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Plastic Surgery
Revealing the mysteries and mystique
An interview with Sheila A. Bond, MD, F.A.C.S.
by Ivy Pittman
IP: Why did you choose to become a plastic surgeon?
SB: I wanted to be able to perform different types of surgeries, and plastic surgery offered many options to
actually see the results of my work. I get to literally see my finished work.
IP: Almost like a painting. (laugh) What are the most sought after elective surgeries?
SB: Tummy tuck medically known as abdominoplasty and breast augmentation. Women who have had babies
want to get rid of the tummy fat which may be due to significant weight fluctuations and heredity. These factors
can also affect women—young and old as it relates to their breasts. If their breasts sag or their balance is poor
due to overly large breasts then they will consider breast augmentation or a breast lift.
IP: What is the percentage of elective surgery among women of color?
SB: I’ve seen an increase from 10 to 50 percent in terms of women of color over the last 14 years.
IP: Why do you think that is?
SB: Well it could be because there is not so much of a stigma about plastic surgery now as may have been the
case twenty years ago.
JA: In my experience, African-American women are much more likely to spend disposable income to look better.
SB: No I can’t say I have. My patients are happy because they are realistic women. They don’t come to me for
a consultation asking for unrealistic changes. My clients know that at 50 they will not look like did at 25. In
some cases it is possible to restore certain features depending upon ones age and what it is they are not
pleased with. For example lines across the forehead could be corrected with a Brow Lift. Parentheses around
the mouth or naso-labial lines and crows feet along with bags under the eyes can be filled using derma filler like
Restylane. Typically these procedures are temporary – three months or so, depending upon the individual.
Maintenance is important.
IP: Yes, maintenance. It’s usually the maintenance of beauty that can put us in the poor house. (laughs) What
about the risk factors? To what extent does an individual’s health come into play?
SB: Smoking makes all surgeries have a greater risk of complications because people who smoke do not heal
properly. People who have diabetes that is not under good control are at a greater risk of infection. People who
have high blood pressure who are not well controlled may bleed after surgery. Of course taking aspirin, Motrin,
large doses of Vitamin E and other substances (we get our patients a list) may cause people to bleed more at
surgery also. We discuss these factors with our patients, get medical clearance if needed and make adjustments
before, during and after surgery to reduce these potential complications.
IP: So how would you define beauty?
SB: Beauty is still defined by the media. It dictates perfection. But there is no right or wrong image. Plastic
surgery is not about vanity. It’s all about you and how you feel about your looks.
JA: We still measure everything by how something looks. It may not speak to what is on the inside but for the
most part we are all visual beings. As women we get our hair and nails done, buy make-up and buy clothing to
look good. Plastic surgery is just a more costly step up from wanting to look good. Contrary to what has been
said, plastic surgery is not addictive. It’s like decorating a room in your house. If you decorate one room don’t
you want to move on to other rooms until the entire house is restored?
IP: Absolutely! That is so true and a great analogy. Final thoughts?
JA: Plastic surgery is not addictive. It is merely restoring what nature once gave you.
IP: On behalf of VisibleWomanOnline, thank you so much!
Revealing the mysteries and mystique
An interview with Sheila A. Bond, MD, F.A.C.S.
by Ivy Pittman
IP: Why did you choose to become a plastic surgeon?
SB: I wanted to be able to perform different types of surgeries, and plastic surgery offered many options to
actually see the results of my work. I get to literally see my finished work.
IP: Almost like a painting. (laugh) What are the most sought after elective surgeries?
SB: Tummy tuck medically known as abdominoplasty and breast augmentation. Women who have had babies
want to get rid of the tummy fat which may be due to significant weight fluctuations and heredity. These factors
can also affect women—young and old as it relates to their breasts. If their breasts sag or their balance is poor
due to overly large breasts then they will consider breast augmentation or a breast lift.
IP: What is the percentage of elective surgery among women of color?
