Isn't this the message most of us (increasingly men as well as women) have bludgeoned into us from an early age? One of my first memories of reading magazines is finding one with a recipe you could make up and apply to your face to bleach off freckles (I believe it included lemon juice but beyond that it's lost to time I'm afraid). And as a red-haired child who didn't know anyone else who wasn't brunette or blonde I always knew I couldn't be pretty and ginger. Update 20 years later: red hair is awesome. Just so you know.
I think I naively assumed that at some point the conversation would progress. That we would routinely talk more about female politician's policies than their shoes. But my newspapers are full of articles that never go beyond the skin deep.
I wear make-up. I like clothes. But if we focus on image the whole time, do we miss more important questions? When it comes to women such as Cheryl Cole and Miley Cyrus, you might argue that part of what they do is how they look. And it's true to a certain extent - their image is part of how they make their money. | you might argue that part of what they do is how they look. And it's true to a certain extent |
As for Cheryl's tattoos? Just let it go. Now. Please.
I think they're beautiful, but it's her body and her money. As Squeamish Kate said last time we wrote about tattoos at Squeamish Bikini, "If you can feel classy whilst sharing a Treasure Chest cocktail (and GERMS) in Mahiki you can certainly feel classy with hundreds of pounds of body art. I know which I think is the more sensible choice."
It's not transgressive to decorate your body. It's increasingly mainstream. Heck, even beauty pageant contestants have started to reveal the odd bit ofbody art.
So let's share makeup tips. Let's point out cool clothes to each other, and talk about interesting things we can get inked onto or inserted into our bodies (I am referring piercings, you filthmongers).
But let's keep discussion of looks and appearances off the news pages, please.
Squeamish Louise