So the news broke this morning that President Obama will nominate Sonia Sotomayor to fill the Supreme Court vacancy about to be created by the retirement of David Souter. Reactions have been all over the board depending on which side of the political aisle you’re on, but we think it’s a thrilling choice for women. Sotomayor, if confirmed, would become only the third woman ever to sit on the land’s highest court, following Sandra Day O’Connor and Rose Bader Ginsburg, possibly the next justice to retire.
What makes this such an exciting choice is that it represents another instance in which a woman is being considered for an imporant position based solely on factors that have nothing to do with her appearance. On the heels of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, that’s extraordinary.
For Sotomayor, the only thing that matters is her legal, judicial and intellectual pedigree, and by any account it is exceptional: rising from a modest upbringing in the Bronx and overcoming diabetes to attend Princeton, graduate from Yale Law School, edit the Yale Law Review and go on to become a New York district attorney. She is largely regarded as the most important Hispanic jurist in the country at this time. Aside from the abortion or gay marriage questions that will be posed by some special interest groups, those are the only qualifications that matter for Sotomayor. That’s marvelous.
As we have said before, intelligence is part of Inner Beauty, which informs and shapes overall beauty. A women like Judge Sotomayor makes us hopeful because whether she is ultimately confirmed or not, her selection sends yet another message to young women that what you achieve in this world is less about how pretty you can make yourself look and more about what you have between your ears, what you accomplish with the gifts you’re given, and most important, what you give back to others. As Obama introduced his nominee, her mother, Celia Sotomayor, sat in the front row of the press room, weeping tears of joy for her daughter. Only she knows all that Sonia has had to overcome to reach this pinnacle.
So this is a day to celebrate. Another woman of incredible substance and accomplishment stands ready to join the ranks of the finest leaders in the country. It’s a truly exciting time to be a woman…and an American. We’ll keep you posted on the comments, attacks, and news that comes up about her progress toward a Senate vote.
There’s an old saying that goes, “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good.” Meaning that no matter how dire a situation, there’s almost always someone who benefits. Case in point: this seemingly bottomless economy. Amidst layoffs, a catastrophic foreclosure rate and all the rest of the news that makes us afraid to switch the TV to CNBC, there are people who are doing well. In the beauty sector, it’s the makers and sellers of discount beauty products.
This article from Inc. magazine tells us that while 40 percent of women say they are delaying their purchases of beauty products like moisturizers and cosmetics, one-third are switching to cheaper products, prompted not only by the economy and lower prices but by increasingly common revelations that many less costly products are just as effective as the luxury brands. This new trend, which pundits are calling “econochic,” is paying off big for the makers of low-end beauty accoutrements: one company, Yes to Carrots, that sells via Target, Rite Aid Pharmacy and Walgreens, projects a 30 percent increase in sales in 2009 despite the terrible economy. So we’d suggest that right after “food, water and shelter” we add “foundation” to the list of things we simply cannot live without.
But why? We’re diagnosticians by trade, so we’re always interested in the underlying causes of things, whether it’s a skin condition, emotional trauma or a societal trend. Why should it be that in the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression, so many women refuse to give up shopping for beauty products? In the past, we’ve made the case that it’s about controlling what you can control and keeping self-esteem strong at a time when so much seems terrifyingly out of control. But now we think our continued, stubborn focus on looking our best—at a time when we could easily justify going cold turkey on all beauty products—is also about something else.
It’s about competition.
Of course. As we talk about in The Beauty Prescription, we are wired to regard attractive people more highly than plain people. Study after study has shown that we trust beautiful people more, pay them better, treat them with more respect when we encounter them on the street, and even give them a better shake in the justice system. Good looking men and women get a better deal out of human society, and may even live longer. So right now, with unemployment approaching 10 percent and millions competing for the same shrinking pool of jobs, why wouldn’t women try to give themselves a competitive advantage by looking as great as possible?
We’re not talking about something as shallow as using sex appeal to get a job, though some women may do that. No, we’re talking about leveraging our evolutionary baggage that makes us assume that attractive individuals are smarter, more socially adept, more trustworthy and more capable than people who look ordinary. In a cutthroat economic environment where many people are struggling simply to survive, the edge in appearance gained by using some moisturizer and lip liner—even if it’s a discount brand—can literally be the difference between getting work and paying the mortgage or ending up homeless. Beauty is part of the arsenal of weapons that we use to survive in tough times. It always has been, all the way back to Cleopatra and Helen of Troy.
So if you’re part of that newly invigorated market for discount beauty products, don’t be embarrassed by your penny pinching. You’re actually adapting to the current circumstances better than many women. Because eventually this economy will recover, and it’s the women who have kept themselves looking and feeling great all along who will be on top.
May is National Tennis Month, which means it’s a good time to talk about this wonderful game and how marvelous it is for all aspects of the Beauty-Brain Loop: Inner Beauty, Outer Beauty, Health and Environment. Eva, in particular, has a special interest in this, being an admitted tennis junkie, but we are both big fans of the game and love the fact that it fosters professional female athletes who are as strong, fierce and exciting to watch as men.