SB: I’ve seen an increase from 10 to 50 percent in terms of women of color over the last 14 years.
IP: Why do you think that is?
SB: Well it could be because there is not so much of a stigma about plastic surgery now as may have been the
case twenty years ago.
JA: In my experience, African-American women are much more likely to spend disposable income to look better.
SB: No I can’t say I have. My patients are happy because they are realistic women. They don’t come to me for
a consultation asking for unrealistic changes. My clients know that at 50 they will not look like did at 25. In
some cases it is possible to restore certain features depending upon ones age and what it is they are not
pleased with. For example lines across the forehead could be corrected with a Brow Lift. Parentheses around
the mouth or naso-labial lines and crows feet along with bags under the eyes can be filled using derma filler like
Restylane. Typically these procedures are temporary – three months or so, depending upon the individual.
Maintenance is important.
IP: Yes, maintenance. It’s usually the maintenance of beauty that can put us in the poor house. (laughs) What
about the risk factors? To what extent does an individual’s health come into play?
SB: Smoking makes all surgeries have a greater risk of complications because people who smoke do not heal
properly. People who have diabetes that is not under good control are at a greater risk of infection. People who
have high blood pressure who are not well controlled may bleed after surgery. Of course taking aspirin, Motrin,
large doses of Vitamin E and other substances (we get our patients a list) may cause people to bleed more at
surgery also. We discuss these factors with our patients, get medical clearance if needed and make adjustments
before, during and after surgery to reduce these potential complications.
IP: So how would you define beauty?
SB: Beauty is still defined by the media. It dictates perfection. But there is no right or wrong image. Plastic
surgery is not about vanity. It’s all about you and how you feel about your looks.
JA: We still measure everything by how something looks. It may not speak to what is on the inside but for the
most part we are all visual beings. As women we get our hair and nails done, buy make-up and buy clothing to
look good. Plastic surgery is just a more costly step up from wanting to look good. Contrary to what has been
said, plastic surgery is not addictive. It’s like decorating a room in your house. If you decorate one room don’t
you want to move on to other rooms until the entire house is restored?
IP: Absolutely! That is so true and a great analogy. Final thoughts?
JA: Plastic surgery is not addictive. It is merely restoring what nature once gave you.
IP: On behalf of VisibleWomanOnline, thank you so much!
When Visible Woman decided to do an issue on Beauty it seemed appropriate to delve into the
world of plastic surgery. I wanted to get the inside scoop on the myriad of procedures and
just what motivates women to take what I perceived as a giant step into the unknown.
I was familiar with Dr. Sheila Bond’s reputation as one of the most well regarded plastic
surgeons in the tri-state area, so I was elated when she agreed to meet with me. Dr. Bond’s
specialty in comprehensive aesthetic, plastic, cosmetic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic
enhancements for face and body, has been recognized by women of many nationalities and
social spectrum.
A graduate of Dartmouth College with completed residencies at the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in New York, Dr. Bond has been a plastic surgeon for
14 years, and has been featured on national radio programs.
I also had the opportunity to meet with Judyann Affronti, Patient Coordinator, and former IT
professional, who offered some rather interesting analogies about plastic surgery and a
surprising observation about the majority of women who are investing in it. After the
interview I must admit yours truly was even interested in a consultation.
world of plastic surgery. I wanted to get the inside scoop on the myriad of procedures and
just what motivates women to take what I perceived as a giant step into the unknown.
I was familiar with Dr. Sheila Bond’s reputation as one of the most well regarded plastic
surgeons in the tri-state area, so I was elated when she agreed to meet with me. Dr. Bond’s
specialty in comprehensive aesthetic, plastic, cosmetic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic
enhancements for face and body, has been recognized by women of many nationalities and
social spectrum.
A graduate of Dartmouth College with completed residencies at the Albert Einstein College of
Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in New York, Dr. Bond has been a plastic surgeon for
14 years, and has been featured on national radio programs.
