arms are so strong!The carry me along, they are so strong!
And my legs are so stong they can hold a man...'Eve said to this woman "I don't know how to do that, I don't know how to love my body". The african woman responds "Why, what is wrong with your body?". Eve responds "well I have this stomach..." . The african woman interrupts her "Your stomach? Your stomach is meant to be seen!". The woman explains (pointing to a tree in the field) "Do you see that tree ? Do you like that tree?"Now the woman points to another tree" Now looks at this tree. Do you like that tree? Now do you say 'this tree is not pretty because it does not look like that tree'?".


I had never thought of beauty like that before, and it makes perfect sense. We as a culture are so saturated with this poisonus expectation of 'beauty" that it completely corrupts our sense of self. If I was ever asked if I liked my body, I would never think of commenting on something like my strength.


Another interesting point that was made in the film was in reference to western cultures influence on the beauty standard. A professor in boston who had studied the people of Fiji noted that within the 3 years that television was introduced to the island, that 11% of the naitive children had developed an eating disorder. That's the kind of statistic you'd find in an average highschool. If an ancient, well established culture such as the Fijian's, whom have a deeply rooted culture and tradition, can be so drastically changed in 3 years, can you imagine how this is affecting our own culture?


It's a struggle, and a conscience effort, but I am loving and accepting myself how I am. I am also making damn sure that I tell my daughter how beautiful she is every single day, and making sure I don't critisize my own body in front of her. I never thought about it before, but a big part of this is a learned behavior. You grow up watching your own mother, who you think of as perfect pick apart her own body, what as a child, are you supposed to think of your own body that your mother gave you?