a few more thoughts on "Real Beauty"

1. A friend passed me this link on Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign, and I thought it was excellent: Why Dove’s “Real Beauty Sketches” Video Makes Me Uncomfortable… and Kind of Makes Me Angry.

2. Another friend, in correspondence, shared her take on the "Real Beauty" ad, and also had smart things to say. I asked her if I could share it and she said yes. Here's her thoughts:

There's a lot wrong with the ad, but there are some things that are right. If those things that are right are the first step towards people finding healing, then I support that. That seems to be what the ad is doing for many women, and I don't necessarily (from the comments I've read, anyway) think it's leading them astray.

One of the things I was struck by in the ad was actually the fact that even the "pretty" pictures aren't drop-dead gorgeous, just more realistic. So people are getting the reality check they need to see their current appearance in a more real light. 

I don't think that says that everyone is beautiful (though many may be more beautiful than they themselves think), that beauty is insignificant, or that we can or should rely on our beauty for anything. I think it just says that we don't accurately perceive our own beauty, and that the misperception can cause unnecessary and soul-harmful pain, especially in our culture.

Her view's  not quite mine, but she's not the only friend who saw real value in the commercial, and she put it so well that I wanted to share it.