<p>well, not really. But what does everyone think about being a sexual/social rather than an intellectual icon? The former is fleeting, but ensures a temporary glory; the latter in no way ensures immortality. I think it was last month that Susan Sontag died - few of my peers (or the adults) I talked to knew who she was - (only one of the greatest minds of our century! <em>sigh</em> </p>
<p>So, any girls who would be models if they were taller? (I'm 5'7" - my little sister is 6'1" and has been in Elle and Vogue <em>zahra snarls angrily</em> Next year, she'll get into Harvard alright - wait until the adcoms see her portfolio . . .</p>
<p>In a school project last year, we had to watch these videos and crap, right? There was this one about Oprah...The guest was some old woman that went "nude" in a really gross magazine, right? Ok. Well, Oprah was getting REAL mad at her and yelled at her and all this crap. WELL! I just don't understand. Later, Cindy Crawford was on the show (not that exact video, but another one) and she was treated like a princess. WHY????? I detest both of the women on the show, but what makes Crawford so ok not to yell at?? Ok, so maybe the old woman posed more inappropriately. But who cares? Once you destroy and disrepect your body enough to pose nude in a magazine--that's it! Crawford might argue that she felt that posing nude was artistic and all this crap. That's what they all say. So you want to be artistic by posing in Playboy????? I do not respect any of these women. There are supermodels out there, but they don't necessarily have to exploit themselves inappropriately and then act goodie-goodie. No.</p>
<p>whoa.
whoa.
anger...
i dont think that its right to judge other people and the actions that they take because you never know their reasons or motivations behind it. a lot of people have a natural hostility towards models and just attractive people in general (i should know, ive gotten enough dumb model jokes in my days) just because of certain images that the media perpetuates. i think its demeaning to women and sets us back several decades that its thought that you either have to be 'ugly' and smart or pretty and dumb. women can be both beautiful and intelligent... so dont judge.</p>
<p>I apologize, but I don't know any woman with a good reason or motivation to destroy their individuality. These women are not intelligent. There are plenty of beautiful and brilliant women out there who are also supermodels. They're obviously too busy and have better things to do than add to the exploitation problem.</p>
<p>susan sontag is awesome.. we did a timed writing for ap english last year on one of her photo articles. that was the only one i got a 9 on. haha, i remember all her wise words.</p>
<p>Punkette, are you talking about the 50-something mother and high school counselor who posed for sexually EXPLICIT photos? Because that's TOTALLY different than posing in, like, Playboy. Those were some nasty pictures.</p>
<p>But Oprah wasn't yelling at her necessarily because she took those pictures. The lady felt SO empty and old that she let some photographer she'd never met convince her to do something that she regretted the next day, and that ruined her reputation and cost her her job. So even though she seemed like a nice lady, I don't really blame Oprah when she asked, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"</p>
<p>Yeah, I like Oprah.</p>
<p>And Cindy Crawford can pose nude if she wants to. I'm pretty sure that's NOT something I would want to do (seriously, like what would my dad think?), but I don't think she hurt anyone. I just can't get on the porn-demeans-women bandwagon. Nor can I really consider Playboy porn.</p>
<p>The problem with modeling is that your whole sense of self-worth can become dependent on what other people think of your appearance. If it's just a hobby, and you have a lot else going for you, that's one thing. If it's your whole life and career, that's when it can become a problem. Anorexia, drugs, and great unhappiness, all are common in careers that depend upon one's appearance. A few lucky ones can escape, but I'd never wish such a life on someone I care about.</p>
<p>"but I don't know any woman with a good reason or motivation to destroy their individuality"</p>
<p>What do you mean destroy their individuality? It seems to me that having the confidence in one's body to pose nude would be embracing your individuality. Women today are always hating on other women (no doubt b/c they're either prettier, smarter, or have something else that the majority doesn't have)......The majority of women don't have that confidence in themselves to not care what other people think of them. Girls who pose nude (well some at least) have acheived self-actualization. They know themselves, and don't rely on the views of others to direct their every thought and action. They are the individuals.
(Just my opinion)</p>
<p>
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right. so we should all wear burkhas then?
[/quote]
Where did you get this?? Are you referring to my post? I'm asking cuz Zahra is an arabic name, which means 'flower'..so yeah, I was just wondering if that was indeed her real name.</p>
<p>
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It seems to me that having the confidence in one's body to pose nude would be embracing your individuality.
[/quote]
In my art class we saw this photography contest. There was a nude woman in this photo, but everyone thought that it was perfectly beautiful, and she WAS expressing and embracing her individuality. She was posing for the beauty of posing nude, not trying to be a sexually alluring idiot. But hey, if any woman wants to do that, I can really care less.</p>
<p>
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I don't really blame Oprah when she asked, "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"
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I didn't blame her. I would have done the same thing.</p>
<p>My mother is half Palestinian / half Jewish (who knew that such things could happen!) Her parents met while attending the University of Beirut. My father is Italian. Zahra is my real name; my sister's name is Maria-Grazia.</p>
<p>Zahra: "palestinian-jewish-italian" that's such a pretty mix. </p>
<p>I don't see anything wrong with supermodels at all. heck, if I were 5'10 i'd totally contemplate it! (i'm 5'3 by the way) LoL! Not exactly my calling in life. </p>
<p>and to answer your question zahra: " But what does everyone think about being a sexual/social rather than an intellectual icon?" </p>
<p>why not all three? hehe. look at President Bush's niece, Lauren Bush. She's beautiful, poised, a Tommy Hilfiger model, an ethics major @ Princeton, and is a UN spokesman for children living in poverty. She's spent months doing service work in impoverished Latin American countries like Guatemala. </p>
<p>Besides, people's beauty can come out in other ways. Yes, people who are blessed with the height, figure, and physical features which fit the ideal of a model could be great and respected in that field and people who are blessed with other talents, have other passions, and contribute to the world in different ways are beautiful in their own ways just by their actions and who they are! Look at Mother Theresa. </p>
<p>And also, let's look beyond the superficial. Many models are indeed intelligent, multidimensional human beings as well. Nobody deserves to be put under some label and defined solely by stereotypes. I think there are bigger problems in our society and world than this so-called "supermodel exploitation" problem. I don't see why people, feminists in particular, make such a big deal over fashion magazines?! If you don't liek what you see, then don't read it!</p>
Quote:
right. so we should all wear burkhas then?</p>
<p>Where did you get this?? Are you referring to my post? I'm asking cuz Zahra is an arabic name, which means 'flower'..so yeah, I was just wondering if that was indeed her real name.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>no! I'm referring to the posts that think posing nude is exploitation and bad and terrible. </p>
<p>I didn't even read the parts about her name, but now that I have I can say that it's a very pretty one.</p>
<p>or how about the revolutionary idea of being intelligent, social, and good looking. who says you can't have all three. people who rant about others (and what they have) are only jealous of what they don't have.</p>
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There are supermodels out there, but they don't necessarily have to exploit themselves inappropriately and then act goodie-goodie. No.
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punkette, I don't know how you got the random idea of posing nude when zahra talked about wanting to be a model!</p>
<p>Posing nude is not bad, posing for sexually explicit ones might be. It's an individual's choice. You can't control that, but you can express your anger. Look at some african tribes. Women there are always topless. You see, it's such a subjective, cultural thing. It might be unethical for a "50-something mother of three" to pose nude, but not for Cindy Crawford or Pamela Anderson.</p>