We are inviting women from diverse cultures, races, sexual orientation, and all who self-identify as women, regardless of birth gender, to share their personal stories about their encounters with sexism, racism, classism or similar forms of discrimination as they relate to the larger issues of women's oppression.If through dialogue, we find ways to work together to move the lives of women forward, great. If not, we can at least listen to each other and become more sensitive to each others' goals. These diaries are intended to be dialogues among women from their own perspectives. We ask men readers to respect this.
It started last week when one of the women in the Women’s diary comments implied that the “old” women’s movement was too PC and just didn’t like or were jealous of women just because they enjoyed being “attractive” to men. It, continued for me when I briefly (yes, I admit it) watched the Miss Universe Pageant this year. The one outstanding thing I noticed about the pageant was how much all of the women looked alike – they were all medium height, long somewhat wavy (but not too curly hair), medium skin-toned (with a few fair-skinned women and only one dark-skinned woman thrown in), generally slim with a very modified hour-glass body.
This raised the question for me as to why there is only one kind of acceptable type of “attractive” for women (the same can not be said for men –there’s the jock football player and the slender basketball player and the long haired artist types). Looking around I realized that in every other area, we seem to celebrate difference – different types of trees that we plant in our gardens, different kinds of dogs (each breed with its own characteristics).
What does it mean to be attractive? Why is there only one major kind of “attractive” for women? What does it signify? And why, when we do try to characterize men’s “attractiveness” is it so different from the criteria we use for women? And does it really matter?
It is "the does it really matter" part that gets to me, because it does. Women’s economic well-being, health, political and sociological power depend on being defined as attractive, much more so than men. We all know it’s not fair and that, due to sexism (and/or racism), it effects women more than men.
So I’m not going to get into a long analytical tirade here. I’m just going to list some studies and facts and point out, again, what most of us know. One side note: while many opportunistic women will take advantage of that fact and, face it, it often does work for them in the short run, if one looks at the long term, think again.
There are only two rules: 1) Please don’t tell me about how “pretty” women are hurt by lookism too and 2) please don’t tell me it’s only inner beauty that matter.
Height
Recent studies have shown that the women considered most attractive are of “medium height” [5’6”-5’8”]. Still significantly shorter than men, but the petite 5’2” no longer reigns. While we may thank the women basketball players and super models for this, height is still a fact. Men who are tall (over 6’) do better in business and economically than short men. Shorter women (at least in one study in England)have a much better chance of getting married than tall women. And men still prefer women that are shorter than they are. (Tall men=dominance, strength. Short women=vulnerability, submission?)
Weight
In a recent study (previously published in an earlier women’s diary), it was shown that women who are thin make significantly more money on the job than heavy women. Inversely, men who are a little overweight, do better economically than thin men.
While it is no longer legal to discriminate against large women at work, this might have more effect in terms of the relatively small number of“glass ceiling” jobs. In lower paid less skilled work in retail trades and restaurants, weight may still influence an employer when interviewing a prospective employee. (Thin women=more passivity? Big men=more strength, stability?)
There are also physical and cultural differences among different racial/ethnic groups. Higher weights are not all due to fatty foods and a lack of exercise, but are influenced by the genes we've inherited. That is, if our mom or dad is heavy, we're more likely to be heavy than someone born of slim parents. Another theory suggests that the Hispanic population, like some others, has a tendency to accumulate fat through a particular gene.(My folks must have that gene.)
According to a recent study, white black and Latina women may also have different cultural concepts of attractiveness. Whereas the desire to be thin was an important component in white women’s (and possibly Latina’s)depressive symptomotology, black women felt no need to conform to the traditional stereotype and have a more realist idea of what is actually “attractive” to men.
Former model Tyra Banks has spoken out at the critics who called her fat after pictures of her on the beach appeared in magazines under headings such as ‘Tyra Pork Chops’ and ‘Thigh-ra Banks’. Banks has always been willing to talk frankly about weight. She currently weighs 161 pounds, 30 pounds more than she did as a supermodel in the 1990s, when supermodels were already several sizes bigger than they are today. Banks Said “I’m not worried about my weight at all… I know what I look like…. I’m 161 (pounds) and I feel fine and wonderful.”
Body Type
While the initial study under weight indicated that the ideal weight and body-type for women on the job was thin, “the” ideal feminine body is constituted differently for women of different ethnicities. Altabe (1998) found that Black, Latina, White, and Asian women prioritized different aspects of their bodies and identified different appearance ideals.
All of the women in the study wished that they were taller, and Latina and White women stated that they wanted to have larger breasts, whereas neither the Black nor the Asian participants mentioned breast size as an important feature of their ideal body.
