The Content of Our Character

Yesterday the first female President was elected in Brazil. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/01/dilma-rousseff-wins-brazil-president

Though the Guardian doesn't have much positive to say for Mrs. Rousseff, and even less about her coming presidency, I'm proud that a woman won the post.

On the other hand, I have one tiny issue... the Guardian casually mentions that she's undergone plastic surgery to "try to boost her appeal."

?!?!

In speaking to one of my friends from Brazil, he says if it makes women happy to undergo surgery, why shouldn't they think of it like dying or cutting their hair. Many American women go to Brazil to get plastic surgery because it's cheaper.

Sorry to say, but many things that make us happy aren't right.

This is the same Sarah Palin rant all over again: why is it that her wardrobe makes the headlines as much as her ideas (although recently, her idiotic statements have been the only thing in the news).

It's the same with the French President's wife: Mrs. Sarkozy rarely has her ideas published in the news, but rather, how her wardrobe and body stacks up with the competing female during whatever diplomatic visit.

No one ever commented on Hilary Clinton's wardrobe, or Condolezza Rice, or Rosa Parks, or Harriet Tubman... It seems only when a woman doesn't have sufficient ideas and presence of self to keep us interested sans surgery or fashion will we really respect them.

Which begs the question, Does a woman have to be ugly or "homely" to be respected and taken seriously?

We all want to say no... but have we found a woman who was respected without being ugly or a tyrant (think Vogue editor in The Devil Loves Prada).

http://ceoworld.biz/ceo/2010/03/23/top-25-most-inspirational-and-influential-women-in-the-world

A look at this lovely link from CEO World Magazine shows the most inspirational and influential woman are largely in government or finance, Serena Williams and 2 Queens. Funny enough, the young and pretty queen is last on the list, but in the world of CEOs, getting things done and making them work is what counts, not having the best manicure.

In Biography Magazine's 50 Women Who Changed the World's list we have queens, and some women in government, but an overwhelming list of writers, protesters, scientists and thinkers, a few actresses and singers thrown in for flair, including the incomparable Marilyn Monroe, Billie Holliday and Audrey Hepburn.

So if the high majority of women who are recognized has changing history didn't change it by being gorgeous, then why do women today feel the need to change who they are, change the way they were born, in order to gain popularity, be accepted, or get ahead in life?

Nearly 50 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about wanting to live in a world where his children were not judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character. Why does it sometimes feel like we have gone backwards from that moment? Sure there is less overt racism, but now women actively hate themselves, seeking to change who they are into who they think society wants them to be in order to be beautiful.

Again, my Brazilian friend speaks of the "culture of perfection"... women long to look "perfect"... but what is that?

I'm reminded of a scene from Gladiator where Commodus and Lucilla are talking about the greatness of Rome:

Lucilla: They care about the greatness of Rome...

Commodus: And what is that?

Lucilla: It's an idea... Greatness...

What is perfection? It's an idea, engrained into us culturally, but never actually attainable... and yet we will destroy ourselves for it. Tear down the authentic temple and in place create a plastic McDonald's playplace, a Starbucks, a juicebar, a Gold's Gym, or whatever frivolous piece of architecture you want to use for this metaphor.

And yet where is the content of our character? How long would that building last and from what materials have we constructed it?