On the rare occasion that I visit my twitter page, I see this tweet posted in my stream linking interesting facts about Marilyn Monroe. I wanted to read the article and maybe learn something new about Ms. Monroe that I hadn't before. I bookmarked it for a later read. It turned out that the main part of the article was about her weight and that the most interesting unknown facts, for me at least, where the bottom bulletin points. At first I brushed the article off a bit peeved. Then the article really got to me. Does there really need to be another article stating that in fact Marilyn was very petite according to her measurements and dress size, despite rumors being of a much larger size. I won't mention the measurement and guessed dress size. I won't play into numbers game, I don't find it necessary, as I find them to be irreverent to what I want to talk about.
I was disappointed that yet again a common misconception about a past starlet would be her weight. Disappointed even more that one of my favorite burlesque stars would be the one to tweet about said confirmation, that in fact Marilyn did have a body unattainable by most humans. I guess I can't be totally shocked as when she was in town, they're weren't any black burlesque dancers in the show. Correction she didn't have any in her last strip strip hooray but the current tour there was one.That is however a topic for another day. I don't want to talk about why she would post about this article, but about what this article is quietly saying and what she is quietly agreeing to consciously and unconsciously.
I will start by saying beauty has nothing to do with a waistline. It comes in all colors, shapes and sizes. It is not only appearance but character and how you carry yourself. You will never see a now you know article on the size of Cary Grant's pants. You will never here another male actor exclaim "As handsome as Grant was I would kill myself if I was ever his size". So let me plunge that knife slowly for you Ms. Elizabeth Hurley because according to the article you are a bit gorda in the waistline. If we were to take what Elizabeth Hurley said about Marilyn's body and that she in fact did say those words and since the article then goes to compare Marilyn's body to yours and since besides height you're basically the same and since you think being that size is so unforgivable. Yes, please kill yourself. We are then to believe that despite being adored by millions still and having a presence on camera that no other actress has been able to duplicate, we must have her beauty measured and pinned down to a dress size, holding to the ideal of certain measurements is the definition of beauty. And if you can't obtain it then you are not beautiful.
I found this quote from Marilyn. Who says "Big breast, big ass, big deal. Can't I be anything else? Gee, how long can you be sexy?". Why is it that girls feel pressured to be pretty, sexy, or desirable? To obtain the unattainable? Because society burdens them to do so. Other than this article there are countless magazine's, online catalogs, and media, that have gone beyond air brushing into digitally altering bodies to resemble some type of subhuman of beauty that even the model isn't able to achieve without the help of a computer.
So we should be outraged that we are marketed to always have flawless skin, to never age, and be allowed to have a size 2 body six weeks after giving birth. We should be outraged that we are mostly shown as an object to have, that it's usually sex as a way to get noticed. To be outraged that to be shown as a woman of power comes with being stigmatized. Instead we should demand more real beauty be shown, If we demanded more real varying representation of women are shown, if we demanded that we not always be shown overly sexual and more than just body. Then maybe our girls won't be overly concerned about their waist lines, if there breast size is big enough. Maybe they wouldn't be concerned about if they are sexy enough for a boy. If we demanded to be seen more equal among men, then we can be more outraged of the selling of girls around the world. We would be more outraged of our girls being denied an education in other countries. Then we could be more outraged of the raping and domestic violence against our sisters who never get their justice.
Please don't get me misunderstood there is nothing wrong with a girl being pretty or wanting to beautiful or being sexual. To putting on a lipstick and wearing a dress. It is ok doing what makes you feel confident, beautiful, and strong, but do know that just because you don't have a waist line like Jennifer Aniston you are any less beautiful. If you don't have a waif like body like Kate Moss or full figure like Sofia Vergara, marvel at the fact that your body allows you to climb stairs everyday, or you can run 5 miles, that you are able to write, knit, create music, or change a tire. All I'm saying is there are countless and boundless ways to measure beauty. And unlike this article it has to do less with numbers or what you find in a fashion magazine. There is more to being a pretty face. There are so much more things that matter then the size of you're waist. Marilyn realized that and so should you.
“To all the girls that think you’re fat because you’re not a size zero, you’re the beautiful one, its society who’s ugly.”
Marilyn Monroe
Common misconception about Marilyn Monroe: http://t.co/K40DL0Erp8
— Dita Von Teese (@DitaVonTeese) December 27, 2013
OK so now I can get off my soap box for now and will continue with my regular programming.
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