Women Are Beautiful

Hat tip to Mo for the link. Mo's Journey.


If I may...

I came across this news piece: Women and beauty

Basically it states that 1 in 4 Japanese women considered themselves uglier than other women. However it also looks at stats for other nationalities and apart from Brazilians and Argentinians, no nation had a majority of women who thought they were attractive.

This blows my mind and saddens me. I think it's this insecurity about their appearance that leads women to make awful compromises, endure much abuse and suffering, have low esteem. You see if a similar question had been asked of guys - how attractive they thought they were, how charming etc. I'm almost certain there would have been many majorities in the positive. Yet I think that if you asked the guys, the majority would tell you that women were far more beautiful and attractive than they - and in a whole different way. Beauty is something inherent to the female nature in a way that it is not in men - even for the most attractive of males.

You women are beautiful. You appeal to us men by your very nature. This notion of the 'ideal woman' is nothing more than an extensive advertising campaign. It is a cleverly marketed scheme that finds its roots in first of all creating the image that appeals most to men's sexual natures - a lithe, and instinctual amazon type woman - but also appeals to a notion in women of having to be subject to men oppression or at their mercy. I think it plays on women's fears and men's desires, for a strong sexual partner who can and will engage in games and fantasy. They then market this image telling men this is what to look for, and women, this is what to be.

It is however quite false. Take a look at generations and there has been no one 'ideal woman'. Some societies praised thin women whilst others the voluptuous. Beyond appearance however, I think what makes women attractive is simply female nature. Men like....women. Apart from a few who are trying to live in the false fantasy world of image and the media, the vast majority of men are looking for a woman who is what God intended. A friend, a companion, and a female. Femininity, and true femininity - not feminism nor old image of an overly fragile ornament.

Yes it is possible for a woman to 'let herself go' and to start becoming unappealing to her man. I think perhaps it isn't so much any specific physical state that is unappealing but that woman doesn't care about her state or want to care for herself that matters. I think there is something in being a woman that includes looking after oneself and making oneself appealing and presentable.

Then of course there's the matter of good health. Both men and women have the duty to look after their health and excessive weight gain or other issues that become unhealthy are problems in themselves regardless of appearance. Ultimately I think that a woman who is healthy, full of life, and who is feminine will always be beautiful for that is who she is created to be. As for being truly beautiful, that is a matter or the soul's condition. For a woman who has no inner beauty will never keep a man, even if she can attract them with a physical appearance of the models and movie stars we see so much of. What's more, that inner beauty, especially the presence of the Lord, affects one's outward appearance. The Bible talks of the eyes being windows of the soul, and I believe there's a deep mystery or truth in that. There is a beautiful and tangible light to the eyes, sweetness in the smile and joy in the presence of a woman who has the Lord living within her.