Skin-Color
A medium complexion is the new ideal – not the very fair white complexion.
All but the Black women expressed a desire for a darker complexion. This last example points to another consideration involving the intersection of gender and ethnicity: that the feminine appearance ideals most prominent in the minds of some women might be particularly “raced,” such as skin color (Bond&Cash, 1992). (You think? Racism is alive and well.)
Using data from the National Survey of Black Americans (NSBA), one study develops a theory of gendered colorism among African Americans. The NSBA was collected by black interviewers and includes data on survey respondents' skin color and interviewers' subjective assessment of respondents' physical attractiveness.
As predicted, results indicate that skin tone influences the attractiveness ratings assigned to black women in a compelling, monotonic manner. The association is significantly weaker for men. The gender-by-skin-tone interaction is consistent with the hypothesis that African Americans perceive fair skin tone as a particularly feminine characteristic. Findings suggest the pervasiveness of Eurocentric standards of beauty among African Americans. Implications are discussed in the context of American race relations.
Hair Color and Type
Judging by the Miss Universe pageant, dark brown hair, long and wavy, but not too curly seems to be preferred choice. Blondes are no longer what they used to be.
Observation from one white woman: For years, I had brown hair. When I finally dyed it blonde, the number of men who noticed me, referred to me as the “blonde”, asked me out, etc. went up dramatically. (the stereotype is changing but white and light still seem to have some racist cache).
Observations from one African American woman: I have gotten more compliments from men when I have worn my hair straight and more compliments from women of all races with my Afro. So, is it true guys aren't feeling the Afro or is it a misconception. As for me, I am natural for life, but then again I am single. Correlation?
If we have any doubts, in a 2007 article in Glamour magazine, an editor said afros and dreadlocks are unattractive and unprofessional. (Are you going to get the job?)
Age
Repeated studies equate both age (youth) as well as weight with physical attractiveness in females. So in anything else new?
At one school, women teachers over the age of forty were no longer invited to teachers’ private parties while male teachers continued to be invited until they were at least 50. (Age in women=unattractiveness, Age in men=power?)
In the subjective evaluation in medical school applicants at one well-known university, a male applicant in his thirties was referred to as “bringing a lot of experience” while a similar female applicant was referred to as “over the hill.”
An interesting disclaimer:
Analyzed male (N=72) and female (N=64) perceptions of female counselors using three levels of counselor physical attractiveness and four levels of counselor age. Male compared to female participants evaluated unattractive women counselors more positively. Counselor age influenced reactions to counselors. (RC) (So are women undermining each other? Bottom line: We all get old.)
Sexual Objectification
A study from the apparel industry discusses how women, in particular, have historically been viewed as “sex objects” instead of “whole persons”. Clothes are designed to emphasize their sexuality rather than other characteristics. One of the main forms of sexual objectification is an emphasis on youth. (So is the sexy younger woman going to get the job over the older more experienced woman?)
Health
High Heels: November 7, 2010 Nearly three million women suffer high-heels related injuries which need medical attention, a recent study suggests. The Sun reported that 3000 women in the age group of 18 to 65 were studied. Almost 90 per cent of participants reported discomfit and ruined nights because of high heels.
Medical reports suggest that high heels could lead to foot deformities, posture problems, neck injuries and permanent damage in some cases. A 2001 Harvard study also found that high heels can set the stage for osteoarthritis of the knees.
60 percent said they would continue wearing heels. Only 2% did not wear heels.
A worrying trend is that women are getting cosmetic surgeries to fit into their Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos. More than half of the 175 members of the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society who responded to a recent survey by the group said that they had treated patients with problems resulting from cosmetic foot surgery.
WATCH THIS VIDEO: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
Bras: Several health conditions have been associated with the use of an underwire bra, such as breast pain, breast infection during lactation, and allergic reactions to the metal underwire. Claims that breast cancer is linked to using underwire bras are not supported by scientific research.
Wearing an underwire bra can cause inconvenience and extra scrutiny at security checkpoints and metal detectors in airports and prisons, often subjecting the wearer to special inspection procedures, including removal of the underwire or bra entirely, to verify that there is no weapon hidden in the undergarment.