The United States Tennis Association is sponsoring the special month to increase participation in tennis at all levels, from community tennis clubs to the professional circuit. All around the country, USTA chapters will be hosting festivals, clinics and tournaments to teach young people the game and encourage adults to get reacquainted with a game they may not have played in years. But to us, tennis is one of the most beauty-friendly of sports. We’ll tell you why, starting with the most obvious stage of the Loop:
Health—Take a look at pro tennis players and it’s obvious that the sport is fantastic for fitness and cardiovascular health. To play tennis for an extended period of time, you have to be fit. You also need to be strong, flexible and quick. Regular tennis encourages physical fitness and delivers an amazing workout. Health as it relates to complete beauty is about vitality and maximizing one’s physical potential. It isn’t about being model-slim, but about being the best you can be. Venus and Serena Williams aren’t built like models; they are powerful athletes. But because tennis has helped them make the most of their physical gifts, they are two of the most stunning female athletes in any sport. Tennis is a wonderful activity for improving the health of the whole body, and health is beautiful.
Inner Beauty—The most important aspects of Inner Beauty are qualities like confidence and self-esteem, and tennis brings these out in abundance. Playing regularly and improving one’s game requires enough discipline and commitment that people who achieve a high level of proficiency usually also gain greatly in self-confidence and a sense of their own ability to overcome obstacles to achieve a goal—the greatest source of self-esteem. Tennis isn’t easy; it’s a blindingly fast game that demands great concentration and skill. Mastering it even at low levels is something that men and woman should be proud of. Regular tennis players that we know tend to be fit and happy with themselves, which makes them more appealing to others.
Outer Beauty—The health-promoting effects of tennis are wonderful for the skin and exterior beauty as a whole. The sport is fantastic for weight control; the average person burns more than 500 calories during one hour of singles tennis. The exercise tightens and tones the muscles, which improves overall appearance. One caveat: you should always wear broad-spectrum sunscreen when playing tennis, because the extended time in the sun can damage your skin.
Environment—Tennis is a communal game that’s played in the social environment of tennis clubs, where people teach each other, engage in good-natured rivalries, and in many cases help their local communities. The environmental aspect of beauty is about relationships in great part, and tennis is the door to many wonderful relationships for many people.
If you don’t play, May is a great time to learn. If you already play, it’s a perfect time to teach someone else how to play and bring a little more activity and health to your world. Find out more information at the USTA website.
Faster than a speeding minivan. More powerful than a bunch of seven-year-olds on Capri Sun. Able to leap through professional glass ceilings in a single bound. You get the picture. In our last post we talked about all the incredible effects that Michelle Obama has had on the perception of beauty in this country, and on ideas about what a woman can be and do. Now we focus on the flipside of women’s empowerment, or rather, over-empowerment. We’re talking about the Superwoman Phenomenon.
This is, at its core, a self-esteem issue: women trying to prove their worth based on their ability to multi-task and achieve as much as men while also filling the traditional roles of mother and keeper of the home fires. It’s as though feminism has come full circle and with, the Law of Unintended Consequences has come into effect as well. For decades or more, many men have defined their self-worth based on their careers, earnings and possessions. It’s the American pastime: showing off how much you make and how much you have. But women, locked out of higher professional positions, based their self-esteem largely on being wives, mothers and community nurturers.
Now, with women climbing the corporate ladder and redefining business and culture as fast or faster than men (Oprah? Michelle Obama?), equality has come full circle and it’s not always pretty. More and more women are being told—and believingt—that in order to be fully realized human beings, they have to “have it all”—be career climbers who still manage to have water births and tend organic gardens. That’s the Superwoman Syndrome: making our self-worth about what we do, not who we are.
Of course, it’s a trap. No woman can do everything. Something always has to give, whether it’s career or children. That’s why you can jump on an online forum about being a working mom versus a stay-at-home mom and watch the sparks fly. The pressure makes us take sides. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways to remain balanced and avoid the Superwoman trap. Here are some ideas we’ve found to be effective (and as doctors and mothers, we’ve used a few of them ourselves):
Ignore the expectations of others. Society tries to force us into roles with passive messages that say, “You’re not good enough unless…” But these are lies. The only voice that matters is the one that speaks to you from inside. Strong self-esteem is in part heeding only the opinions of people you know and respect.
Pamper yourself. Sometimes, you’re going to be going 100 miles an hour with your perfectly done hair on fire. It’s inevitable. When you are, take care of yourself. Exercise. Meditate. Eat right. Take quiet time with friends. Be kind to your body and mind and you will handle stress with far greater success.
Delegate. If your friends kid you about being a control freak, you probably are. Let go of the reins; you don’t have to do everything. Learn to trust others with tasks and spend your time on the things you enjoy the most and the things you’re best at…which often are one and the same.
Reallocate your time. What do you love most about your life? Make that the object of most of your attention. If you’d rather me a mom first and a professional second, find ways to devote more time to family and less to work. That could mean telecommuting or even cutting back hours. You might have to make some choices that are hard in the beginning, but when you’re living the way that brings you joy, multi-tasking will become much easier.
In the end, Superwoman is a myth. We’re all doing the best we can. So maybe the best advice is to forgive yourself and give yourself credit for what you do well. Because it’s probably quite a lot.