I also had the opportunity to meet with Judyann Affronti, Patient Coordinator, and former IT
professional, who offered some rather interesting analogies about plastic surgery and a
surprising observation about the majority of women who are investing in it. After the
interview I must admit yours truly was even interested in a consultation.
Dr. Sheila Bond
39 S. Fullerton Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
Phone: 973-509-0007
www.bondplasticsurgery.com
39 S. Fullerton Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042
Phone: 973-509-0007
www.bondplasticsurgery.com
IP: Really? As a black woman I find that surprising – not in a
negative sense. It’s just that my perception about plastic surgery
has always been that it was something that was more accessible
and acceptable amongst white women.
JA: Well, from where I sit, I see more African-American women
investing more to look better.
IP: I believe advertising plays a major role in women in general
feeling like they must have and do xyz in order to look good.
SB: Right. I like to think that plastic surgery is a way of restoring
what you once had. A fifty-year old woman knows that she is not
going to look like she looked at 25. But we can temporarily fix the
lines around her eyes, forehead or mouth. We can lift the breasts,
and reconstruct some areas so that she feels better about herself.
IP: Tell me about what a consultation entails.
SB: When someone comes to me wanting to have elective surgery
the first thing I ask them is what bothers them the most. There
may be a few areas that they are not happy about. However,
depending upon the surgery, it may only be medically possible to
perform one surgery at a time. For example if someone is not
pleased with their breasts and their stomach, I suggest breast
augmentation first, then perform the tummy tuck.
IP: Have you ever had a patient who was dissatisfied with the results
of their surgery?
negative sense. It’s just that my perception about plastic surgery
has always been that it was something that was more accessible
and acceptable amongst white women.
JA: Well, from where I sit, I see more African-American women
investing more to look better.
IP: I believe advertising plays a major role in women in general
feeling like they must have and do xyz in order to look good.
SB: Right. I like to think that plastic surgery is a way of restoring
what you once had. A fifty-year old woman knows that she is not
going to look like she looked at 25. But we can temporarily fix the
lines around her eyes, forehead or mouth. We can lift the breasts,
and reconstruct some areas so that she feels better about herself.
IP: Tell me about what a consultation entails.
SB: When someone comes to me wanting to have elective surgery
the first thing I ask them is what bothers them the most. There
may be a few areas that they are not happy about. However,
depending upon the surgery, it may only be medically possible to
perform one surgery at a time. For example if someone is not
pleased with their breasts and their stomach, I suggest breast
augmentation first, then perform the tummy tuck.
IP: Have you ever had a patient who was dissatisfied with the results
of their surgery?
| ||||||||
A Thousand Words
Beauty seen through the photographer's lens. . .
Beauty seen through the photographer's lens. . .
Leonard Waldon is a Montclair hairstylist and owner of the Anjiru Hair Salon at 12 South Fullerton Avenue.
In 2008, Waldon began taking a series of photographs of homeless men and women in and around Newark
Penn Station. His special rapport with his subjects resulted in a beautiful and poignant series of portraits he
calls, "All the King's Men". The expressions in these portraits speaks volumes about the thousands of
homeless men and women who make up a large part of our landscape. Waldon’s moving and evocative images
are on display at the 18th Annual Wonderfully Made Art Exhibit at 5 Court Street, Morristown, NJ through
March 26, 2010.
Waldon is currently working on other photographic projects focusing on the growing plight of the homeless.
For further information contact Leonard Waldon at AnjiruGallery@gmail.com.
In 2008, Waldon began taking a series of photographs of homeless men and women in and around Newark
Penn Station. His special rapport with his subjects resulted in a beautiful and poignant series of portraits he
calls, "All the King's Men". The expressions in these portraits speaks volumes about the thousands of
homeless men and women who make up a large part of our landscape. Waldon’s moving and evocative images
are on display at the 18th Annual Wonderfully Made Art Exhibit at 5 Court Street, Morristown, NJ through
March 26, 2010.
