Crazy Pet Lover Seeks Same

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I don't know, Prudence. I guess it all comes down to personal experience. There are asshole men and there are asshole women. All of this is really generalization anyway. Standards of beauty have always existed. They change with the times. If you allow yourself to care about what's in fashion, or regardless of fashion, what any one person finds attracitve - and by care I mean judge yourself by the standards of others - than there's a certain amount of personal accountability, isn't there? It's probably not that men are worse than women or women are worse than men. And, ****, I've got my own standards of beauty. For example, if I were to make out with a robot, I'd rather make out with Sonny the pretty I, Robot robot than C3PO, who is dingy and foppish - not at all my type.

I can make the argument that FHM, Maxim, Vogue, Elle, etc. contribute to the creation of a sort of Frankenstein's monster of the Female Ideal, and that we're all being maniuplated by marketing, etc., although, to a certain extent, we *allow* this to happen as consumers.

I do think that media has a way of twisting things, and that many people suffer as a result of unrealistic expecations, whether those expectations are for love, for beauty, for success, etc. Ultiamtely it's people that need to tell the media (news, film, TV, radio, magazines, etc.) to go **** itself, I guess.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Yeah, women suck. Including me.

How do the editors of Cosmo etal sleep at night? And who in their right minds purchases something that tells them they're ugly? And how do they keep coming up with "30 new way to drive your man wild in bed"? Do they include the use of Lysol?

Wait, you want to make men like normal women by making them watch chick flicks? I'd never claim that chick flicks are about normal women doing normal things. After a batch of those a person would expect ALL women to be dedicated, feisty, passionate, intelligent....obviously not the case. You can't judge all people by how they're portrayed anywhere, no matter what the moral of the story is.

As for men with pie-in-the-sky ideas about how women should look, they'll get what they deserve, which is nothing. Who would want a man whose brain takes direction from TV, anyway?

In short - please don't take away p0rn. And please don't put unappealing people in p0rn. I like my p0rn like I like any good fantasy - fantastical.

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Yeah, women suck.

And for that I am grateful.

[Morrigoon]

Actually it wasn't about showing them "normal" women, so much as showing them how to attract women.

And I never said take away porn, I just said it's twisted the expectations of the socially inept, making them still more socially inept.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Actually it wasn't about showing them "normal" women, so much as showing them how to attract women.

And I never said take away porn, I just said it's twisted the expectations of the socially inept, making them still more socially inept.

Don't mind me, I'm being facetious

[€uroMeinke]

1) We are all more beautiful than we think we are

2) Confidence is attractive

3) Our insecurities are our worst enemies

[blueerica]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

1) We are all more beautiful than we think we are

2) Confidence is attractive

3) Our insecurities are our worst enemies

Quoted for truth.

[Not Afraid]

I buy Vogue because I love clothing, art and fashion. I fully realize that these clothes will not look the same on me no matter what I did to my current body. My body is no longer a coat hanger. I get to have tits and hips in this part of my life. And, you know what.....it's kind of fun! So.... I get ideas and inspirations from Vogue. Besides, they usually review good movies and books.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

I buy Vogue because I love clothing, art and fashion. I fully realize that these clothes will not look the same on me no matter what I did to my current body. My body is no longer a coat hanger. I get to have tits and hips in this part of my life. And, you know what.....it's kind of fun! So.... I get ideas and inspirations from Vogue. Besides, they usually review good movies and books.

I love the costuming of the human body, so I dig a good rag from time to time. As far as body and clothes are concerned, it's all about flattering your body type, whatever that is.

It's sad that women and men cut up their bodies in hopes of achieving some unreachable standard of beauty. They want to look like the pretty magazine people, but the pretty magazine people don't even look like that. Even the pretty people have cellulite that's airbrushed away. Vericose veins? Sure, they have them. Pimples? Yup, them too. Hellllllo, airbrush. It's totally crazy. There are photogenic women who are less attractive in person and there are people who are very attractive in person but don't photograph well. And then there are people who defy all category, and man, aren't they friggin' awesome. And, and, and.

But I won't say "Everyone is beautiful! We're all special, unique snowflakes!" That's all subject to opinion. All I really care about is planet Nebutopialoopla. On that planet, I'm the Queen of Pretty. The QUEEN!

God, I have no idea what I'm even writing. I'm exhausted.

[AllyOops!]

I love Cosmo (of course I do! It seems that by no choice of my own, I love everything widely loathed. However, I'm confident enough to be secure in my "inadequecies".) I like doing what I enjoy. I'm no follower, even when it risks being teased. And believe me, as somebody who loves fashion and has taken some risks, I've gotten my share of cruel taunts & remarks, especially growing up. But you know what? I must confess it made me stronger & more confident. All that hurt manifests itself into the biggest and best "F you" of all. Creative independence.

What does chip away at my own self image are the celebrity-fueled magazines such as Us, Star & In Touch. As much as I love to lounge in bed and read them, I have noticed that by giving them up I began to feel kinda better about myself. I also filled my time more productively (this doesn't mean I still won't break down and buy one. I have come down with a cough and respiratory infection and whilst hittin' the Pharm last night, you'd better bet I bought Us Weekly! )

In fact, I was just discussing this very topic today. How does a young, insecure girl (which we all are at some point in our lives) feel when she's bombarded by images of a toothpicky Lindsay Lohan & Co.? It's just not the norm. We all know it's a rather sad industry, but it does make you feel a little "less then" when you see a starving Olsen collapsing from the weight of her latest Balenciaga filled with Marlboro Reds.

And note to Nicole Richie: We can't miss you if you won't go away. Pass that memo on to Eva Longoria also, please.

I sound so mean. I have no axe to grind with these lovely ladies, it's just..maybe I'm cranky from being saddled with a hacking cough.

Sigh..depressing much? At least it is to me. You can never keep up with the trends. The tips. Or Paris Hilton. Not that I'd want to, mind you, but it's just discouraging.