Their thighs jiggle, their hair is kinky, and they can never manage to lose those last 10 pounds. To the modern woman, these small nuisances often become enormous problems, but professor Jamel Bell's discussion "America's Next Top Model: The Changing Face of Beauty" asked instead, "so what?"
A small group of six gathered on Tuesday night to discuss the limited way in which beauty is defined, and how society can go about deconstructing the impossible cultural standards and notions of beauty.
Bell began the discussion by showing a clip from The Tyra Banks Show in which Banks and the entire audience wore bathing suits with their weights printed on the front. Although many of the women who spoke out were once ashamed of their bodies, each expressed a newfound appreciation for her health and individual beauty.
Two groups then formed to discuss a few questions concerning members' own personal experiences with beauty, characteristics of standard beauty and how they have changed over time, and how to broaden and counter today's narrow definition of beauty.
One girl discussed the idea of Boston College's own perception of beauty. "It's that idea of stepping out of a J. Crew magazine," said Bell. Most people agreed that thin and toned, with long hair, clear skin, and nice teeth were definite standards women measure themselves against today. "Standards change regionally, but there has to be a great equalizer, which for us is media images," said Bell.
Even though shows like America's Next Top Model search for a "fresh face," one that is multicultural and exotic, there are still only one or two plus-sized models on the show each season, and none have ever won. "Beauty is more than size. "Plus-size" starts at a 10, but the average woman wears a 12 or a 14," said Bell. According to Bell, the women society is constantly bombarded with, be it on television shows or the runway, only represent 2 percent of the population. The rest of the world's women are closer to the plus-size models.
"Who does it benefit to have an impossible standard of beauty, when I can never feel good about myself?" said Bell.
One girl said she thought product companies benefited from this unattainable standard because if people believe they look good enough without the products, they'll go out of business. Bell echoed that idea. "These companies keep consumers thinking there's always something wrong."
Today's society is all about instant gratification, said Bell; quick fixes such as plastic surgery, "magical" products, and reality makeover shows appeal to people who want to solve their dilemmas in the most efficient way.
Nearly every woman is affected negatively by the images the media projects about beauty. The discussion groups brainstormed various ways to take action against these images and broaden the scope and definition of beauty. One suggested complimenting friends, while another girl added accepting and believing compliments given to you. There was also a discussion about forcing friends to reevaluate their own perceptions by pointing out obvious airbrushing and their objectifications of others. What Not To Wear, a makeover show encouraging acceptance of one's own body, was praised for helping women understand their own bodies and dress for that, not for the "skinny" size.
Recent countries' bans on models with body mass indexes (BMIs) below the healthy 18 was seen as a positive step toward acknowledging the problem, along with Dove and Nike ads aimed at empowering women.
Bell hoped each participant in the discussion took away a sense of responsibility to broaden the definition of beauty for young girls.
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