Waldon is currently working on other photographic projects focusing on the growing plight of the homeless.
For further information contact Leonard Waldon at AnjiruGallery@gmail.com.
| Lenny Waldon standing in front of his photo montage, "All the King's Men". |
Girls in high school not only have pressure from their peers, but begin to deal with interactions with the
opposite sex and the lethal mixture of sexual self-awareness and personal self awareness, all layered with
the demands of beauty in our culture. Women in their twenties and thirties have the demands of college,
marriage, children and career, all the while having to look their best, often without any real attention paid to
feeling their best. I have found personally, that it is when women reach their forties and fifties when they
question what has been put upon them, reject the standards, and set their own. My father said to me once,
"When your mother was young she was pretty, now that she’s older, she’s beautiful." My mother at the time
was in her early forties and I didn’t have to ask what he meant, I could tell by the tone of his voice and the
look in his eyes.
Images or persons that come to mind, when asked for what is beautiful were most often, Michelle Obama,
followed by mothers, grandmothers and other celebrities such as Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Dorothy
Dandridge, Bette Midler, Tina Turner, Halle Berry, Queen Latifa, Selma Hayak and Lucy Liu. Also shared was an
image of a bright lavender flower with red and yellow lines coming from the center and a purple rose
silhouetted by a sunset. It is significant that Michelle Obama was cited by many respondents as it has been
many years since most women would have listed the First Lady as being beautiful. Many women today are
too young to remember Jackie Kennedy who was also cited as an example of beauty, grace and class.
I am encouraged by the women who list their mothers and grandmothers as beautiful, because the choice of
the women who have shaped their lives speaks more to internal beauty and the honoring that sees the
beauty in wisdom, in strength, in perseverance and most importantly in love. My own grandmother was funny,
strong and a dynamic presence in my life. She went to cabarets and dressed well, was an excellent
seamstress and a strong disciplinarian, but loved all her grandchildren unconditionally. I still have some of her
clothes and always feel elegant when I wear them. I carry the elegance and carriage of another time and
carry Alice Butler’s spirit with me when I am in her creations.
One of the benefits of being a bellydance teacher and an image consultant is I get to directly impact how
women feel about themselves. I teach women to come in and dance to music and shake, shimmy and love
themselves. I get to be MiaNaja and free myself to create dances, perform, wear beautiful costumes and lead
women in my two performing groups, the MiaNaja Oriental Dance Ensemble (MODE) and the Raks Divas. I am
privileged that for over ten years, I get to help every woman in my classes to become the sassy, sensual
person she is inside, to free the inner beauty, and translate that energy into beautiful dance.
We need to put away the toxic dysfunction that we are programmed to believe and feel about ourselves. We
need to see beauty in all colors, all sizes, all shapes all hair types, all skin shades, all of what makes us who
we are. We also need to value beauty internally as well as externally. As Rotrica states, "Beauty starts as
something internal and can be seen by others if manifested externally." I agree, let us be the manifestation
of our internal beauty.
Michelle M. Alexander, aka MiaNaja from Columbia, MD holds a BA in Journalism from Howard University, has a
telecommunications business, and practices law when she is not shimmying and writing. She conducted a survey
on women's opinions on beauty for VisibleWomanOnline. You can contact Michelle at: mianaja@yahoo.com
Contact information for the artists quoted in this article:
Amaya: www.wisewomandancer.com
Khuzama: www.purplebellydancer.com
MiaNaja: www.mianaja.org
I have aged. My idea of beauty has changed. When I think of beauty I am reminded of my growth cycles and
infatuations. When I was between the ages five and ten, I thought my mother, aunts, and teachers were the
most beautiful women in my life. When I was eleven, I found a stray dog. His soft fur, that way he looked up
to me, following me whenever he could, felt good. It was a beautiful feeling. But when I took him home and
my mother told me I could not keep him I was shattered. I felt like she was robbing me of something beautiful.
