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30 January 2011

self image and supermodels

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend* , and she said that it was finally getting easier for her to walk into malls and stores and see the models and not feel self conscious about her body. (fyi- my friend is totally gorgeous and thin)  I was really surprised to hear this, because seeing skinny supermodels and actresses has never made me feel self-conscious about my body....looking at my friends and people around me does. 


I have a theory for this too. (if I didn't...well, then I wouldn't have a blog post, now would I?) 


Everybody knows the big outrage about women in the media being photoshoped to look like unrealistic Barbies,** etc..etc...  (I actually don't have a problem with that....magazine covers are MEANT to be edited..it's just the way the business works)  Since I know  exactly how much people in the media are photoshoped, and because I could photoshop them myself.....that's why looking at them doesn't make me want to lose weight.  


But, the girls around me ARE real, and I know that THEIR beauty is something attainable for me. They haven't been altered or edited....thus, I feel like I should look more like them.


Lose weight.             Be a smaller pant size.                  Be more toned.

If you do those things, THEN everything will be better.  

Guys will find you attractive, you'll attract a husband. 

You will be more athletic and people will like to play sports with you.
Thus, you will be more fun. 

All of those things I have been told over the years, and it's really, really hard not to believe them.


Now, don't go all "oh no, ruthie is about to cry about herself in a corner. quick! console! console!"**
No, all of this is mostly just observations on my part. 


I'm finally to the point of not comparing myself to the girls around me. (sometimes...lol) 
God doesn't focus on outward appearances, so maybe I shouldn't either? 
I should be more attentive to the condition of my heart and soul****, than the status of my dress size. 


But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”          - 1 Samuel 16:7    



*she-who-must-not-be-named
**For the record, I played with Barbies when I was little, and I never thought "oh, this is what I should look like."
***I'm REALLY not the cry in the corner type...
****heaaart and souuul, dah da da dah dah dah!!! okay, musical interlude is over. 



P.S
Oh yeah- also....blog redesign. bam.


6 comments:

With the number of girls out there struggling with negative body issues, it's good for them I think to read it from the perspective of a person who works with altering photos to understand the industry. It's a different and more rare take...and valuable.

Good post ;)

"You'll attract a husband"...haha, that totally made me laugh.

I totally know what you mean...models never bothered me...seeing people around me was more of a problem (buuut I'm pretty happy with how God made me now. most of the time. :P)

Your blog looks loverly. I have to spend such a loooong time doing something like this and yours is just like "BAM. POOF. MAGIC!" Ruthie, I WILL steal you away for personal photoshop lessons someday.

Lastly: YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL. I would go into a description of everything that is beautiful about you, but it would take forever as there are SO many things. <3

Hmm, yeah this is good. It's so easy for girls to get caught up in what we look like. I guess I DO look at magazines and think "Why can't I be like that?" They have perfect skin, eyes, hair, curves...I mean logically I know they're not real, but still, I've found myself wanting to look prettier, i.e. more like the models.

But I also find it easy to compare myself with my friends, which is REALLY hard not to do. I really think it's a heart issue, which is why I LOVE your verse at the end. Such a good reminder to all of us! :)

Annnnd omgosh! I love you're new blog design!! When I start a blog (and someday I will) I'm going to hire you Ruthie to design it for me!! :D

Hahah! The sad thing, Jenn...is that I've been told that's the only way to "attract a husband". :P
Annnd, the "poof" "bang" took like...a half hour...not quite instant. =] YES! I want to be stolen away for photoshop lessons!!!

Wow, Ruthie, thanks for this! (This is Lydia A. from TeenPact, by the way) I personally don't find it difficult seeing models, magazines, etc, but (like you, evidently) it's about the people around me who I look up to or love. As you said, it makes it feel attainable. So thanks for this encouragement!

If that's the only way you'll attract a husband, I'd suggest applying some fool repellant. ;) (It works on foolish advisors as well!)

You already know that REAL men/potential husbands are looking for a godly heart within the package. I must add though, that God did create us to be visually attracted. Beauty certainly has its appreciative qualities and God acknowledges these in His word. See Genesis 6:2. Sarah was beautiful, Genesis 12:11-14, Joseph was "well built and handsome" Genesis 39:5-7, Song O Solomon 1:16. Abigail was" intelligent & beautiful",I Samuel 25:3. Esther was beautiful to look at and benefitted from "beauty treatments" ;), Esther chapters 1 &2. Also see Psalm 45:11. Even while referring to Jesus in Isiah 53:2, there was nothing to "attract us to him" by his appearance. Obviously God has designed us with the ability to notice attractiveness, and even Revelations 21:2 uses the imagery of a beautifully dressed bride for her husband.

Beauty in all of His creation was God's perfect idea, and we glorify Him in our unique beauty by acknowledging that truth in ourselves as we would a lovely flower. But like flowers, superficial beauty fades quickly if there is no spirit of truth beneath it. I don't think it's wrong to appreciate beauty or handsomeness, or to maintain a balanced sense of those qualities in our lives, it's the amount of value we place on them that causes problems.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the *unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight*. ~1 Peter 3:3-4.

This doesn't say we should not care about the outward, but we should keep the order of our priorities straight. (Same goes for the fellas. An attractive jerk is still a jerk.) A truth-filled spirit is always attractive.

I fully trust you all will find a husband who sees the same great worth that God sees in the unfading beauty of your rare spirit.

Your husband will still appreciate your unique beauty now, and you'll still be beautiful to him at 90.

But you all already know all of this in your hearts. Each one of you are gems. So proud of and thankful for you all.<3

Great post Ruthie.

Much Love, Mrs. Baitz,
Certified Husband Raiser.