We are three women and two men writing a musical called IN MY BODY. Our characters uncover raw truths about what it's like to live in their individual and collective bodies at this particular moment in time. Read our blog to find out what we have to say about body culture and about where we are with our show.
I remember taking a class in college where I was studying "Communication" and learning that there was a direct correlation with symmetrical faces and attractiveness. I was taught that it was a fact that we, as humans, subconsciously judge a person's beauty, at first glance by how symmetrical their face is. At the time, I just assumed this was true as there is scientific research to back up this claim. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking "I'm screwed, one eyebrow is definitely different than the other and one eyeball is definitely a bit lower and smaller than the other. I must be Quasimodo."
Maybe this was true at one time or still is. However, I have to say for me personally, I do not believe this anymore. Maybe because we live in an age where Photoshop makes everything sickly perfect I became awakened to the fact that it is our little flaws that make us beautiful and refreshing. Our flaws make us different from everyone else. Our flaws remind us that we are indeed, still human and are susceptible to scars, moles, genetics and overall wear and tear. I found this article that shows how celebrities would look if their faces were perfectly symmetrical. I would take a non-symmetrical Colin Farrel any day compared to this perception of perfection...
http://www.freakingnews.com/Symmetric-Celebrities-Pictures--2485-10.asp
Dove continues to leave me in utter awe of their ongoing beauty campaign. I was reading an article by Leslie Goldman called Why I Broke Down in Front of 500 Sorority Girls
which references a "Campaign For Beauty" video. Goldman is a writer,
author, body image speaker and was recently a keynote speaker at a
sorority conference in Miami. She spoke about confidence and her own
personal success. This was also the first time Goldman had been away
from home since having her 5 month old daughter. After her talk she
proceeded to host a body image session which she has given dozens of
times in the past.
Goldman began the session by showing this Dove video.
Have you seen it? I don't even have kids and I can't tell you how much
I was moved by this under 2 minute HOLY SHIT revelation. Goldman has
seen this video countless times before but for obvious reasons, it
suddenly resonated deeply within her.
Now watch the damn
video but if you are too lazy to click on the above link...It opens
with a shot of a perfect, young, innocent little girl. Then... BOOM!
We are abruptly inundated with images that have been consciously and
unconsciously ingrained in our minds forever by beauty companies,
celebs, mags, reality shows, you name it! Still and moving images that
make us look at ourselves and make us begin to hate what we see and then
proceed to change the very things that make us so special.
Goldman,
being a new mom realized how her daughters innocence and confidence
would one day be shaken and challenged. And so began her list of
promises from mother to daughter that will bring tears to your eyes.
Here are a few I particularly loved... Evie, I will never criticize your body for the way it looks. I will not allow a scale to pollute where we live. I will compliment you on your strength, your smarts and your kind gestures.
Now read the article and watch the video, you will be glad you did.
Speaking of body affirmations...I Just read this article from the Huffington Post and watched the promo vid which gave me the title statistic. Dove takes their body positive ad one step further! You know those super annoying ads on the side of every page that just stare at you, judging you for having a muffin top and cellulite CONSTANTLY?!!!! Well Dove Australia is recreating those annoying little suckers to be quite inspiring! "When it comes to your body, love the one you're with!" Dove Ad Makeover