Then the next day I found out that he had been put to sleep. It was in that instant between my sobs and
tears that I remember looking at my mother and feeling that she was no longer beautiful to me. I didn’t know
it then but I was beginning to cross over from the physical to the inner workings of what beauty meant.
When I was twelve my body started to change. The girls around me were changing. They were getting fuller
and curvier. Their sweet smells pulled me to them, clustering me in cocoon softness. One girl comes to mind –
Sharell Bennet. To me, she was beauty. Her skin was the color of the Sugar Daddys I loved and her breath
smelled of red liquorish. Her presence meant the world to me. By the time I turned thirteen, June Green was
the new intoxicating flavor. She had a walk I will never forget, a strut that could have only been taught. It was
just so perfect. The ways she moved cancelled out the sweet candy smells that Sharell had hypnotized me
with. Since she was the class monitor I watched her walk around the classroom with the same enthusiasm as
a kid experiencing his first kiss. I was too young at the time to know that I was mesmerized by beauty.
By the time I reached high school it was the late sixties and Black had become beautiful. I wore an afro, a
dashiki, Levis and white Converses. I proudly wore my black power fist made of ebony wood around my neck.
Without even knowing it I, like many others, were proclaiming what they considered to be beauty or beautiful.
Along with discovering physical beauty, by the time I was a grown man I was making other beautiful
discoveries. I found beauty in smoking pot. There was a wild and floating ecstasy that freed me and took me
places, if only in my head. Enlisting in the navy enabled me to see the beauty of team work. For eight years I
experienced the beauty of serving my country.
I am now a 56-year-old man who has been married two times. Yes, two times. While I have been married to
beautiful women, I have learned that external beauty and internal beauty are entirely different. Recognizing
beauty and respecting beauty are very different. I am thankful to have learned this. It has been part of my
healing and redemption as a compassionate and loving man. So now when I think of beauty, communication is
one of the first things that come to mind. I have found that when people are willing and able to communicate,
there is a beauty that comes through which can be so powerful, ultimately making them beautiful.
Larry Thompson is a filmmaker and comedian who has appeared at The Comedy Club, The Comic Strip, and several
comedy clubs in Los Angeles. He is a native of Brooklyn, New York.
infatuations. When I was between the ages five and ten, I thought my mother, aunts, and teachers were the
most beautiful women in my life. When I was eleven, I found a stray dog. His soft fur, that way he looked up
to me, following me whenever he could, felt good. It was a beautiful feeling. But when I took him home and
my mother told me I could not keep him I was shattered. I felt like she was robbing me of something beautiful.
Then the next day I found out that he had been put to sleep. It was in that instant between my sobs and
tears that I remember looking at my mother and feeling that she was no longer beautiful to me. I didn’t know
it then but I was beginning to cross over from the physical to the inner workings of what beauty meant.
When I was twelve my body started to change. The girls around me were changing. They were getting fuller
and curvier. Their sweet smells pulled me to them, clustering me in cocoon softness. One girl comes to mind –
Sharell Bennet. To me, she was beauty. Her skin was the color of the Sugar Daddys I loved and her breath
smelled of red liquorish. Her presence meant the world to me. By the time I turned thirteen, June Green was
the new intoxicating flavor. She had a walk I will never forget, a strut that could have only been taught. It was
just so perfect. The ways she moved cancelled out the sweet candy smells that Sharell had hypnotized me
with. Since she was the class monitor I watched her walk around the classroom with the same enthusiasm as
a kid experiencing his first kiss. I was too young at the time to know that I was mesmerized by beauty.
By the time I reached high school it was the late sixties and Black had become beautiful. I wore an afro, a
dashiki, Levis and white Converses. I proudly wore my black power fist made of ebony wood around my neck.