Plastic surgery: As the trend to get nipped and tucked grows more popular, a recent lipo-sculpting-related death has drawn attention to the number of plastic surgery-related fatalities and emergencies. Maria Shortall, a housekeeper from Weston, Fla., died after undergoing a standard lipo-sculpting procedure in mid-June at the Alyne Medical Rejuvenation Institute in Florida. Shortall worked seven days a week to pay for the $3,600 procedure, which was intended to take a few hours. Some recent high-profile deaths and frightening emergencies as a result of plastic surgery complications have put the voluntary procedures back in the spotlight. Rapper Kanye West's mother, Donde, died in 2007 as a result of complications from an abdominoplasty and breast augmentation. Comedian Kathy Griffin was rushed to the emergency room in Los Angeles during a liposuction procedure in 1999. Another patient, Marilyn Leisz, was unable to shut her eyes after blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery. A jury awarded her $115,000.
Liposuction and tummy tuck procedures, in particular, can be quite dangerous. When those specific surgeries are factored into the equation, the patient's chances of dying soar by a factor of 16.
Diet Pills:
Most diet pills contain some form of ephedrine. In its synthetic form, ephedrine is used on hospital crash carts to help bring patients back to life. Its nickname is “the poor man’s speed” based on what it can do to the human nervous system. It can cause nervous jitters, a pounding heart and high blood high blood pressure. Combined with the stimulating effects of caffeine, another popular component of diet pills, this creates a literally deadly partnership (strokes, etc.).
Perms/Hair Dye/Straighteners:<<em>strong> Permanent hair dyes contain ammonia which has a strong chemical fume. The recommendation is to avoid hair dyes that contain ammonia during the first three months of pregnancy. The chemical fume warning also applies to straightening products as well.
Make-up: A recent study in the U.K. has revealed that regular application of make-up could be hazardous to health. According to the study says on an average a woman applies 175 chemicals on a daily basis which comes under the category of cosmetics and toiletries.
Cosmetics and beauty products often contain toxic ingredients that can cause cancer and other fatal illnesses. Loopholes in Government regulations are being exploited by manufacturers to allow banned chemicals into over-the-counter products, it claims.
Many ingredients in make-up have been shown to cause cancer in animals and should never be used as part of a beauty routine. Coal tar colours, phenylenediamine, benzene and even formaldehyde are some of the toxins commonly found in shampoos, skin creams and blushers, they say.
Hormone-disrupting chemicals, which could lower immunity to disease and cause neurological and reproductive damage, may also lurk in everyday cosmetics.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
SkinLighteners/Tanners: Many skin whitening products available on the market contain mercury, which is effective at whitening the skin, but can be dangerous. The organic mercury in these creams can be absorbed into the blood and cause damage to the kidneys and the central nervous system. It can also cross into breast milk and into the placenta, potentially harming unborn children.
The symptoms can include skin irritation, depression and others that are so common people may not even know they're sick, said Dr. Mark Abdelmalek, assistant professor of dermatology at Drexel University College of Medicine. Back in May, the health departments of Virginia and California issued alerts after several people in each state showed signs of mercury poisoning from using face lightening creams imported from Mexico.
My Google Experiment
As part of my experiment to see how women are portrayed, I googled Who’s Who lists of important women. The first three entries that came up were the following:
EXHIBIT A:
The following was a list of “The Richest Men and Women in the World.” These are the first ten. If you think some may be women, check the pictures and you will find out none of them are, though they are/were all married (presumably to women).
Rich-Bastards.com ... Top 10 Rich List
Name Wealth Source Citizenship Personal
1. Carlos Slim Helu & family
$74.0 billion Telecom Mexico 71yo - Widowed, 6 children
2.William Gates III
$56.0 billion Microsoft USA 55yo - Married, 3 children
3. Warren Buffett
$50.0 billion Berkshire Hathaway USA 80yo - Widowed, re-married, 3 children
4. Bernard Arnault
$41.0 billion LVMH France 62yo - Married, 5 children
5. Lawrence Ellison
$39.5 billion Oracle USA 66yo - Divorced, 2 children
6. Lakshmi Mittal
$31.1 billion Mittal Steel India 60yo - Married, 2 children
7. Amancio Ortega
$31.0 billion Zara (apparel) Spain 74yo - Married, 3 children
8. Eike Batista $30.0 billion mining, oil 54yo - Divorced, 2 children
9. Mukesh Ambani
$27.0 billion petrochemicals India 53yo - Married, 3 children
10. Li Ka-shing
$26.0 billion diversified Hong Kong 82yo -Widowed, 2 children
EXHIBIT B:
Tried to get the pictures, but wouldn’t copy – you can guess what they look like. If you’re really curious, go to the site.
