How to Look Good Naked
News flash: American woman have body image issues.
Duh! Every single day, we see news stories on how fat and unhealthy Americans are these days. During the commercial break, we see ads for diet plans with woman celebrating getting down from a size 10 to a size 2, along side ads for plastic surgery to make that size two lady flawless with large perky breasts.
Since when is a size two supposed to be the goal for an average woman?
If you are a size
Beauty is more than the number on the tags of a woman's pants.
I was so excited when I saw advertisements for Lifetime's new makeover series "How to Look Good Naked". Fans of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy will recognize stylist Carson Kressley. In this show based on the British program of the same name, Carson takes one woman each show on a journey from critical body hatred to acceptance of her personal beauty.
The first episode aired last Friday. I caught it on Sunday morning. If you missed it, you can watch the full episode online.
I was overwhelmed to see how emotional the show was, rather than being a cop out that focused mostly on using fashion to cover up the un-perfect parts. Instead Carson spent five intense days with the show's subject Layla. When a woman is 32 years old and has been down on her body image for twenty years, my heart is broken for the adolescent girl who's put her on a diet.
The most powerful moment was when Carson revealed to Layla video taken on the street with Layla's bra and pantie clad image projected on the side of a building above the city. First, she was horrified with seeing herself, even only neck down, displayed in her underwear.
The purpose of the exercise was that Layla could hear the comments of those passing by in a "man on the street" style interview. Among the comments were "That's what a real woman looks like" from an older lady and "Nice rack" from a couple guys.
What the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty began, Lifetime has continued with this wonderful show. If women embraces it, we'll have a movement where every woman can feel beautiful, sexy and worthy no matter what her shape.
I cannot help but think of my little niece who will celebrate her third birthday on January 19th. She thinks nothing of running around outside naked, or in underwear and rubber boots a few months ago when I visited, on her grandparent's farm. She is told she is beautiful almost as much as she is told she is smart and funny.
I hope she grows up to never doubt her beauty for any reason. I hope she grows up in a culture that celebrates woman for what they look like not stress them to struggle to be something they are not.
I've been wanting to see that show! I'm such a Carson fan, and I agree with what you're saying. The concept that you have to be a certain size to have any self worth is annoying at very least, and I just saw a subway commercial last night where fast food causing an obese body was likened to it losing you your boyfriend, your self respect and giving you other issues - if this where a race situation they wouldn't be allowed to sling words and stereotypes around that way.
At any rate, I should point out that watching those shows online is detrimental to the WGA's writer's strike, and those of us supporting the WGA are boycotting online media downloads like movies and whole TV shows.
Reply to this
Subway sucks. If being overweight by the culture's standards caused lost boyfriends, I would ever have been able to attract a man.
I don't think it's the watching shows online that is the problem. If anything, the studios need to understand the power of the internet. I agree with WGA's point.
Reply to this
I didnt get a chance to see this show, but i saw the ad's when i had time to watch TV. The last few quarters i've taken serveal classes to deal with self-esteem in our youth. I watched a heart breaking video of 10 year olds no fatter then sticks talk about how they were just to "fat". It really hit home when Kelsha daughter (my god-daughter) Christine(a whole 6 years old) announced she was so fat she couldnt stand it (the girl only has baby fat on her, and is prefect weight for her age/height) and she was going on a diet, this was 6 months ago, but she still wont drink anything other then water and refuses to eat meat (cause its to fatting). I have to wonder what the world is coming to! I'm glad that TV shows like these are coming around, the media depics such a unrealistic veiw of what people should look like. Anyways thats my rant! LOL. I really hope more networks and companies start shying away from the "ideal" image of a women.
I hope i can catch this show the next time its on too ... but that will depend on my homework load
Reply to this
First it is hard to believe Kelsha's baby is six. OMG! She was pregnant with her the last time I saw her, I think.
You'll live the show. I honestly cried to see this poor woman who never felt beautiful and sexy. To think her mom reinforced her misguided ideas is sick.
Even when I start to think about the extra pounds I ought to lose, I never feel ugly or unattractive. Goodness knows I've never had issues with men finding me attractive, even though I've been a size 14 and up since I hit puberty.
Reply to this
That's a pretty cool show, thanks for bringing it to my attention. Unfortunately, I don't have Lifetime, so unless they put other episodes online, I won't be able to watch it. I've always been saddened by how down people get on themselves about their bodies and angered by the fashion industry's unhealthy and unrealistic portrayals of the "perfect" body (and don't even get me started on the diet industry). I'm glad there are finally some people trying to stand up and say enough.
Reply to this
I hope they do air them online for you. I usually don't watch anything on Lifetime, but this one is a keeper.
Reply to this
"I don't think it's the watching shows online that is the problem. If anything, the studios need to understand the power of the internet. I agree with WGA's point."
Actually WGA has been stressing not to download these shows and clips because it makes money for the studios and networks via ads, cash for downloads or traffic that they can sell to sponsors later. The WGA's issue with this is that the studios are basically saying that they don't know if there's any money in online downloadable media, so they shouldn't have to pay any percentage as residuals to the writers, all the while they're pushing media downloads down viewer/surfers throats in an effort to make money on them. In fact, while the strike is still on, those networks that haven't struck a deal with the guilds like Comedy Central are releasing a whole bunch of their shows on the web in an effort to steer attention away from the fact that they have almost no new content on TV.
One of the main ideas behind boycotting online downloads ( and manufacturer direct DVDs ) is to hit the studios in the change purse and force them to realize that the money they're not sharing with the WGA can just as easily be taken away from them, too. The other is to make sure that if the writer's don't get paid, the studios don't either. I know, I know, I'm a windbag, lol - but my sister is a writer and it hit home for me.
Reply to this
Thanks for the info. In all honestly, I haven't followed the strike much.
Reply to this