Women The Hard Way Essays - DraftCarson Hill, Scout Promise

Women: The Hard Way The Hard Way Most women have a dream of becoming the worlds perfect person; pleasing everyone they come in contact with. When a woman looks in the mirror she wants to see a thin, big-chested, blonde, blue-eyed image staring right back at her. Why would anyone wish for something different? That is what society expects from women, which is far away from reality. Everyone is different, and we all should wise up and accept that, before it takes a toll on our future. Women feel they should live up to the very well known Barbie-doll-mutation-image. Wrong! I hope that women start opening up their eyes, instead of emptying out their wallets to plastic surgeons and weight loss crocks. Society is destroying many of our self-esteems. People need to realize that inside beauty is the one true thing that counts. Unfortunately, I have learned this the hard way. What do I mean by the hard way--people ask. Ever since I was in junior high, I have had this Miss America image haunting the back of my mind, just like many--ahem...most--women do. I think a big influence on my feelings about my physical appearance came from a fraction of society...school. Yes, school. Junior high both girls and boys can be very mind taunting. Friends, teachers, and boys had a huge effect on my feelings towards myself. Back when I was 13 years old, the most important regimen in my life was to impress, impress, impress. No matter what it took; sneaking out of the house before school with skimpy tops, missing the bus to finish perfecting the curls in my hair, or as stupid as staying up till 1 a.m. trying to figure out what outfit to wear the following day. If I had only went to an all girl school that had to wear uniforms daily! Moving up to high school was even a more dramatic, steeper step. Oh my gosh, I have to look skinny for that dance coming up! I have to wear makeup to be in with the cool group! All of these insane ideas poured into my mind, confusing my personal feelings even more. I started concentrating more on my looks than on school work. My grades fell pretty hard, and my friends even noticed the change in my moods. It was embarrassing enough to show myself in school. I didnt want to leave my house, because I wanted to be alone. It was like being in my own world, and no one understood where I was coming from. I would give up anything to be skinnier, prettier, and more popular. I pushed everyone away, and I tried dealing with my personal emotions all by myself. I was destroying my self worth, my self esteem, and most importantly, what little pride I still had in me. Another reason I began to want to look better was because of an even bigger part of society. The media--the Internet, magazines, television shows, Miss America pageants, billboards, and even newspapers. When you have time, maybe flip to a page in a Seventeen Magazine and show me an overweight girl, with cellulite outlining her thighs and stomach. Point out a woman with crooked teeth, a huge waist, and a poor makeup job. I doubt you can do it. I almost guarantee that. The media confuses us...to the point where we are manipulated into thinking that this perfect girl image is only what is accepted these days. Not only is it terrible, but that statement thought of by many women is far from being right. Starving myself for days and spending top dollars on clothes and makeup has not molded me into the person I am today. As it will never help anyone out in the long run either. It has been my courage and strength within myself that gave me that extra self-confidence. Also, the power I had to ignore society and the message they have been sending out to the world. Pain, tears, fights with my parents and friends, ditching classes, trips to the hospital, encounters with the police, poor report cards, three years worth of therapy. Boo. I look back on all of these with an immense wince. How awful it was for me to put so much effort into trying to be good enough for everyone, except for myself. Thinking back on my earlier teenage years, isnt as hard anymore. And not nearly as painful as it used