Without even knowing it I, like many others, were proclaiming what they considered to be beauty or beautiful.
Along with discovering physical beauty, by the time I was a grown man I was making other beautiful
discoveries. I found beauty in smoking pot. There was a wild and floating ecstasy that freed me and took me
places, if only in my head. Enlisting in the navy enabled me to see the beauty of team work. For eight years I
experienced the beauty of serving my country.
I am now a 56-year-old man who has been married two times. Yes, two times. While I have been married to
beautiful women, I have learned that external beauty and internal beauty are entirely different. Recognizing
beauty and respecting beauty are very different. I am thankful to have learned this. It has been part of my
healing and redemption as a compassionate and loving man. So now when I think of beauty, communication is
one of the first things that come to mind. I have found that when people are willing and able to communicate,
there is a beauty that comes through which can be so powerful, ultimately making them beautiful.
Larry Thompson is a filmmaker and comedian who has appeared at The Comedy Club, The Comic Strip, and several
comedy clubs in Los Angeles. He is a native of Brooklyn, New York.
Views on Beauty From Women's Voices Today
-Michelle Alexander
-Michelle Alexander
Beauty is a very complicated subject and is one that creates and destroys
women. Women are empowered and enslaved by beauty. Actress Marilyn
Monroe was a very intelligent woman, avid reader and married famous playwright
Arthur Miller, yet she was typecast by her beauty and was hindered from
expanding her repertoire of roles because of her looks. Her beauty made her rich,
but it also made her poor as well.
Women I have interviewed identify beauty more in terms of internal characteristics
as opposed to external characteristics. Amaya of New Mexico, a famous performer
of belly dance and Zambra Mora (a dance that combines flamenco with belly
dance), defines beauty as "the glow, the energy a person radiates." Rotrica, an
attorney, defines beauty as being, "talented, humble, and selfless so that it’s
reflected on the outside." Khuzama, an award-winning dancer shares, "beauty is
100% based upon your experiences, your face, eyes, body types all go to the
interpretation of beauty."
Our girls (and boys) have to meet impossible standards of beauty. The inability to
meet those standards can result in low self esteem and an altered sense of self.
What is even more damaging is if the beauty standard is predominately one set of
racial characteristics. Blonde, blue-eyed, white, and thin has been the beauty
standard in America and most of the West since from their earliest beginnings.
Having travelled extensively, it is refreshing on many levels and perhaps indicative
of the ethnocentrism I have been exposed to, to be pleasantly surprised to see
advertisements featuring women of color abroad.
In response to the question, if you had to give beauty a color from the spectrum,
which one(s) would it be? Amaya shares, "golden. . . because I think children of
mixed bloods often turn out in this delightful golden hue." Rotrica says, "for skin
color – tan to darkest, smooth skin and regal." Interestingly, both Khuzama and
Rotrica listed purple as their favorite color.
What does this say to the girls who are various shades of brown, red, yellow with
dark hair, eyes and variable shapes and sizes? It took J-Lo and the Williams
sisters to change the standard to being more shapely, muscular and more curvy in
the hips and posterior. But those in communities of color have always appreciated
a more substantial woman. I always heard the quote, "Don’t nothing but a dog
love a bone." On a visit to Jamaica, I was startled to have a 19-year-old young
man tell me how sexy I was at a time when I weighed more than I cared to. It
gave me pause; it made me reflect on how "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
is more than just a saying, a living reality. And why did I not see and glory in that
same beauty that young man saw in me?
Most respondents to the questionnaire said they do not feel beautiful about
themselves all the time. Only Amaya said, “Yes, I do . . . most of the time. I feel I
am different-looking and that is my 'beauty specialty," but attributed her shift in
perception of beauty to being a wise, mature woman.