Top 99 Women of 2010 - AskMen
Top 99 Women 2010 Edition Presented by Gillette. Who are the most desirable women of 2010? AM's annual list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women ranks the ...
www.askmen.com/specials/2010_top_99 - Similar to Top 99 Women of 2010 - AskMen
EXHIBIT C:
This was the only one that came up that looked like it might have some interesting women. But before you can get to the info on the women, you have to scroll through the following on every page (and you can only get the other 9 women by doing a lot of clicking for each one):
• Fashion
o Fashion Week
o outfit ideas
o fall trends
o CUTE JEANS
o shoes
o celebrity style
o Slaves to Fashion
o Glamour tumblr
• Beauty
o runway beauty
o hairstyles
o makeup
o Nails
o CUTE HAIRCUTS
o skincare
o Celebrity Beauty
o The Girls in the Beauty Department
o Daily Tips
• Sex, Love & Life
o sex tips
o
WHAT MEN WANT
dating
o romance
o hooking up
o getting engaged
o marriage
o breakups
o smitten
o quizzes
o tell somebody
o Matchmaker
• WEDDINGS
Royal Wedding
o Rings
o Dresses
o Hairstyles
o Shoes
o Getting Engaged
o Brides
o Bridesmaids
o
REAL WEDDINGS
o Save the Date
• Health & Fitness
o sex questions
o body image
o diet and nutrition
o weight loss
o workouts
o celebrity fitness
o Vitamin G
o bikini blast
FALL TRENDS
Fall Hair & Makeup Trends to Try
• Un-Scary Hair Makeovers To Consider
• 18 Pretty Celebrity Haircut Ideas To Take To The Salon
• 10 Beauty Tricks That Make Guys Melt
• Glamour
• Sex, Love & Life
Meet the Top 10 College Women of 2010: Amazing Women You Haven’t Heard of…Yet!
For 53 years this magazine has honored the most impressive female students in Glamour's Top 10 College Women Competition. Remember the names of this year’s winners—you’ll be seeing them again.Enter the 2011 Top 10 College Women Competition.
Read More http://www.glamour.com/...
WOMEN OF THE WORLD – UNITE AND FIGHT!
After getting depressed by the above mentioned Google search for the top 10 women, I did my own informal very personal list (actually 12 – they were the first one’s I thought of and, once they came to mind, I couldn’t bare to delete any of them). Because they are subjective, they reflect my interests -- mostly political women and union organizers and no sports cause sports isn’t my thing. But in case you’re not familiar with all of them, see the answer key at the bottom. If you want to learn more about them, look them up [it takes work to learn about good women role models in our society that step outside the stereotypic box]. Then make your own list – and be sure to share it with us at the diary.
A. DILMA ROUSSEFF
B. JOYCELINE ELDERS
C. ELENA KAGAN
D. ROSA ANN DEMORO
E. DOLORES HUERTA
F. SONIA SOTOMAYOR
G. MS.ROLAKE ODETOYINBO
H. DEEPA MEHTA
I. BARBARA LEE
J. CYNTHIA MCKINNEY
K. ARUNDHATI ROY
L. AMY GOODMAN
Answer Key: A. the current President of Brazil, Member of the Workers Party and Revoultionary B,The first African American Surgeon General, she promoteddrug legalization and condoms in the schools. Like all controversial and heroic women they fired her ass, but she was amazing. C. A United States Supreme Court Justice who defended gay rights and abortion. She was also dissed by Ms Plastic surgery herself, Joan Rivers, as not being worthy to be in the Miss Universe contest (I just had to get Kagan’s back) D. She is the Executive Director and long time activist and organizer of the Northern California Nurses Association who recently thwarted the plans or more bureaucratic unions to negotiate sweatheart contracts. E. The original organizer of the United Farm Workers with Ceasar Chavez and Vice President of the Union, she is still an activist out there with the people. She’ll come to your local with regular folks if you ask her. F. A U.S. Supreme Court Judge who is tough as nails. Must be the water she drank growing up in a single parent working class family in the Bronx.G.A Nigerian doctor who did not get her position because she was married to a famous Nigerian man but because of her work on AIDS. H. An Indian filmmaker who has done films on, among other things, childbrides and lesbians in Indian. Look for the protests at her showings. I. The only person, male or female, who voted against the Iraq. Need I say more? J. My favorite outspoken single mother wild woman who served in Congress for 12 years, saying all the things out loud that never got said. In full disclosure, I voted for her when she ran for President. K. An amazing writer and environmental activist working with the Maoists and peasant movement in India. L. A spunky lady who rides a bike, helped expose the injustice in Timor and numerous other regions of the world. Watch her on Democracy Now (streaming).
NEXT WEEK WE'LL SHOW THEIR PICTURES