Are we outraged about 14-year-old models because underage modeling is exploitative, or are we upset that beauty standards are such that a young woman is a decade too old to be attractive?
See, I'm thinking it's the latter masquerading as the former. As a woman, you just know that men's heads turn more for 14-year-olds than grown women, having been a female 9th grader yourself. I think that's where the Jezebel post is coming from. It sounds better to be worried about a child's welfare than to be upset that one does not, at 18 or 25 or 40, resemble the prettiest of all Polish middle-school students.
It may be that as a female 9th grader the idea of male attention was novel. Now, as a young woman, it is old hat or even annoying, and you no longer pay attention to skeevy guys checking you out.
So your comment is only meant to apply to the objections of women, not of men? Your "are we outraged" referring to a "we" of limited scope?
Being upset about "beauty standards" would imply that they are mutable--or it would be somewhat pointless upset. How much do you think they can change?
FLG: Clever. But there's also a knowledge, on the part of young girls, that they are going to be checked out, whereas older women, more concerned with being over the hill, might well be extra-sensitive to any attention they do get. But it could be that 24 is an age where what you describe is accurate.
Withywindle: I meant a sort of general "we", made up of Jezebel writers and commenters, myself, and, in that I asked the question of my own readers, anyone reading. I'm not sure what in the term "beauty standards" implies that they could change. I doubt this one is due to change any time soon.
More the former than the latter.
ReplyDeleteSome of us are old enough that we have trouble telling the 14 year olds from the 24 year olds.
I second withywindle's comment in its entirety.
ReplyDeleteSee, I'm thinking it's the latter masquerading as the former. As a woman, you just know that men's heads turn more for 14-year-olds than grown women, having been a female 9th grader yourself. I think that's where the Jezebel post is coming from. It sounds better to be worried about a child's welfare than to be upset that one does not, at 18 or 25 or 40, resemble the prettiest of all Polish middle-school students.
ReplyDeleteIt may be that as a female 9th grader the idea of male attention was novel. Now, as a young woman, it is old hat or even annoying, and you no longer pay attention to skeevy guys checking you out.
ReplyDeleteI reject the idea that middle schoolers are prettier than grown women.
ReplyDeleteSo your comment is only meant to apply to the objections of women, not of men? Your "are we outraged" referring to a "we" of limited scope?
ReplyDeleteBeing upset about "beauty standards" would imply that they are mutable--or it would be somewhat pointless upset. How much do you think they can change?
FLG: Clever. But there's also a knowledge, on the part of young girls, that they are going to be checked out, whereas older women, more concerned with being over the hill, might well be extra-sensitive to any attention they do get. But it could be that 24 is an age where what you describe is accurate.
ReplyDeleteWithywindle: I meant a sort of general "we", made up of Jezebel writers and commenters, myself, and, in that I asked the question of my own readers, anyone reading. I'm not sure what in the term "beauty standards" implies that they could change. I doubt this one is due to change any time soon.