Cause You're Beautiful... If You Believe You Are

Oprah is talking about how people see themselves and how people from different cultures want to look more western/ white. It's interesting.

One young woman created a film showing kids who had a choice between two dolls, one white and the other coloured. Each kid (of those she showed) picked the white doll as the pretty one, the nice one and the one they would most like to have. It was sad. But even sadder when she asked them to hand her the doll that looked like themselves and the kid picked the coloured doll. I never would have thought about something like that. Never would have thought they would pick the white doll that way.

I hear so much talk about black this and black that. They make themselves seem all fluffed up with pride in being black. Far more than anyone thinks about being white. When I started my first full time job I was 16 and the black women there kept together, not unfriendly. Just that the different culture groups did stick together. I used to be intimidated and a bit afraid. I didn't really know what to think about them. Or what they thought about me. I expected them to be angry at me cause the media presents so much anti-white feelings from black people. Even back then, I would say it is still very much the same now, however many years later.

The show (Oprah) went on to talk about how Asian girls want a crease in their eye, that fold where the eyelid recedes. I did notice that some Asian people don't have that. When I was a kid I wondered how their eyes could work, if it couldn't really open all the way. It is interesting to hear the thoughts of those women. I don't feel privileged to be white. It's just who I am. I am aware that other women try to look more "white". Black women straighten and colour their hair. I sometimes think they must have been born that way as races of people mingle and change and the different cultures blur. How can you tell if you only see someone once.

Anyway, it was sad to see that and yet, few women of any colour feel beautiful. Each has her own view of herself. Sometimes it comes from her family and the media more than it comes from her own thoughts and ideas. I think my biggest flaw is being fat. But, I could continue making a list which would include the grey hair which seems to be gaining on my natural colour more each time I look at it. I have dry skin. Sometimes I have oily skin. My feet are not cute and the bottoms are not soft and pretty. I have long since given up on being pretty. I never got into wearing make up or trying to look all girly and cute cause it's just never going to happen.

So, though the cultural stuff is interesing that isn't all there is to it. Very few women feel attractive, let alone beautiful.