Its All About Women!

Sweet-N-Sour says:

First of all, don’t believe for one second that the “perfect” women in those photos don’t look very much like that in real life. They do! Can photography fix a little PMS bloat or a zit that popped up at the last minute? Sure. If you have ever personally known a model, you would know that they are exceptional looking creatures. Not everyone has it, and if you’re not born with it, you can’t obtain it.
Second, people need to learn to be happy with themselves, enhance what they have (and everyone has something) and cultivate a great personality. If you can do that, you can look at those models and say “Wow, she’s amazing, good for her.” Without feeling inadequate in any way. She is what she is!
Third, the only “eating disorder” I see these days involves a ‘muffin top’ roll of blubber hanging over a 13 year old girl’s belt. It’s disgusting, unhealthy and there is no reason for it. Plus I find it odd that these girls don’t seem to have any self esteem issues at all, they think they are hot!
I see these ads as some sorry attempt to make being fat “normal” or even ideal. We are getting too heavy as a society and we need to address that instead of trying to make fat acceptable. Understand I am NOT saying everyone should be rail thin, there are all kinds of variations of normal, I am only speaking about the obesity epidemic in this country especially among teens. That far outweighs (no pun intended)any perceived problem with eating disorders.
In closing I would like to add that I am sick to death of fat, unhealthy women referring to themselves as “REAL” women. Yes, you are real, but so am I, the retired model who still has a flat stomach after four kids. I do exist and there are more of us out there and no, we don’t starve ourselves or use drugs. Sure, some do, but so do some women who are heavy. Having lived my whole life blessed with being naturally thin, I am soooooo tired of people assuming that I do drugs or am an anorexic and being told that I am not ‘real’. Whatever that means.
Peace out.

Francesca Abbonizio says:

My sentiments exactly with Sweet-N-Sours response above. I believe that we as women need to embrace the fact that being beautiful is truly who we are within – as cliched as that sounds…its the ultimate truth. I've met beautiful women over the years who are ugly once you get past their looks because of their ugliness inside. On the other hand I've met women who appear to be plain at first glance but then I see a radiance within that is more beautiful than any perfectly shaped nose or long legs. My body is on the petite side and at times I've been bullied by overweight women over the years and asked what kind of drugs do I take to stay slim or I've been made to feel bad because I'm not chunky… Why do we do this to our sisters, is it not time that we embraced each other? The most wonderful thing we could do is to stop buying fashion magazines!!! Why do we let these magazines dictate how we should look?!!! Can we not be content with our petite/slightly fat bodies/crooked noses/short legs/chunky legs/slim legs….how would this world look if we no longer looked at fashion magazines to measure ourself worth…but instead felt peace within and found our own personal style. I no longer buy these magazines – my time is too precious to be consumed by worthless photos of women I'm meant to look like….and damaging literature contained within the pages of these magazines. These magazines are sold to us to keep us trapped within a (in my opinion) decaying society…how much longer can we sustain the pain that we see on faces of women who are dealing with eating disorders, plastic surgery gone wrong etc etc…wake up sisters!!!

Avonne says:

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our opinions.
My hope is that Dove’s “reality” messages will get out to all tweens and teens, and even that Dove will make one of these videos especially for young people. Girls (and boys) need to understand what is done (makeup, airbrushing, photo shop apps) to ordinary looking models for advertising purposes. Send out the message – in a widespread, all encompassing campaign to the Youth, and do it soon – taking action is greatly important.
The focus ought to be placed where it belongs. My suggestion also is that many elements of the youth’s intelligence (especially toward the greatly needed focus of education of our youth in science and math) be included in the ads – i.e. natural beauty includes intelligence (I cannot emphasize this strongly enough) – this aspect is greatly important and so true. We need to get the word out now – we need to be pro-active as much as possible. The youth are the future.

Di says:

I feel the campaign needs to be targeted at parents – a child’s first role model. By the time a child is a teen the unconscious programming of inadequacy is done.
Dove’s campaign toward women is a worthy step in that it encourages women to analyse the beauty industry; how it conditions her to feeling inadequate at any age throughout her life span, and causes her to compete against other women for this most shallow illusion. From this she might consider something better for her daughter, and how might that be done. Not buy high heels for her tot for example – a child is not inadequate; a child is at their perfect height no matter what that height might be.
Consider for a minute how many hours, days, money, friendships and partnerships missed and lost by womens, half of the world population, preoccupation with beauty industry promoted percieved inadequacy.
Now imagine what the world would look like if women put the same energy into science, technology, business and spiritual development and mutual co-operation.
Ideas of greater greatness begin at home.

Donna says:

The first thing and most important thing that attracts me to a woman or man is a sincere and friendly smile.

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