October 18, 2011

This is What a Real Woman Looks Like

Filed under: Body Image — Tags: , , , — Melanie @ 3:27 pm

How many times have you looked at a model in a magazine or an actress on TV and thought, “Hey, that doesn’t look like me or anyone I know”? This group of students decided to talk back about the difference between media fantasy and their reality.

It is that act of speech, of “talking back,” that is no mere gesture of empty words, that is the expression of our movement from object to subject – the liberated voice.
–bell hooks

Let’s face it, we’re plugged into an awful lot of media. Sometimes we’re aware of what we’re consuming, like when we turn on the television, go to a movie or download a new song off iTunes. But much of the time it isn’t an active choice. Think about all the billboards and ads we’re subjected to without our consent. Add up the images from the voluntary and involuntary sources and you’ve got a tidal wave of images —and most don’t look anything like us or the girls we know. Several of the students in my Women and Pop Culture class decided they’d had enough-they were going to talk back to the media and tell them what “real” women look like.

What do you think? How would YOU talk back?

Originally posted at Proud2Bme, a revised version first posted at Feminist Fatale + cross-posted at Jezebel.


3 Comments »

  1. LOVE the guys at the end affirming that they know the beauties they are standing next to are real. Made me tear up!
    Bravo!

    Comment by Audrey Brashich — October 21, 2011 @ 12:57 pm

  2. I really needed this today; thank you.

    Comment by samanthajankis — October 21, 2011 @ 6:16 pm

  3. Such an inspiring video – I’m sharing this with all my friends.

    Comment by serafina — December 28, 2011 @ 2:42 pm

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