When I go to the hospital, I dress the part--I have the professional wardrobe, the labcoat etc, down to the shoes. I understand the need for professional attire, that is not an issue. What is interesting to me, is the difference in reception I get when I wear make-up, and when I dont. And this extends to outside the work setting as well---I get better service at stores, restaurants etc in general when I have more than just my skin on my face. Frankly I find this somewhat irritating, if for no other reason than it's a double standard---we dont expect men to wear make-up; we laugh at them if they do. Perhaps its partly my age, that I dont look like a 'picture of adulthood' with just my own blotchy dermal covering, and if I was ten or fifteen years older I would get the same degree of respect regardless of my cosmetics or lack-there-of.
Somedays I enjoy appearing more polished, simply because I want to be that day. It can help me get into the mindframe of whatever setting I am entering. Other days, I really could not be bothered to line my eyes, rouge my cheeks or cover my blemishes, and truly an extra fifteen minutes of sleep is much more to my benefit.
The frusterating part is that we live in a culture where the face we "put on" has become the 'norm' for women. We all have normal, real skin underneath our cosmetics, but sadly, many women dont feel comfortable going outside their own homes without their 'faces on'. Those of us who regularly choose to go 'in the nude', stick out as being noticably different, and not because of our dashing good looks, but because we dont match with the template the average North American has in their head of what women ought to look like.
3 comments:
Lauren, I have witnessed the same treatment as you...and I'm sure I've talked to you about it...but I sure cannot talk about it in detail on this blog. I agree, it is very frustrating, especially as I know Jesus doesn't care what I look like, He only looks at my heart. Our world is so...so...worldly!!
I do, however, take advantage of the benefits that come with "looking polished". I mean when I go to work, I make a point to dress up in at least casual work clothes because I immediately notice a difference in how I am treated, especially by men. Yes, it's sad, sick, and disgusting. It's perverted. God forgive them for their shallowness. But I suppose women are also susceptible to the same superficial attitudes...though I would say not nearly to the same degree. no, not nearly at all!!
I apologize for the length in advance.
A good friend of mine just recently moved to Victoria and she is working under the tent that has become known as body modification. Though, I would suppose that she is one of the smarter women that I have had the pleasure of meeting, while involving myself in the alternative music scene. We had a discussion about this exact topic a week before she left and she has never (despite her heavy involvement in the scene that she is employed) done anything to modify her facial appearance (make-up, piercings and tattoos all inclusive). I found it interesting when she went on to describe the inadequacy she felt under the pressure of her friends to conform to this imposing standard. It was not hard to sympathize with her.
My own stance on the issue is that it is entirely up to the individual (woman or man) to determine whether or not they will use make-up. Personal quips about the detriment certain standards have on the emotional well-being of the person in question (calling into question the limitations of personal and inner beauty, for example) I will not get into, but let me say that there is still much that can be stated on this topic.
I find the same thing, only with a different twist: it's not really the make-up or no make-up with me, it's whether my hair is up or down...much more male attention with my hair down!
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