Headlines

I have a Yahoo! email account. Every time I go to the home page I see these photos with taglines meant to get me clicking and reading, clicking and reading. They fall into two major categories--the first type is a blurred still shot from a video (which makes you want to actually watch the video) with a line that gives you just enough info to be intrigued. "See why this woman is waving her arms at the top of a building". OOh...I've gotta see what that's about.

The second type of photo, the one I want to talk about, is typically a head shot of a gorgeous female celebrity with a tagline like this: "So-and-so stuns fans with a bold new hair color" or "See the look that has everyone talking". Wow, that must be some photo. I better go look.

Today the teasers were about Salma Hayek's cleavage and Reese Witherspoon's new hairstyle. (Interestingly, I took a peek at the photo of Salma, not Reese.)

So at the start of my day I have these images in my head, along with the message that these "looks" are to be desired. I know, this is nothing new. But it just hit me today that I have really been brainwashed. I have been told that I look beautiful by lots of friends, family members, and the occasional creepy guy at the grocery store. But those comments don't really help me see myself as desirable. Why? Because on a global scale, I start every day with the reminder that to be categorically beautiful to "everyone" you need to look a certain way. It's the Barbie way, still after all these years. Skinny waist, big chest, long hair and make up.

Wow--when you see it written out like that, doesn't it just sound boring?

So what should I do--change my email provider so I don't see Yahoo's home screen everyday? I must say, having an iPhone has helped with that. But the messages are, of course, everywhere. How do I stop letting them penetrate so deep? How do I give myself a new "brainwashing"?

There are verses in the Bible about how God sees us and created us to be beautiful and unique and treasured. But I have to admit, those verses don't carry the weight that a single billboard does.

So...I am asking you, readers, to help me think of an aggressive, combative strategy to fight in this war on my inner sense of beauty. Design an ad or billboard; write a message I can put on my fridge; start a Facebook movement. Let's try to change the headlines.