After the recent comment by
Kate Moss that "nothing taste as good as skinny feels," W magazine has taken heat for a photo of the 47 year old Demi Moore who looks as if she's missing a chunk of her hip. I think the photo is nice, but I do wonder how her young adult and teenage daughters feel about how "hot" their mom looks. I wonder if there is ever any competition.
I wonder if women will ever feel as if they can age gracefully without been pulled and pumped. Moore appears to be much thinner here than she was when she was actually much younger in
Ghost, for example. She has never looked so angular. Moore says that the image has not been photoshopped. That might be hard to sell.
9 comments:
It looks so artificial. I agree that I wish many celebrity women wouldn't cave in to the pressure to be other than they are. A woman's beauty does not disappear with age. It just evolves in a more substantial and concrete way. Think of the beauty of someone like Maya Angelou. No one can deny her beauty when she speaks and smiles. She is genuine and celebrates where she is at each moment.
What a beautiful statement that is, Kelly! Thank you, my dear friend. I love your example. Maya Angelou is beautiful. I am now remembering all of the incredibly beautiful women in my life, including my paternal aunt who I have featured here. She's beautiful. My mom and her sisters were beautiful too. They were always very stylish, but very authentic. They taught us how to honor our bodies and feed our brains. They taught us how to exist at various stages of life through their words and deeds. The embraced life; they didn't try to alter it. (By the way, I'm not against cosmetic surgery, but I think we have become a bit too fixated on it.) There were also many women in our church who played important roles in shaping us too. But my mom and her sisters were our greatest examples.
When I think of what you have shared about your mother and Aunt Dorothy especially, I can't help but admire their beauty of generosity with all around them. From what you have shared, I can tell that they carefully chose their words and found ways to reach all around them with praise and insight. Very much like you dear friend. Clearly, you are carrying on their beautiful spirit within you.
By the way, I posted an amazing video of an Alvin Ailey dance routine. I think you will enjoy it.
Ah, you are my friend, Kelly, and I thank you for your words. You may have some insights on those two extraordinary women that others here may not. :-) I have been over to your blog and I love the Alvin Ailey post. Amazing indeed! Thanks for that!
I haven't seen photos of Demi Moore so it's possible that she is that thin. Unfortuantely thin sells magazine covers. It sends a bad message to young women out there who are desperate to look like celebrities.
Yes, thin sells, Katina. But it only does so because of what we desire. Of course, during the Renaissance the plumper the woman the more desirable she was. I have always liked Demi Moore and from the photos and movies I have seen of her she seems to have always been fit. But this photo to me is not a good representation of the strong woman I am accustomed to seeing. I wonder if the whole younger man thing has anything to with trying to keep up the image of the "hot" new young thing. I'm all for love at any consensual age, but I do wonder if emotionally it matters for older women with younger men. It doesn't seem to matter in reverse, does it?
I think you are right Judith—the media is sending the wrong message to young people. According to the media; to be a welcomed part of our society, a person must be thin…and young. Of course, obesity is not a good thing either, but the vast majority of people fall in-between these two extremes (in my opinion).
So, I wish our society—and particularly, the media—would honor the “average” American citizen, and also appreciate the wisdom that only comes with age.
You have inspired me Judith. I am going to write a post tonight about two highly acclaimed artists who just wrote a book titled “The Art of Aging.” They discuss the issue of aging in a short video, which I found fascinating. Thank you!
"So, I wish our society—and particularly, the media—would honor the “average” American citizen, and also appreciate the wisdom that only comes with age."
I love this comment, Bob. Thank you. As a kid, I always had much older friends. When I was 13 my best friend was 33. I also found myself sitting at the feet of much older people, those well into their late 70's and mid 80's. Bob, I learned so much and really took their words of wisdom to heart. When we were kids and young adults, we were taken to senior citizens homes during the holidays to sing and read. These are experiences I have never forgotten. I look forward to your upcoming posts.
Oh, and, Bob, I am always happy to inspire. You often inspire me. Thank you for that.
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