Sometimes I, like many women, can be my own worst critic – not sharp enough, not thin enough, not pretty enough, no witty retorts, too sarcastic…and on and on. Whatever. I saw this image posted on The Things We Say (an awesome site by the way) the other day.
This is so true. Especially in light of the tragic events this week, I am going to make a more concerted effort to cheer myself on instead of allowing my inner critic to run rampant. I am not always the sharpest, thinnest, prettiest, fastest, wittiest. So what?
On a similar note, there was a lot of press this week about a new campaign from Dove in their Campaign for Real Beauty which started in 2004 with “real women” as models. The theme of the spot was that you are more beautiful than you think you are. Thanks to Maureen for sending this my way!
The video shows a police sketch artist drawing a series of women who describe themselves to him from behind a curtain. He draws them only from their descriptions of themselves. The women, not surprisingly, are critical of their appearances and tend to focus on their flaws.
He draws a second sketch of each woman, but this time based on a stranger’s description – someone they met that morning. Each time, the portrait based on the stranger’s description is more flattering than the one based on the woman’s own description of herself.
Watch the video here:
“Women are their own worst beauty critics,” Dove says on the video’s official website. “In fact, only 4 percent of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. Dove is committed to building positive self-esteem and inspiring all women and girls to reach their full potential.”
I loved this spot. It really hit home for me. For me, this video reminded me that many women, like me, are their own worst critics. When I see a photo of a friend, I never look for the flaws. When I see a photo of myself, my eyes are immediately drawn to the flaws. I also am reminded that friends and acquaintances look more attractive to me based on their positive qualities. I find this campaign to be a good reminder that the way we perceive and project ourselves to the world influences how people feel about us, too. That said, I did think the comments were a bit “fattist” – thin equaled better for the women. But, being honest, that is the way I am “programmed” to think, too. That doesn’t make it right, or OK, but it is true for me. I wish it wasn’t!
The video went viral. Right now it has over 11 million hits on You Tube. And of course with that comes debate and differences of opinion. Many people loved it like me, but others criticized the video for defining beauty as primarily physical. The complaint was “how you look is viewed as more important than how you are.” (It would have been interesting for me to see men’s portrayals, too.) Some suggested that this was a clever marketing trick to sell more Dove products “disguised as an altruistic effort to help women feel better about themselves.”
Maggie shared this irreverent article from Feministing with Kelly and I butted in. Feministing was not impressed…queue McKayla Maroney face. They write:
“Dove’s version of beauty, however, is more than skin-deep…but not necessarily in a good way. In addition to confirming that ladies should want certain physical traits like “nice thin jaws,” the video also promotes what I’ll call the One Direction Theory of Unknown Beauty (ODTUB). As those little boys sing, “You don’t know you’re beautiful, oh oh, that’s what makes you beautiful.” Part of the allure of the Dove women, similarly, is that they’re unaware of their loveliness: dressed to attract little attention, they don’t tell the artist about their beautiful eyes. As he sketches them, they are the very picture of feminine humility and thus, according to the ODTUB, feminine beauty.”
[An aside, see hilarious Stephen Colbert images on the One Direction song HERE and check out the “Male Version”, too. Thank you, Kelly!]
I agree with the detractors on some of their points, but I still like the idea and messages of this campaign. I like that they are continuing the dialogue. Will I buy more stuff from Dove over other brands? Maybe. Do I wish that the spots were less focused on physical beauty and thinness? Sure, but I wish that for our society in general and think that this is at least a step in the right direction. Awareness is the first step in any change.
What do you think? Are you moved by Dove’s ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ video or is it just a way to sell soap? Are you your own worst critic?
And while you are here, please consider following this blog on Bloglovin’!
