Posted by Dragoncub at user-uivfs25.dsl.mindspring.com on November 18, 2001 at 22:13:08:
In Reply to: My very own Photo Album Site... posted by Misanthrope39 on November 18, 2001 at 01:38:16:
Everywhere we go there are media images of women we have to either compete with or ignore because they either heighten the standards of beauty to impossible levels or embarrassingly misrepresent us. I think it's sad that the media has sexualized women so relentlessly that young women feel compelled to throw themselves into that arena to compete for the affection they already deserve.
The internet gives people level of exposure and attention that was once reserved only for celebrities. So, someone who feels overlooked in real life can post images on the net, only the ones in which her makeup is just right and the lighting was forgiving (a scenario that real life often prohibits), possibly for millions to see. In doing so, she creates the illusion of affirmation when invariably and finally someone notices how pretty she really is.
Unfortunately, this much exposure is double edged: not only may you find yourself under the scrutiny of hateful, insulting halfwits that take advantage of your vulnerability, but also, you attract the attention of those you want to impress and *don't* want to impress alike. Today it seems that women are forced to choose between feeling relatively ignored and hence unwanted -or- showcased and hence judged--what a @#$%ing nuisance.