Marie Claire. Marie Claire. What’s going on here?
Supposedly, Marie Claire Magazine “wants to know which of these women appeals to you most” in a competition whereby the ‘sexiest’ woman will be announced in their January edition. No names are given. Backgrounds. Life achievements. Community giving. Career highlights. Just a row of women in their undies hoping to be voted for.
I think competitions like this are damaging to women’s self esteem and I would have hoped that Marie Claire as a supposed magazine that covers a variety of women’s issues would know better. What is the real purpose in getting women to compare body shapes and pit them against one another? Who wins here really? Is it their intention with our eye being drawn from left to right in a reading pattern, to focus on the curvier women on the end and vote for them? Could the poor woman who is the thinnest potentially be ‘skinny bashed’ with lots of comments that people voting do not find her attractive or sexy? If a curvier woman does get the sexy crown will that mean that Marie Claire will consistently, every single month and edition, feature fashion spreads with greater body diversity?
I, for one, won’t be voting. I think all these women visually are lovely in their own way but what makes someone sexy goes a great deal futher for me than what can be seen with the eye. If you are witty and funny I’m going to think you’re pretty hot. Doesn’t really matter to me what sort of package you come in.
What do you think ‘Beautiful You’ readers? Do you think these sort of competitions set women up against one another and promote a culture of comparison, or do you think them a good idea showcasing body diversity? Love your thoughts.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I think of them as something that is just there that has tons of pluses and tons of minuses. I think they are set up more as a money making machine … whatever makes the companies putting on shows the most money… thats what they will do.
Thanks again for being one of my early poster on my blog that offered encouragement.
Best regards
The first thing I noticed was that, as usual, there is no racial or ethnic diversity in these women. This is extremely irritating, to say the least.
Aside from that, before I even read your post, I feel I could have written your whole second paragraph myself. So, needless to say, I totally agree with you! Things like this encourage really unhealthy competitions between women, urging us to continue comparing our bodies to other women's rather than accepting the bodies we have and acknowledging that they are beautiful and sexy, no matter what they look like. This competition is pointless.
Hi Jenn – I could easily have written your last two sentences! Pointless indeed.
Best Wishes,
Julie
Great comments Julie! It's bad enough that rating women on their looks is such a common practice, whether its just guys talking or beauty pageants, but why ask women readers of a women's magazine to rate each other in some weird thin to thick lineup?
Besides, I thought everybody knew by now that the sexiest part of the human body is…the brain!
THE WOMEN ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL. They do NOT, however, have to be everyone's ideas of sexy and this poll is ludicrous. It is also reductive, one dimensional and treats women as sexual commodities.
I'm glad I didn't get asked my opinion on the street, because if someone asked me which body type I thought was the sexiest I would have said, "None, because I'm not interested in having sex with women." But I can totally see a guy saying, "Yeah the size 12 girl, I'd tap that." But that's not about the body, that's about the whole woman's look. How can this photo really be evaluated properly given the question??????
Not the first time anyone's done this sort of photo/poll, won't be the last…
at least they just said "sexiest body", not "perfect", like this one:prob NSFW
I just discovered your blog today, and I've quickly subscribed to it. You don't know how much I needed to stumble upon your sight today.
But, yes, I am sick of body competition between women. We are all beautiful in our own right, and our own skin. My husband tells me that is more about a woman's confidence that makes her beautiful than her looks.
Runway – Alas, you are right. Doubt this will be the last we see of competitions like this one. LOVE your blog by the way. Thanks for sharing all those wonderful images.
BrooklynShoeBabe – Welcome, welcome and thankyou for following. So glad you have found Beautiful You. Your husband and my husband sound very similar. Mine would wholeheartedly agree with yours.