How do you define “Beauty”?
The answer to this question varies enormously across different cultures. The countless images of “ideal beauty,” that the media feeds us on a daily basis, make it impossible to pin down one definition of beauty… Or nearly impossible.
Because for the residents of Farley Hall, the definition of beauty is simple and universal. Beauty is defined by one thing: you.
This Thursday, December 4th, Farley’s Finest are challenging girls across campus to recognize this new definition of beauty, and fore-go makeup. Bows, pins, and hot chocolate will be handed out at Fieldhouse Mall on Thursday to promote this day of natural beauty.
This purpose of this day, appropriately called “Be Fine” is to promote healthy self-images, and self esteem. “This not about one specific type of beauty, but about why each and every one of us is beautiful,” said Farley Vice-President, Junior Brigid Mumford. The message of this campaign is especially poignant in today’s appearance-obsessed society.
According to a study done by Women’s Health Magazine, the average woman spends around 55 minutes of her day working on her appearance. That adds up to two weeks each year spent on appearance alone.
In an age when time is an indispensible resource, it is hard to imagine spending two weeks a year on anything, let alone something as transient and equivocal as beauty. What could justify giving up two-weeks of your life each year on appearance?
The answer, as researchers for Dove discovered, is low self-esteem. In a study of 3,000 women, Dove asked participants to write down their own definition of beauty, along with their perceptions of their own self-image.
The results were far from beautiful. Only 2% of the 3,000 women considered themselves beautiful.
To combat this ugly statistic, Farley is seeking to promote positive self-images and natural beauty through their Be Fine campaign.
How can you participate? Just bare your bare, beautiful, make-up free face. Promote and share your natural beauty and inspire others to find their own beauty by posting photos on social media #BeFineND.
“Living in a dorm of 230 young women, you see that each resident is beautifully unique,” remarked Farley President, junior Casey Skevington. “And in Farley we feel that is something that should be celebrated campus wide.”
By baring a make-up free face, you can show your support for a new definition of beauty – type of beauty that promotes positive body images and high self-esteem through the recognition of one’s own beauty. And that recognition in itself, is truly beautiful.
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