Miss Representation

   As a Tracy Anderson Method consumer, I get emails from TA every once in a while. Today, the email came with several links for women, as Mother's Day is approaching. At the bottom, Tracy recommended watching the doc "Miss Representation". I read the little blurb about it and figured that this movie was about how oppressed women were and how much life sucks sometimes because we are so victimized (or something like that). However, I clicked the link that took me to the site, and immediately realized that I was wrong. I watched the trailer and was shocked. This film talks about how objectified women are in society. My favourite quote is: "You can't be what you can't see". Now, I am not suggesting that every point is being represented perfectly, however, I am very interested in this and feel very passionately about it.
   In the trailer, there is a montage of clips of women as portrayed in the media. It was shocking and sickening. Though I've always tried my best to avoid such things in the world, I have also been fairly sure that I at least know enough about what is going on. Especially in Church, I hear about how this is the most wicked time and the most wicked world, and, quite honestly, I end up boggled a lot of the time after hearing this. I understand that there is an exceeding mount of wickedness going on, yet I cannot imagine a world where things are that much better (what do they do there--just skip through the flowers all day?). Watching that trailer was a huge eye opener--seeing a collection of what is popular and considered good entertainment. It really helped me to see how horribly objectified women are. It's so wrong. Hollywood tells us that we must be beautiful to be successful, and watching just one thing that sort of supports such a message may not seem too bad, however, when you realize that that is the message that nearly everything is selling women, it is revolting.
   Now, there is really only one major thing that I disagree with from the trailer. They say that when boys are girls are young, about an even number of them want to be president when they grow up, but when you ask them when they are 15, girls are far less likely to want that still. There probably are some who just don't think they could, but, at least for me, I think that it isn't as tragic as they make it out to be. As girls get older, I think that many of them probably decide that they would rather be mothers or have less stressful jobs (so they can balance a family, or whatever). Political life isn't that huge a draw for a lot of people, I feel. Either way, check out the site, here's the link. Also, here is the link to the longer video. I highly recommend it. This is a pretty excellent cause, I feel.

Click here to go to the Miss Representation site

   Back to Tracy Anderson. I just found out that she is having a second child this month. I have to say, I really admire her. One of her original DVDs was a post-pregnancy workout, and she talks--fairly often--about how women can be mothers and have a body that makes them feel beautiful. I remember a while back when Jillian Michaels said she would never have children because she did not want to lose her body. In response, Tracy sent out an email saying that was a horrible mindset--that women are naturally nurturing and many of us want to have families. She also said that you can look great afterwords (you can see the results with her and her clients). However, when Tracy last had a child, she wasn't the super-trainer that she is today. I was really pleased to see that the trainer I have aligned with puts a high value on family and motherhood, even though she had the perfect body.

   On a final note, I would just like to bring up that there is a difference between 'sexy' and 'sexism'. I find nothing wrong with innocently (for lack of a better term) wanting to feel sexy--it's the devaluation of women that I have a problem with.

Oh, and that guy--(in the trailer) that replied, "You mean besides the pms and the mood swings?"--can go to hell.