Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Ads alienate women

To the editor,

I am a faithful Daily Wildcat reader like many UA students around campus. However in a recent issue, (Nov. 4), I noticed an advertisement that annoyed me, yet brought me to some startling revelations. This ad was promoting cosmetic surgery using electrolysis to rid yourself of those undesirable hairs and veins. Now, I know many readers may think I am anal or just simply crazy, however this is not the case.

The truth is that I am disgusted by the way society values physical appearance. Everyday we, as consumers (especially women), are bombarded with tons of beauty products and various other gadgets and gizmos to make us look more appealing to the opposite sex. Everyone wants to feel beautiful, desired and special, but unfortunately, advertisers use our personal insecurities to their advantage.

What happened to the good ol' days when Marilyn Monroe's size 14 figure was considered outrageously sexy? Now almost 40 years later, statistics show that one out of every four college women have eating disorders.

The big breasted, stick thin, air brushed super models have infiltrated our minds as fact, but are really fictional characters that few women can ever live up to.

Women are sick of feeling insecure and need to know that they are beautiful without any altering surgeries. I can only guess that coming out and actually saying how I feel about this subject will label me as a "feminist," "man-hater," or "lesbian." However, I must tell you that I am not any of those classifications, but a woman who wants to wake up every day and feel good about herself. Therefore, I do not want to pick up a newspaper and be commanded to be beautiful by society's standards.

Kelly Coolbaugh

Undecided sophomore