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For the love of SPANX...what kind of message are we sending to society?
Living in this day and age, one cannot deny the success and influence of one of the most powerful and (financially) successful entrepreneurs of our time, Sara Blakely. The creator of SPANX has been lauded by Oprah, praised by the (then) First Lady, and given millions of women around the world a reason to feel more comfortable in their own skin. All of these are good things. And yet...
The irony is...if you really think about it... one main premise of SPANX is that it's built around the mindset that women should look a certain way to be attractive and acknowledged. While I have no problem if people want to wear these shapers if they choose to and if it makes them feel better about themselves, great! ...but should people feel any less worthy if they choose not to?
Empowering women (and men) is good. But should we be perpetuating the skewed societal view that women are objects and how they look is of utmost importance? It's not Sara's fault that our society values physical beauty over intangible qualities, but must we keep buying into the notion that that is our best asset?
How about you?
What do you think?
Photo Credit: Compfight.com (SPANX)
8 Comments
Kendra
I want to thank everyone for sharing their comments & insights here. This post is not meant to single out and attack SPANX but to open the dialogue about how we should view women in society. And how we can even MORE empower ourselves by upending the “status quo.” We should feel proud of WHO we are based on our accomplishments and how we conduct ourselves in this life. And not judge ourselves based on appearances. Let the conversation continue…!
Tereson
How very true indeed! I love my curves and feel like a woman because I have them. I have owned one pair of spanx and it got very little use. Plus I peed all over them. Gross! THAT certainly did not leave me feeling too feminine or sexy.
Dana
Great thought provoking point. We are making strikes, and there are some companies such as Dove, who are running their campaign for real beauty, that helps put things in perspective. That is, there is no one way to be beautiful. But we have a long way to go before the notion of looking a certain way falls out of the mainstream ideology.
Lynn
I couldn’t bring myself to wear a Spanx- I know it does help ‘suck in’ the areas that might need suckage, but I would be so super conscious of the fact that I was wearing something to alter myself in a way that wouldn’t make me comfortable. It would be a constant reminder of that part of my body that I need to ‘fix’ to look good. I’d rather just wear the right clothing that would make me feel good and also be flattering.
Sharon Anderson
Society has this delusion that a woman’s worth is identified by what she wears and how she presents herself. Einstein was this silly beast of a man who hadn’t shaved in decades but yet he is recognized not by his inappropriate grooming but his genius theory’s. He got the chance to prove himself regardless! Abraham Lincoln was a foul odored musk man who eventually got at least one of something in every city in America named after him. I think he got his chance. But, us as women have to prep-groom-brush-color comb-pluck-snip-buy-spank-shake-bend-(excuse me) suck to even get the chance. Even after all of this there still has to be approval from others. Feeling beautiful? What is beauty (as evidenced by the external not the internal)? How about we flip it to as evidenced by the internal and not the external. Beyonce said “you wake up flawless…” It’s up to us to FEEL IT!
Lindsay
I don’t mind shapewear. I never gave it a second thought before. But after having two babies exactly 19 months apart, to the day, I’ve found that diet and exercise can return me to my previous weight, but my body looks totally different. I’m happily married and my husband knows what my muffin top looks like, but if there is a clothing item that allows me to enjoy a night out without having to feel like a muffin, then I’m okay with that. Just like I wear makeup when I go out. I look much better with makeup. I don’t do it for others, just for myself. In terms of body image, I think it’s healthier to use a clothing accessory instead of undergoing plastic surgery. When I go to sleep, I’m a muffin again. But there’s no need to let something like that affect my comfort level during the day. My boys are worth all the muffin that I acquired, but when I’m out with my family, I don’t see a problem in feeling happy with the way I look in pictures. I want to capture special moments, not feel bad about myself. Shapewear is a nice tool to allow just that.
Karen
I think woman are sold a lie,that they have to look a certain way in order for men to want anything to do with them. I’m not a skinny girl, but I have no problem attracting suitors. I can out walk most skinny people, and have worked hard to make myself someone I would want to date.
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Jennifer
October 21, 2014
I think it’s a symptom of our quick fix, pharma-culture…band-aids instead of cures. I’ve often wondered if it feels just as awful to take them off as they say it feels good to put them on. Imagine feeling beautiful only because you’ve restrictively altered your body…temporarily. I personally never wanted to see what effect these have on my body because I don’t want to know how easy it is to look different than I treat my body. I’m someone who doesn’t get on a scale but judges my weight by the clothes that fit or don’t fit me…but if I’m a few over my ideal weight and I have a 20 year reunion coming on…bring ‘em on! lol I do think products like these continue the impression that women’s value is in their looks, but you know something? Everyone has problems and most are invisible to those that don’t know you. People with a weight issue don’t have any hope of hiding it, which has always felt so unfair. When I think about it that way, I’m all for these products. Great post! I’m on the fence ;)