Biased Beauty

When you looked into the mirror this morning what did you see? Did you see a beautiful person or did you see yourself the way society may view you? Due to the many biases on beauty we often judge ourselves according to the standards society accepts as the "beautiful law".

According to the Webster's II New Riverside Dictionary, beauty is defined as a quality or a combination of qualities that delight the senses or appeals to the mind; One that is beautiful; an outstanding or conspicuous example. It defines beautiful as being marked by beauty. Using synonyms such as beauteous, comely, fair, good-looking, gorgeous, lovely, pretty, and ravishing.

Society's definition of beauty and being beautiful is slightly altered in comparison to the standard definition. It is based solely on the "physical attributes" one has. Classic examples include models in magazine, actors and actresses in movies, and billboard ads. Consider the magazine Glamour.

Glamour (magazine)

Erykah Badu

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

They title is catchy. It insinuates the contents of the magazine include photos and articles that relate to beauty. What the magazine includes are photos and articles that relate to beauty. What the magazine features are models that are "superficial". Most of the women are extremely underweight; skin is hairless and without blemishes; no pimples are on these beauty queens! Body contours are perfect (dimensions that are acceptable); teeth sparkle. Her hair is immaculate; not a strand out of place. Everything is flawless. Welcome to superficial! The problem with this is that the magazine is geared towards teenagers. The teenagers that don't look like this are "killing themselves" are trying to look like this because this is considered to be the standard. This is why so many teens are being diagnosed with the disease anorexia.

Modern commercials and magazines have caused us to subscribe to what I call...