"When I was a young girl, I felt being like Doris Day or Sandra Dee or a blonde
ballerina was the utmost in beauty. By the time I turned twenty-one, Joan Baez,
Cher, and other women showed up on the public scene. I could relate to their
ethnic looks. I also thought only young people could be beautiful. And now that I
am sixty-one and can think outside the box, I see unique beauty in almost
everyone around!"
Age and maturity can be the catalyst for the paradigm shift in perceptions of
beauty. Young women try hard to assimilate and be the same when they are pre-
teens to avoid negative comments and treatment.
women. Women are empowered and enslaved by beauty. Actress Marilyn
Monroe was a very intelligent woman, avid reader and married famous playwright
Arthur Miller, yet she was typecast by her beauty and was hindered from
expanding her repertoire of roles because of her looks. Her beauty made her rich,
but it also made her poor as well.
Women I have interviewed identify beauty more in terms of internal characteristics
as opposed to external characteristics. Amaya of New Mexico, a famous performer
of belly dance and Zambra Mora (a dance that combines flamenco with belly
dance), defines beauty as "the glow, the energy a person radiates." Rotrica, an
attorney, defines beauty as being, "talented, humble, and selfless so that it’s
reflected on the outside." Khuzama, an award-winning dancer shares, "beauty is
100% based upon your experiences, your face, eyes, body types all go to the
interpretation of beauty."
Our girls (and boys) have to meet impossible standards of beauty. The inability to
meet those standards can result in low self esteem and an altered sense of self.
What is even more damaging is if the beauty standard is predominately one set of
racial characteristics. Blonde, blue-eyed, white, and thin has been the beauty
standard in America and most of the West since from their earliest beginnings.
Having travelled extensively, it is refreshing on many levels and perhaps indicative
of the ethnocentrism I have been exposed to, to be pleasantly surprised to see
advertisements featuring women of color abroad.
In response to the question, if you had to give beauty a color from the spectrum,
which one(s) would it be? Amaya shares, "golden. . . because I think children of
mixed bloods often turn out in this delightful golden hue." Rotrica says, "for skin
color – tan to darkest, smooth skin and regal." Interestingly, both Khuzama and
Rotrica listed purple as their favorite color.
What does this say to the girls who are various shades of brown, red, yellow with
dark hair, eyes and variable shapes and sizes? It took J-Lo and the Williams
sisters to change the standard to being more shapely, muscular and more curvy in
the hips and posterior. But those in communities of color have always appreciated
a more substantial woman. I always heard the quote, "Don’t nothing but a dog
love a bone." On a visit to Jamaica, I was startled to have a 19-year-old young
man tell me how sexy I was at a time when I weighed more than I cared to. It
gave me pause; it made me reflect on how "beauty is in the eye of the beholder"
is more than just a saying, a living reality. And why did I not see and glory in that
same beauty that young man saw in me?
Most respondents to the questionnaire said they do not feel beautiful about
themselves all the time. Only Amaya said, “Yes, I do . . . most of the time. I feel I
am different-looking and that is my 'beauty specialty," but attributed her shift in
perception of beauty to being a wise, mature woman.
"When I was a young girl, I felt being like Doris Day or Sandra Dee or a blonde
ballerina was the utmost in beauty. By the time I turned twenty-one, Joan Baez,
Cher, and other women showed up on the public scene. I could relate to their
ethnic looks. I also thought only young people could be beautiful. And now that I
am sixty-one and can think outside the box, I see unique beauty in almost
everyone around!"
Age and maturity can be the catalyst for the paradigm shift in perceptions of
beauty. Young women try hard to assimilate and be the same when they are pre-
teens to avoid negative comments and treatment.
Amaya
Michelle as MiaNaja
A Man's Take on Beauty
Filmmaker and comedian Larry Thomson ponders
how his concept of beauty has matured, as he
has.
Filmmaker and comedian Larry Thomson ponders
how his concept of beauty has matured, as he
has.
-Larry Thompson
| ||||||
Rotrica
Khuzama
Michelle
