It's not often that I would sit in front of TV for almost two whole hours, however on Thursday I did just that. I came to the living room in time to see the beginning of this week's Trenja (a more serious talk show). This week all participants in the show were women so as to celebrate 8th March. They tried to focus on some of the problems women are facing today, but failed admirably.
While Position Female is very warmly disposed towards one of the participants, a singer, Saša Lendero, I am not so easily convinced. The aforementioned singer said that she disliked how today women are constantly being manipulated and stripped of their confidence, because the industry today is setting very high (if not unattainable) goals for women regarding beauty. All very fine and dandy, if she were not part of (the people who create) the problem. A few years ago she increased her bust size (while having denied surgery), which was probably the sole reason for rocketing her into the orbit of fame, she takes meticulous care of her looks and I haven't seen one photo of her where she wouldn't wear make up or have her hair done. She also wears heavily decoleted dresses or very short skirts. While all this sweet talking is a sure-fire way for success within the masses, she could hardly convince anyone who has a bit of common sense. Sadly, none of the other participants in the studio had anything to say about how she seems to posess a double set of morals.
But even before that they aired a short clip in which the holder of the Miss Hawaian Tropic licence for Slovenia, a succesful business man, Rajko Hrvatič, criticized Slovenian women for not investing much in their looks, claiming that in the West (where even milk tastes better) women are much more attentive to the little details.
If Saša Lendero didn't do herself a favour, then don't get me even started on Rajko Hrvatič. (Though I will anyway.) How does a man, who's going noticeably bald, without the single intention of doing anything about it, who has very visible deep wrinkles all over his face, and is steadily gaining weight DARE judge women and criticize them??? Oh my God, what was the last time he looked at himself in the mirror? Sadly, this wonderful opportunity for letting women know how subtly they are being manipulated by fugly older men, was passed in the show as well. And not to mention that mean BMI (body mass index) is much higher in the USA than in Slovenia. Talk about not taking care of yourself!
Part 2:
what bothered me also was a statement made by a successful business man, Matjaž Gantar. He claimed that the reason women aren't as successful business-wise is that they spend too much time on paid leave (when they're taking care of their children). He estimated that time added up to 10 years in which their male counterparts built their careers, but women were still what they were before they had children. Gantar has four children of his own. So should we presume that being the nice dad that he is, he never staid at home when his children were ill? That he not once staid at home to help his wife with a newborn child?
And again, none of the women in the studio were so brave as to point that little spot of bother out. Gantar almost gave a confession of being a man who demands his wife to do all the children-related work and none of the women in the studio found anything to disagree with there. Am I so wrong in supposing that when two people decide to have children together it is the responsibility of both, not just one of them (usually the mother) to stay at home, taking care of children, when they're ill?
Further on it just bothers me immensly - so much so that I cannot give it a pass, although this mention will probably get me under severe pressure and scrutiny - that when it comes to women all stereotypes apply. If you wear high heels, a mini skirt and - God forbid - make up, then you're most certainly a bimbo, who thinks 1941 is the year Columbus sailed the Ocean blue.
And why are all the women who think they're following fashion trends (when in reality they're about 2 to 3 years behind the current trends) suddenly second class citizens, who should be despised for choosing to wear almost matching shoes, skirts, trousers etc.? Any why should you presume that just because one is dressed up to the nines that they spend their entire days trying out clothes and aplying make-up?
And as far as I know - not following the trends has become a trend in its own right. Besides - what is a trend anway? Is it what designers put on the catwalk? Is it what 70% of women wear thinking that they're wearing the latest fashion? Could it be something only 3% of people wear? If one part of your life does go according to trends (e.g. taking up Pilates, because that's supposed to do miracles for you) should you be labeled a person who follows the trends (regardless of your choices in other areas of your life)?
Why is it that well educated, well read people still abuse stereotypes to make themselves feel good? And why is that everything I/you/we do is of such supreme importance to others? No one approaches me trying to befriend me (or at least get to know me better) yet they all find themselves best equipped to criticize and typecast me.
But something still applies. Ignorance is bliss. And I would have kept my sanity much longer if I didn't bother about all of the above.
Labels: beauty, random ramblings, women
